The seller had a whole pile of city violations.

You would be looking for commercial contractors, not a GC if you want one company to handle the whole project for you.

The cooking gas was only $30.00 a month for the whole house.

So the question becomes--will the property appreciate enough over those years to make up for what you pay in interest the whole time?

Very few achieve it. 

If fire was primarily in one bedroom, but smoke damage effected whole unit, does that call for removing/replacing of all sheetrock? 

The real estate "news" doesn't help much in my opinion, because they focus far too broadly with median home prices etc. what I think you are looking for is what is realistic to achieve in various markets, and unfortunately there is no consistent guide that I have found anywhere to explain this. 

The 100k mark is significant because it is a whole number that is not small and yet not large, but a milestone.

These included under sinks, inside electrical boxes, plumbing joints, insulation, roof shingles, broken window seals, the whole nine yards.IF, you trust they’re doing a thourough job and charging $100 or less, MAYBE I would keep using them.

That is why I've come to BP, to learn the tools necessary for achieving financial freedom through REI.