Home Renovation Q&A: Permits, Building a Scope of Work, & Managing Renovations

Does your rental property need some updating? Maybe you’re buying a house with unpermitted work, and you’ve got to go back and fix a few problems. Or, this could be your first home renovation as you try to squeeze some sweat equity out of your property. Regardless of your situation, if you’re planning a home renovation, you’ll need to know how to do a few things: build a scope of work, pull permits, manage contractors, and ensure the job is actually getting done. We’ll help you do all of those today! We’re taking questions from the BiggerPockets Forums today and answering topics like: What to do when your home has unpermitted renovations How to analyze your first rental property or house hack How to build a scope of work to ensure you get the HIGHEST appraisal value The best way to check in on renovations, especially if you’re investing out-of-state Some of these seem tricky if you’re a first-time investor, but don’t worry, ANYONE (even a newbie) can handle a home renovation IF you take the right steps and follow our suggestions. In This Episode We Cover: Should you EVER buy a house with unpermitted renovations? And how to get permits retroactively  How to analyze your first rental property (or house hack) to make sure it’ll pencil out Building a scope of work (SOW) so you have a bullet-proof renovation plan  How to check in on your home renovation if you’re investing from a distance  The one contract contingency to add IF you’re worried about renovations the seller made  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets YouTube Apply to Be a BiggerPockets Real Estate Guest Get Early Bird Tickets to BPCon2025 ($100 Off!) BiggerPockets Real Estate 1103 - April 2025 “Upside” Update: Making a BIG Change to My Portfolio (Cashing Out) Real Price of Gold Try REsimpli, The Only All-In-One Real Estate Investor CRM Software That Helps You Manage Data, Marketing, Sales, and Operations BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Calculators BiggerPockets Market Finder Real Estate Rookie Podcast Resource Hub Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA from Equity Trust Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Ready for Your First Home Renovation? Grab “The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs” Sign Up for the BiggerPockets Real Estate Newsletter Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Renovate a House—Whether You’re Renting, Flipping, or Moving In Connect with Ashley Connect with Dave Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1107 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [e-mail]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices