Question: Robert, we bought a house “as is,” knowing there are many things that require our attention now and in the future. We paid a fair price for the condition, so no surprises, just a lot of work ahead of us. My wife and I are both able to perform much of the work, and will hire licensed contractors as needed.   For now, just to make it livable, we need to not only clean but also we need to rid the home of years of cigarette smoke. It is everywhere, and the walls are coated. Any ideas on where to begin for abating this smell?  Your help is much appreciated and needed.   – Collin B.  Answer: Collin, what a great project for you and your wife, especially since you can perform some of the work, saving you a ton of money.   For the cigarette smell, I’d start at the top. Get into the attic/crawl space, and investigate/inspect the insulation. Chances are, this has been sitting for years and it has absorbed the smell and residue. There is no way to rid this other than changing the insulation and cleaning the space.   Be sure to wear proper protective gear, if you decide to take this on yourselves. This job though, I’d hire a professional. They have proper equipment for cleaning, and can have the job done in one day, in most cases.   While you’re at it, inspect the electrical and all of this space, and take care of anything needed, before they reinstall insulation. In that case, you can have them clean/remove in one day, and reschedule them to install on another day so that you can perform any other work needed.   Perhaps install a whole house fan at this time? A wonderful addition in our climate.   Walls are going to be probably the most labor intensive, as you’ll need to clean them first, then prime with a specialty primer, which helps with smell. After that is complete, then you can paint.   Remember, the ceiling must be done as well. Every surface in this home needs to be disinfected properly per the materials, to remove this smell.   Carpet and pad, there is no way to remove the smell, you’d be best off tossing it all. Most people these days are going with solid surface flooring throughout. It’s much more sanitary and easier to clean.  Those are the major items. Let me know if you have more detailed questions – I can weigh in again. Best of luck on this monumental project.  Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].               The post Robert Lamoureux | When ‘as is’ means the house is an ash tray  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.