My contractor advised against doing LVT on the stairs (said it just always looks bad) so it seems like I’ll put carpet there (didn't want to do this but there's no hardwood underneath the current carpet).

Maybe towards the lower end if the plumber can just walk in the basement door with the new one and take the old one out the same way, and towards the higher end if the thing is in the attic, or has to get carted down 2 flights of stairs, or similar.Also figure out how you are going to get rid of the old one. 

Same goes for bathrooms—a bathroom that is up some stairs, down a hall and around a corner is much better than a bathroom right next to the living room.

Hi, I am in the position to buy a single family historic home with an ADU in the back that currently has a tenant in it paying $1600 a month including utilities.The home has 3 beds and 1 bath  and needs some light work such as floors including leveling of one bedroom where the floor is dipping, a few windows, stair repair, painting  and landscaping as it sits on a 7000sqft lot.

Another we looked at was physically in two pieces, a left house side and a right house side with a crack 1-3 inches wide through the cement floor front to back. 

The backyard was mostly broken cement and terrible metal fencing.

He did not reply and kept insulting me.Then he sent a picture of him in the stairs outside where he apparently fell and hurt his leg.

I would want to close off the stairs from the main level to the bottom floor which could make it an interesting sell down the road.

I'd go with stained or polished cement With stained they can usually add and 1/8th" or so overlay (they then stain the overlay) so any preexisting stains or anything is fine Polished cement (in my experience) is the opposite - they essentially remove 1/16-1/8" of existing cement, so surface stains will be removed but anything that has really soaked through may still remain to an extent Yes water will get trapped between the LVP and existing cement/water barrier - for this reason I would not do LVP Could go tile - but why would you when you can stain/polish it for cheaper and not worry about cracked tiles years from now when you can't get a replacement 

When I see rust eating at welds like this I wonder how much of the problem comes from the management company (Rust never sleeps).A maintenance tech scheduled for some time with a wire brush and some Rustoleum could have saved this expensive cement tread stairway.Now it a welder (if it's salvageable) and the Rustolem, plus the cost to construct that ugly unpainted wood bridging system, and tear it down.And despite all of the drama that's going on, Mrs Kitty still has her favorite spot in the shade next to her food and water--a natural foe to garbage rats.