[quote=permabear]The problem is it was owned by a smoker and reeks. Don’t tell me “new carpet, new paint” – my parents bought an ex-smoker house and after gutting the entire thing: paint, flooring, vent and pipes, furnace, it STILL smells like smoke.[/quote]

The keys to this problem are 1) ammonia and 2) oil-based primer.

Our house was nasty when we bought it. The aluminum windows were YELLOW from smoke stains. I tried cleaners, bleach, solvents (laquer thinner, acetone, etc.). Nothing worked. Until I tried ammonia. It was like magic. Took that smoky film right off. Smoke-film on the walls will seep right through water-based primer, too.

Just have EVERYTHING wiped down w/ an ammonia solution and use a very expensive, very smelly oil-based primier and you are good-to-go. Of course, the carpets have to go also.