3) Stomach, Balls & Gut: With growth comes pressure...and balls...and a gut feeling. 

What I need at this point is that paperwork to get the house under contract and start the ball rolling. 

sorry, not really. unless you are partnering with me or giving me something in return or maybe we are old college buddies.... around here the markets are very competitive too, so yah better be serious and not make low ball offers and drag me around town to 100 homes.

From a small piece to go around an incandescent bulb, to expensive LED tilting "eye ball" trim.  

I know it's an  impossible question to answer correctly, but if you had to ball park it how much?

Now if you put a ball down and it starts to roll fast somewhere, then that is serious settlement and probably needs a new beam or something jacked up. 

I'm not too sure what kind of baseboard I have, but apt temperature wouldn't go pass 50 degrees..

.- The house has been unoccupied for the last 12 years, my main fear with this is that the pips may have burst 4 years ago when Ireland had record low -15 temperatures. 

Later after you have renovated and stabilized the property you can refinance out if you need to.Otherwise you will need to find a Hard/Private Money Lender to start the ball rolling.On a side note.  

The house needs a lot of work, but seems structurally sound with no signs of any major interior damage (mold/water/structural issues)- Is there a way to get a ball park estimate for what this house would need prior to contacting a contractor?