Because buying a house in excellent condition and then totally changing the layout can be expensive, especially if it's involving load supporting walls. 

If you answer the phone and there is an uncomfortably long pause before someone talks, it's a machine dialed number and simply hang up and block the number.

I pull permits for removal of load bearing walls, addition of bathrooms or bedrooms, addition of footage.

The construction differences to convert it into a separate unit (vs leaving it as a duplex down) would be beefing up a planned kitchenette and also building a wall to separate the basement, while giving it and the 1st floor access to shared laundry room.To do this, we need to cash out refinance, (something we have to do soon anyway as we are on a 5 year balloon).

Think about where those people hang out and network. 

It snapped off vertically down the middle when he went to the kitchen in the dark in the middle of the night and when he turned to walk back, he walked into a little cupboard door which pushed it back against an edge of the wall, which caused the wood to snap.

During demo, if they open up a wall and find a leak that requires a change order. the change order should be specific to that repair and have a cost associated with it. 6.

If you can fight to break even and hang on to that place for the long term, that will provide the best return on capital by a long shot.

-Structural (foundation, wall, ceiling and floor)-Roof and Exterior(Roof Condition,Gutters and Downspouts, Siding, Windows and Doors)-Plumbing (Water Pressure,Leaks, Drainage, Pipes)-Electrical (Wiring,Outlets and Switches,Breaker Panel, Lighting Fixtures)-HVAC(Air Ducts, heating and cooling)-Water and Moisture Issues(Attic, Mold and Mildew)-Kitchen and Appliances-Bathrooms-Pest and Insect Problems-Safety Features

If my memory serves, I worked on this a year or 2 ago and ran into this wall.