Everyone thinks rehab estimating is about knowing material prices.
It's not. It's about knowing what NOT to include.
The Claude Rehab Estimator skill builds room-by-room scopes, prices materials by region, and generates a 9-tab Excel workbook. Feed it inspection photos and a comp report, and it returns a contractor-grade estimate you can hand to your GC for verification.
Out of the box, the skill estimates conservatively. That is by design. A high estimate that costs you a deal saves you from a bad deal. A low estimate that misses $15K kills profit. After calibrating with 3-5 closed deals, it tightens to within 10-15% of actual contractor SOWs.
This page walks through the full workflow using the same property from the Comping Workflow: 5532 Joyce Ann Dr, Dayton OH. Same $265,000 ARV. The skill generated a $63,379 full rehab estimate and an $11,358 wholetail estimate for this property. Every tab, every line item, every material spec is below.
Download the Rehab Estimator skill: Get the skill file. Upload it to Claude and activate in your Project settings.
See all available skills → Claude Skills for REI
Uploading resources and turning on the Claude rehab skill. Click to zoom.
From conservative to contractor-grade.
Out of the box, the skill estimates high. Feed it 3-5 closed deals with real contractor SOWs, and it locks into your market's actual pricing.
The skill is built conservative on purpose. A high estimate that costs you a deal saves you from a bad deal. A low estimate that misses $15K kills profit. Before calibration, expect estimates 20-40% above actual contractor bids. After calibration with real deal data, the skill tightens to within 10-15%.
Conservative Scoping
Includes items like staging, permits, and system replacements that may not apply. Better to flag them and remove than to miss them entirely.
Premium Material Pricing
Defaults to higher finish tiers until your comp data tells it otherwise. The renovation premium from your comp report sets the correct tier.
Broad Methodology
Uses category-level pricing (paint as 3 items, full demo) instead of the single-rate contractor methodology your market actually uses.
Tight Room-by-Room Scope
Only includes what the property actually needs. Newer systems get skipped. Marketing costs stay separate from the contractor bid.
Market-Matched Tier Pricing
Finish tier set by your comp report's renovation premium. For this property: Tier 3 (Investor-Flip Grade) at $33.50/SF.
Contractor Methodology
Paint as a single $/SF rate. Selective demo, not full gut. Contingency on a tight base. The estimate reads like a real SOW.
Four tiers. Your comps pick the tier. Not you.
The cardinal rule: match the comps. If renovated comps have laminate counters, you use laminate regardless of ARV. The market rewards what it rewards.
Builder Grade
$15-25/SF
Wholetails, rentals, <$100K ARV markets
Mid Grade
$25-40/SF
Low-end flips, $100K-200K ARV markets
Investor-Flip Grade
$35-60/SF
Standard flips, HGTV-ready, $200K-400K ARV
Retail-Premium
$50-80+/SF
High-end markets, $400K+ ARV, luxury finishes
Budget Finishes for Maximum ROI
Target buyers: investors, budget retail buyers, Section 8 tenants. Keep it simple, keep it clean, keep it cheap.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flooring | Basic LVP ($1.50-2.50/SF) or carpet in bedrooms |
| Kitchen Cabinets | Existing cleaned/painted, or cheapest RTA stock |
| Countertops | Laminate or butcher block |
| Appliances | Basic white or black, used/refurbished acceptable |
| Bathroom | Clean existing or basic replacements, fiberglass tub surround |
| Paint | 1 neutral color throughout (SW Alabaster or BM White Dove) |
| Fixtures | Chrome, basic builder-pack from big box |
First-Time Buyer Appeal
Target buyers: first-time homebuyers, retail buyers in affordable markets. One step above builder, but still disciplined.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flooring | LVP throughout ($2.50-4.00/SF), carpet in bedrooms OK |
| Kitchen Cabinets | Painted existing (spray) or stock shaker-style (white/gray) |
| Countertops | Butcher block or entry-level granite/quartz |
| Appliances | New stainless, basic models (Frigidaire, Whirlpool base) |
| Bathroom | New vanity + mirror + toilet, reglaze or basic tub surround |
| Paint | 2 colors max (Agreeable Gray walls + Extra White trim) |
| Fixtures | Brushed nickel throughout |
The Sweet Spot for Most Flips
"HGTV ready" without being luxury. This is the tier used on 5532 Joyce Ann Dr. Actual $/SF: $29.19 (low end of range because no full systems replacement was needed).
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flooring | Higher-end LVP ($3.50-5.00/SF), carpet OK in bedrooms |
| Kitchen | New stock shaker cabinets (soft-close) + quartz countertops + subway tile backsplash |
| Appliances | Stainless package (Samsung, LG, Whirlpool Gold) |
| Bathroom | New vanity (36"+), tile floor, tile tub surround, framed mirror |
| Paint | Professional 2-3 color scheme, spray doors for factory finish |
| Fixtures | Matte black or brushed gold (trending), coordinated |
| Extras | Recessed lights, pendant over island, barn door (1-2), open shelving |
Luxury Markets Only
Target buyers: move-up buyers, executives. Only justified when renovated comps show premium finishes at $400K+ ARV.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flooring | Engineered hardwood or wide-plank LVP, heated tile in bathrooms |
| Kitchen | Semi-custom to custom cabinets, premium quartz/stone, waterfall island |
| Appliances | Premium stainless (KitchenAid, Bosch, Cafe), panel-ready |
| Bathroom | Freestanding tub, frameless glass shower, large-format tile, designer vanities |
| Paint | Designer color scheme, board & batten or shiplap accents |
| Fixtures | Luxury brands (Delta, Moen, Kohler premium lines) |
| Extras | Smart home, wine storage, custom mudroom, outdoor living, layered lighting |
ARV < $100K → Tier 1 | $100-200K → Tier 2 | $200-400K → Tier 3 | $400K+ → Tier 3 or 4
Always override with comp evidence. If renovated comps have laminate counters, use laminate regardless of ARV.
Room-by-room, not category-by-category.
Most people scope rehabs by category: all flooring, all plumbing, all electrical. The skill scopes room-by-room. Why? Because a room-by-room scope catches what you would physically see walking the property. Category-by-category creates phantom items that exist in a spreadsheet but not in the house.
Do
Scope room-by-room: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, back porch, mudroom, hallways, exterior. Walk each space and note only what needs to change.
Don't
Scope category-by-category: "all flooring across the house, all plumbing, all electrical." This creates phantom line items in rooms that do not need that work.
Do
Use a single $/SF rate for paint covering walls, ceiling, and trim. Real contractors quote $2.90-3.00/SF flat.
Don't
Break paint into 3 separate line items (walls, trim, ceiling). This tripled the paint cost from $7,763 to $16,878 in the V1 estimate.
Do
Include appliances only when CRM notes, photos, or inspection confirm they are missing, broken, or dated. Always include a stainless package when comps show updated kitchens.
Don't
Default to replacing all appliances on every property. And never forget them entirely. The V4 test missed appliances completely, a $2,950 error.
$55,218 ÷ 1,892 SF = $29.19/SF
Tier 3 range: $35-60/SF. This property came in at the low end because it did not need full systems replacement (HVAC, plumbing, electrical were functional).
The 60-65% Rule
Your per-SF cost, multiplied by 0.60-0.65, should approximate your materials-only cost. If materials exceed 65% of total, labor is underpriced. If materials are below 50%, you may be over-scoping materials. For a standard flip at $25-35/SF, materials should run $15-23/SF.
If your estimate exceeds $40/SF on a standard cosmetic flip, you are almost certainly over-scoping.
7 steps from inspection photos to Excel workbook.
The skill follows this sequence every time. More context at the start means a tighter estimate at the end.
Gather Intel
Upload the inspection report, property photos, CRM notes from the homeowner conversation, and the comp report from the comping skill. The more context you give, the better the scope. Inspection reports produce the best results. Photos alone are a distant second.
An inspection report with good photos gives the skill room-by-room condition data. Click to zoom.
Need an inspection? Investor Bootz provides investor-focused property inspections. See an example report.
Photo Analysis
The skill reads room-by-room photos and builds a condition assessment for each area. It identifies what needs work (damaged drywall, dated fixtures, failed windows) and what does not. This becomes the foundation for the scope.
Read Calibration Data
If you have fed the skill your real-deal calibration data (actual contractor SOWs from closed deals), it adjusts every pricing assumption to match your market. Without calibration data, it uses verified national benchmarks adjusted by region.
Build Scope (Room-by-Room)
Each room gets its own line items based on visible condition. Common per-room items: paint, flooring, outlets/switches ($100/room), light fixtures, doors. The skill does a second pass for transitional and secondary spaces (hallways, mudroom, back porch, laundry, foyer) that are easy to miss but add $3,000-4,000 to a typical scope.
Localize Pricing
Regional cost adjustments applied automatically. The skill sources material pricing from Amazon, Lowe's, and Home Depot by your property's region. Labor costs adjust based on market tier (0.7x for low-cost rural to 1.5x for high-cost metro).
Cross-Reference Comps
The renovation premium from your comp report (Bucket B minus Bucket A PPSF) sets the ceiling for finish level. If the gap is thin, the market is not rewarding heavy renovation. If the gap is wide, you can justify a higher finish tier. This is where the comp and rehab skills connect.
The comp report's renovation premium determines your finish tier ceiling. Click to zoom.
Generate Deliverables
The skill outputs a 9-tab Excel workbook with: Summary, Full Rehab Estimate, Wholetail Estimate, Condition Assessment, Material Spec, Deal Analyzer, Budget Tracker, Project Checklist, and Comp Report reference. Walk through each tab in the next section.
9-tab Excel walkthrough: 5532 Joyce Ann Dr.
Every tab from the real rehab estimate. Same property, same $265,000 ARV. Full rehab: $63,379. Wholetail: $11,358. All data pulled from the actual workbook.
Summary Dashboard
The executive overview. Purchase price, ARV, both estimates side-by-side, finish tier, and deal metrics. This is the tab you screenshot and send to your partner or lender.
View the full rehab estimate: Open in Google Sheets
Summary dashboard with key metrics. Click to zoom.
Full Rehab Estimate
The complete itemized scope of work. Every line item with quantity, unit cost, and installed total. Organized room-by-room. Hand this to your contractor for verification.
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Demo & Cleanup | $3,560 |
| Paint | $7,795 |
| Flooring | $8,090 |
| Kitchen | $8,008 |
| Bathrooms | $8,500 |
| Windows & Doors | $9,775 |
| Electrical | $1,556 |
| Drywall | $750 |
| Trim & Millwork | $608 |
| HVAC (A/C only) | $2,800 |
| Appliances | $2,950 |
| Exterior | $1,425 |
| Landscaping & Cleanup | $1,800 |
| Subtotal | $57,617 |
| Contingency (10%) | $5,762 |
| Total | $63,379 |
Full rehab estimate with labor and materials breakdown. Click to zoom.
Wholetail Estimate
The light-touch alternative. The skill generates both estimates side-by-side so you can compare exit strategies using profit-per-month.
Scope: paint, clean, landscaping, A/C replacement, minor repairs. No kitchen reno, no windows, no flooring.
Wholetail estimate: minimal scope, faster timeline. Click to zoom.
Condition Assessment
Room-by-room condition grading from inspection photos. "Poor" gets full renovation, "fair" gets targeted updates, "good" gets left alone.
| Area | Grade | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Poor | 10+ years, needs inspection |
| Kitchen | Poor | Original 1960s cabinets |
| Bathrooms | Poor | Pink fixtures, OSB ceiling |
| Flooring | Poor | Worn parquet throughout |
| A/C Condenser | Poor | R-22 unit, must replace |
| Furnace | Good | NEW (2024), do not scope |
| Electrical Panel | Fair | Breaker (not fuse), adequate |
| Plumbing | Good | Copper supply, no issues |
| Windows | Fair | Functional vinyl, dated |
| Brick Siding | Good | Solid, minor tuckpointing |
Room-by-room condition grades from inspection evidence. Click to zoom.
Material Specifications
Brand, spec, and cost for every material. This tab turns the estimate into a shopping list your contractor can price-check at the local supply house.
| Item | Spec | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Interior Paint | SW Agreeable Gray (SW 7029) | $45-55/gal |
| Trim Paint | SW Extra White (SW 7006) | $55-65/gal |
| LVP Flooring | Lifeproof, 7mm+, gray wood-look | $2.50-3.50/SF |
| Carpet | Mohawk/Shaw, 30-40oz | $1.50-2.50/SF |
| Cabinets | White shaker, soft-close | $150-250/LF |
| Countertops | Level 1 Granite (Luna Pearl) | $50/SF installed |
| Backsplash | White 3x6 subway tile | $1.50-3.00/SF |
| Light Fixtures | Matte black LED flush mount | $25-50/EA |
| Door Hardware | Matte black levers | $15-25/EA |
Material specifications with brand, model, and cost. Click to zoom.
Deal Analyzer
Full deal economics for both exit strategies. Acquisition, rehab, and projected profit side-by-side.
| Metric | Full Rehab | Wholetail |
|---|---|---|
| ARV | $265,000 | $265,000 |
| Purchase Price | $155,000 | $155,000 |
| Rehab Cost | $63,379 | $11,358 |
| Total Investment | $218,379 | $166,358 |
| Potential Profit | $46,621 | $48,642 |
| ROI | 21.3% | 29.2% |
| 75% Rule MAO | $135,371 | N/A |
Deal analyzer: all costs included, not just ARV minus purchase minus rehab. Click to zoom.
Budget Tracker
Variance tracking during the rehab. All 14 line items auto-populate from the Full Rehab tab. As invoices come in, enter actual costs and the Variance column flags where you stand. Invoice date and paid date columns keep your draw schedule organized.
The difference between "I think we are on budget" and "I know we are $2,300 over on windows."
Budget tracker: estimated vs actual by category. Click to zoom.
Project Checklist
5-week project timeline with checkable milestones. From pre-construction through listing prep.
- Pre-Construction: Utilities, inspection, bids, permits, materials, dumpster
- Week 1: Demo & Rough (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, framing)
- Week 2: Systems (inspections, insulation, drywall, windows, exterior)
- Week 3: Finishes (paint, flooring, cabinets, tile)
- Week 4: Fixtures (countertops, plumbing, electrical, appliances, hardware)
- Week 5: Punch List (walkthrough, inspections, carpet, deep cleaning)
- Listing Prep: Staging, professional photos, MLS listing, lockbox
Project checklist: scope verification and completion tracking. Click to zoom.
Comp Report Reference
The Two-Bucket comp analysis that informed this rehab estimate. Bucket A (unrenovated, $125.03 PPSF) vs Bucket B (renovated, $156.35 PPSF). The 20.4% renovation premium confirmed Tier 3 finishes are appropriate and set the ceiling for the rehab budget.
Two-Bucket comp analysis: the renovation premium that drives finish tier selection. Click to zoom.
See the full comp report for this property: Open in Google Sheets
Wholetail vs Full Rehab: the profit-per-month test.
A $25K wholetail profit in 1 month beats a $45K flip profit in 5 months. The comp report determines which exit strategy to use. The skill generates both estimates side-by-side so you can compare.
Cost Range
$35-60/SF (Tier 3). Every visible surface, all outdated systems, full kitchen and bath remodel.
Timeline
8-16 weeks for rehab + 1-2 months marketing + 1 month closing = 4-6 months total hold.
Exit Buyer
Retail homebuyer via MLS at full ARV. Needs to be "show ready" with updated finishes throughout.
Scope Includes
New flooring, cabinets, countertops, appliances, fixtures, paint, doors, trim, lighting, windows (if needed).
| Category | Full Rehab |
|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | Replace or reface |
| Countertops | Quartz or granite |
| Appliances | New stainless package |
| Bathroom | Full remodel (vanity, tile, fixtures) |
| Flooring | LVP throughout + carpet in bedrooms |
| Windows | Replace if single-pane or damaged |
| HVAC | Replace if >15 years or failed |
| Interior doors | Replace all (matching style) |
Cost Range
$5-15/SF. Paint, clean, minor repairs, landscaping. Fix what is broken. Leave what is functional.
Timeline
1-3 weeks rehab + 1 month marketing + 1 month closing = 2-3 months total hold.
Exit Buyer
Investor, first-time buyer, or MLS at discount to ARV. Functional and clean, not show-ready.
Scope Includes
Full interior repaint (1 neutral color), deep clean, landscaping, targeted repairs only.
| Category | Wholetail |
|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | Clean only (paint if really dated) |
| Countertops | Laminate OK if functional |
| Appliances | Clean existing, replace only if broken |
| Bathroom | Clean, reglaze tub, replace only if damaged |
| Flooring | Only in damaged/stained areas |
| Windows | Only if broken or non-functional |
| HVAC | Service only, replace if non-functional |
| Interior doors | Paint existing, replace only if damaged |
Profit Per Month = Net Profit ÷ Total Hold Time (months)
A wholetail with $25K net in 2 months = $12,500/mo. A flip with $45K net in 5 months = $9,000/mo. The wholetail wins on velocity even with less absolute profit.
The cost ratio benchmark: Wholetail costs should typically be 15-30% of full rehab costs. If the ratio is higher, too much deferred maintenance for a wholetail. If lower, the property may be a better wholetail candidate than a flip.
The skill adjusts for your market. Here is how.
National benchmarks are a starting point. Four factors adjust the estimate to your local reality. The skill handles this automatically, but you should understand the levers so you can validate the output.
Feed it your deals. It learns your market.
What would happen if you fed the skill your actual contractor invoices from closed deals? It recalibrates every pricing assumption to match your market. Three to five deals and the estimates start matching your contractor's numbers within 5%.
Do
Feed it 3-5 closed deals with the actual contractor SOW line items, purchase price, sold price, and hold time. Include every category: paint, flooring, kitchen, bath, electrical, plumbing, windows, demo, appliances.
Don't
Feed it theoretical numbers, estimates from deals you did not close, or just the total rehab cost without the line-item breakdown. The skill needs granular per-category data to recalibrate individual pricing assumptions.
Draft your calibration data
Paste your contractor SOW details from a closed deal. The skill will use this to adjust its pricing for your market.
Example inspection report: View the sample report from Investor Bootz to see the format the skill works best with.
Rehab vocabulary you need to know.
Click any card to flip it and see the definition.
Finish Tier
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Finish Tier
The material quality level for a renovation. 4 tiers from Builder Grade ($15-25/SF) to Retail-Premium ($50-80+/SF). Your comp report's renovation premium determines which tier the market supports.Room-by-Room Scoping
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Room-by-Room Scoping
Estimating rehab costs by walking through each room, not by material category. Prevents phantom line items by only scoping what you can physically see needs work in each space.Wholetail
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Wholetail
Minimal renovation (paint, clean, minor repairs) then sell. Lower profit, much faster timeline (1-3 weeks vs 8-16 weeks). Use when the profit-per-month calculation favors velocity over absolute profit.Calibration Loop
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Calibration Loop
Iterating the skill's estimates against real contractor SOWs from 3-5 closed deals. Each iteration tightens the pricing to match your specific market. Without calibration, the skill uses verified national benchmarks.$/SF Sanity Check
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$/SF Sanity Check
Total rehab cost divided by gross living area. Standard flips: $25-40/SF. Heavy rehab: $40-55/SF. Full gut: $60-80+/SF. If you exceed $40/SF on a standard cosmetic flip, you are probably over-scoping.Renovation Premium
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Renovation Premium
The PPSF gap between Bucket A (unrenovated) and Bucket B (renovated) comps. This percentage tells you what the market pays for improvements. A 20% premium supports Tier 3 finishes. A 5% premium means the market does not reward heavy renovation.Phantom Line Items
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Phantom Line Items
Scope items that appear in an estimate but have no basis in the property's actual condition. The #1 cause of over-estimation. Examples: HVAC on a newer system, staging costs in a contractor bid, permits in the rehab total.Contingency
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Contingency
A percentage buffer (15-20% for pre-1970, 10% for post-1990) added after the scope is finalized. Covers unexpected costs like hidden water damage, electrical issues behind walls, or structural surprises. Applied to the base estimate, not to already-inflated numbers.Condition Assessment
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Condition Assessment
Room-by-room evaluation of current state based on inspection photos. Each area gets graded: poor (full renovation), fair (targeted updates), good (leave alone). The condition drives the scope. No guessing.Local Pricing Guide
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Local Pricing Guide
Regional adjustment factors that modify national pricing benchmarks. Four levers: labor cost multiplier (0.7x-1.5x), material availability, permit requirements, and seasonal pricing shifts. The skill applies these automatically by zip code.Test your rehab estimating knowledge.
7 questions on the frameworks and principles covered in this guide.
1. What methodology does the rehab skill use to build a scope?
2. Which finish tier is most commonly used for standard investor flips?
3. What determines the appropriate finish tier for a property?
4. What does calibration primarily fix in the skill's estimates?
5. How should paint be scoped in a rehab estimate?
6. How many closed deals should you feed the skill to calibrate it for your market?
7. What metric should determine whether a wholetail or full flip is the better exit?
Tools and links for rehab estimating.
Rehab Estimator Skill
Download the Claude skill file
Example Inspection Report
Sample report from Investor Bootz
Investor Bootz
Investor-focused property inspections
Full Comp Report (5532 Joyce Ann Dr)
Two-Bucket analysis in Google Sheets
AI-Powered Comping Workflow
Companion guide: property valuation
Claude Pro ($20/mo)
All you need to run the rehab skill
Deal Flow Tech Stack SOP
Full tool and process spreadsheet