Smokers' House

[JudyTeeny]

My nephew and his wife are hoping to buy their first property. The one they like best is a house in a pleasant, safe area near good schools, so higher prices than some surrounding areas. The problem is that the house is currently owned/occupied by smokers and the house stinks of smoke. The ceilings downstairs are yellow and even the white, fairly new kitchen cupboard doors have a yellow tinge. As soon as you walk inside the smell hits you. They are going to make an offer that reflects the condition but are worried whether they will be able to get the house clean of the nicotine and get rid of the smell. Does anyone have similar experience and how difficult was it to get the house clean?

I've been in my house nine years and not stripped the wallpaper in two of the bedrooms. It's not a law.

our first house 30 years ago was a smokers house but it was much cheaper than similar houses due to its state - we kept our rented flat for an extra 2 weeks and worked our way through painting most rooms and that helped hugely - luckily the hallway and bedrooms weren’t to bad but the living/ dining room and the bathroom (!) were awful so we painted those first and put in a new kitchen ( not because of the smoke but the fact that it was a terrible kitchen) I was very worried about the carpets but we did something like shake and vac ( we did this many times ) and we had the windows open while we painted and by the time we moved in it wasn’t bad and then when we saved the money we recarpeted the whole house but I would not have moved in without painting and huge clean before hand - we also scrubbed the walls and primed before painting it was a big process and exhausting- luckily ( or not) the bathroom was fully tiled so we painted the ceiling and I remember scrubbing the walls 3 times to get it clean- so much energy and time needed!

This ^

Sticky Dust Accumulation: The tar and nicotine in cigarette smoke leave a sticky, amber-colored residue on everything they touch. Over years of heavy indoor smoking, this residue coats the wiring inside walls and ceilings. It acts as a magnet for airborne dust, hair, and debris.

Degradation: While the wiring itself is metallic, the outer chemical film can slowly degrade or weaken specific types of plastic and rubber insulation over decades, increasing the risk of brittle wiring

Electronics and Vents: If any wiring connects to rooftop extraction fans, HVAC controls, or open junction boxes, the sticky buildup can clog moving parts, coat electrical contacts, and trap heat, which may lead to shorts or system breakdowns

Surface Corrosion: Nicotine smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds that can settle on exposed plumbing lines (such as copper or PEX pipes) in utility closets, basements, or under sinks. Over an extended period, the chemical deposition can cause surface corrosion or discoloration on metal plumbing fixtures and valves.

It may surprise you but many of us particularly look for houses that are ready to move in without replacing carpets and having major refurbishments. We decorate over time. However, in this particular situation, the only way to get a house as near smoke free as possible is to replace all the carpets and repaint everywhere. It could very well cost thousands of pounds.