Our contractor is recommended a radiant barrier so that all of the discoloration from the smoke is gone. 

Baseboard shows in the middle third, while infloor radiant the bottom third.

A: Not enough sand.Q: What’s the difference between a lawyer and a herd of buffalo?

I have a similar home (1200SF rowhome) with radiant heat and window A/C and was quoted $11,500(!)

But let the market work properly and thin the herd a bit, all the irrational exuberience of the ineffecient investors using other peoples money is killing my investment chances.

THEN, when installing new decking, get the Radiant Barrier osb boards (looks like aluminum foil on one side). 

Just like @Dave Skow expressed, the industry is going through a considerable thinning of the herd. 

I'm in favor of tight local regulations to thin the herd.

The other places you can be losing in vintage buildings in this areas would be shower that are leaking, or even more insidious if you have boilers with radiant heat you could actually be leaking into or under the foundation.

They know real estate makes some people a lot of money, but they don't have what it takes to do the math, see clearly, make good business decisions, buy the right properties, manage the properties and almost every one of these wannabe investors rely on advice from other people and brokers who don't know what they are doing and have different agenda that don't align, at all.What is the herd doing.