That was my gut feeling also. 

When request bid from General Contractors my SOW stated bid to include everything from gutting to buy materials and rehab per plan.  

id=286425741Good thing is the POTUS is on that side of the island so when they round up the sharks they'll gut them and there's Waldo! 

the house in question also had original furnace, original windows, original kitchen and baths from the 1950s.In a B neighborhood to be an A property it would need to be new or essentially new with a gut job renovation and all mechanicals, layout, finishes and cosmetic brought up to now 2015 standards and expectations. 

One of the first things an HVAC contractor should be asking you is are you doing a gut rehab?

I do a full gut and remodel including a better layout, new electrical, new plumbing, new lighting, mostly all new sheetrock other than pre-existing walls, laminate in the living room, carpet in bedrooms and tile in the bathrooms, kitchens, and showers.

In almost all of these, the homes are being fully gutted down to the studs.

I admire your guts, especially since it panned out;-).  

It's cool to be concerned about what you're investing your money into, but I personally think you will always have a better chance trusting your gut.

However the property needs major renovation; kitchen and bath gutted and rehab, install HVAC, update electrical, install pocket windows also several prehung doors and some sheetrock repair, paint I can do all of the work myself.