Last week I was showing houses to a young family with the dream of raising sheep. They needed 10 or more acres and a barn. Finding this perfect combination along with good schools and not adding to their commute felt like we were looking for a unicorn.
Fortunately, we found the ideal house. It met all our criteria. Unfortunately, the Sellers who had lived there for over 30 years were both chain smokers. While my Buyers loved the house, they did not want to take on the project of removing nicotine stains and smell from a 1,800 square foot home.
After a few days, we realized we would not find a more perfect combination of features in a house again. We made an offer. Depending on the damage, a house that has been smoked in for many years is worth about 30% less than a comparable property, so we adjusted our offer accordingly. After some negotiations, our offer was accepted.
The task to remove the smell of smoking began.
The first step was to remove everything in the house made of fabric including carpet, curtains, throw rugs, and any furniture the previous owners had left.
The next step was to make the home “breathable” again. I have an Ozone machine that I loan out to my clients. Just ask and I can loan it to you too!
Most people don’t understand how an ozone machine works. Basically, it creates “super oxygen” molecules that last for a few minutes. When these molecules come into contact with odors, bacteria or viruses, they are destroyed completely. The ozone then reverts back to oxygen. While it is not safe to be in the home while the ozone machine is running, after it cycles opening the windows will make your home safe again.
While ozone gets rid of the smell, it does not remove nicotine stains and build up. That’s why the next step was to wash the woodwork, doors, ceiling fans, trim and windows with a lemon-based cleaner.
Once all the surfaces in the house were cleaned, we repainted the entire house with the highest quality paint available. This included every square inch of the house from the ceilings to the garage.
Actually, we were lucky. Normally, to get rid of nicotine you need to wash all the walls and ceilings with TSP (TriSodium Phosphate), and then apply a stain-blocking primer like Zinssers or KILZ. Fortunately, our painter said this had been done recently, so only a fresh coat of paint was required.
Following this all the air ducts were professionally cleaned, then the new carpet and window treatments were installed.
Note that all this had to be done before my Buyers moved into the house. Between hiring professionals and DYI’ing the project, it took several weeks before it was ready to move in.
As a Buyer, if you find a house you want, while it will take some time you can get rid of smoke or pet smells. Just make sure the cost to do so is figured into your offer. As a Seller, you should realize that smoking indoors lowers your home’s value, and price your house accordingly.