Recently you posted prep needed for painting in apartment that had been occupied by smoker.

Even the best contractors I've used simply are not that thorough in their paperwork although I wish they were. I often need to spend so much time revising their proposal/contract.

So my question is was that list of prep items something that your contractor prepared independently or was that what you provided for them and required that they include in the contract/proposal??

Also what is "Smoke Eliminator"?

I can guess what is does but have not seen in any store.

Who makes it and do you know how it works other than just a thick coating over wall?

There are several primers and paints designed to remove "Smoke smells from fires" or "Smokers Smells and discoloration". You can look them up on line and find different products by the gallon or 5 gallon buckets.

You are right, most painting contractors do not have detailed contracts. So I ask them for an empty form and fill in the way I want the Job performed. In most cases I will provide the dual buckets, concentrated TSP and the Sponge Mops with replacement heads. They will provide a low lever employee who will spend the day cleaning the walls. THEN I WILL INSPECT THIS JOB BEFORE THEY RETURN THE NEXT DAY TO PRIME.

Then they prime, sand, fill, texture and re-prime over touched up areas, AND I WILL INSPECT AGAIN before they roll on the Paint Colors.

I have several excellent painters and will WORK WITH ME. They will add the pricing to their estimate form that i filled in the scope of the work details, and sign it. And if I give them to go ahead, this is the price I will have to pay. No fraud but I describe what and who I want the job done.

So you've got contractors that recognize the importance of what you know but some friends that are just too smart for themselves to do the same.

Must be frustrating for you since the friends are the ones that need to value what you have to offer the most since they know less than the professionals The one you recently posted about might have seen an ad for replacing a garbage disposal with that drain screen and then not need to worry about disposals. I remember seeing that product at a booth at a trade show and I can understand why a tenant would not want to lose their disposal and ask for a rent decrease.

For 40 years people, tenants, owners and other landlords would listen to advice and sometimes they would confirm it with another professional. I don't mine that at all. Information from multiple sources is a good thing. But the ones who get advice (women) and think it's wonderful to have a professional give them some secrets to save time and money, pass along that information to their spouse/partner, who as men can't accept advice and want to do what makes sense to them.

By the way, I noticed a recent post of yours regarding what you called a manlift.

I'm convinced that if you ever decide to sell all your income property and cease all contracting, repairs, and maintenance, that you could open up a tool and equipment rental store.

Is there anything you don't have other than one of those huge cranes that are situated in the center of a construction site of some 40 story building???

There are many things I don't have and wouldn't want to store. over the last 10 years I've been selling or giving away extra stuff. Trailers, 2 and 4 wheel. A 10 ton flat bed truck. A 3/4 ton van and lot's of power tools.

Since I have many of everything, I don't need to keep stuff around taking up space. But yes, sometimes I'll take a tool to a used tool store and let them buy it cheap or if it's too much to lay out, I give it to them on consignment.

On contractor friend wanted to get some materials that are hard to find these days. So allowed him on a property into my Storage Container. His eyes lit up and said, "You've got to have 100 G's here in materials". I smiled since I have storage at all of my large properties. 7 garages, 5 sheds, a barn ,etc. Not just tools, but materials, parts, etc.

I had purchased all of the tools and supplies from 2 plumbing companies going out of business. One in Chatsworth and the other in the City, Los Angeles.

Wait a minute!!!

Are you telling me that you even had heavy earth moving equipment at some point in time??? How often did you use it??

A used Bob Cat picked up at an auction. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers back around 2000. I'd let other contractors use it and in return I got to use some of their larger equipment. 3 for 1. For every 3 hours use of mine I'd get 1 hour use of theirs.