Forum: August 2005
August 31, 2005
Repair of Interior Stairs
One (or more) or the steps in the interior stairwell going to the basement of my Manhatten brownstone (1880) is broken . The plaster beneath it is coming down and at least one of the steps is soft, but I won't know the extent of the repair needed until the plaster underneath the steps is removed. I have a plumber/general repair person who would do the job but am thinking I might need someone who specializes in stairs. Does anyone have the name of a reliable carpenter who would charge a reasonable fee for such a repair?
Skilled Craftsperson for Wood Details
We are looking for a carpenter or contractor to help us carefully remove an original built-in closet from our parlor floor so that we can re-use some of the wood details in a new doorway we are constructing. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Pocket Door Rollers
I am renovating a 1908 limstone and am missing a set of rollers for a pocket door. Does anyone know of a source for a set of the old heavy brass rollers ( picture atached). Thank you
Flooring Installation
If I purchase the materials (wood planks,luan, glue, etc) to install a hardwood floor (14' by 18"), approximately how much should it cost someone to install the floor?
Vintage Magic Chef Stove
I'm looking for a two burner cast iron replacement for a stove that looks like this - the top part that comes out and that you put the pots on. Mine was cracked in someone else's bitter divorce . . . or so the story goes . . . leaving us with use of 3 burners only. This little old Magic Chef came from Brooklyn, so I'm hoping it pops up in someone's basement or backyard.
Contact guidoo_nospam@mac.com -- take off the nospam part if you're not a spammer. THX
Vintage Stove For Sale--Best Offer
I am getting rid of an old stove. I wanted to see if I could find a home for it. It was made by the Empire Stove Company of Illinois. I'm not sure of its age. It is in working order (except for 1 of the 4 burners).. I was planning on keeping it - but I was recently given a old Chambers stove by my aunt and uncle. I'm in Bed-Stuy. Best offer.
Wood vs Vinyl Windows
Seeking advice about WINDOWS for a center slope 3-story brick renovation in non-landmarked street, where most neighbors have replaced wood windows with something artificial. After getting bids from contractors, we're looking to save money. Our architect specified Bonneville wood windows throughout. But wood, we said, needs maintenance and is pricier than vinyl. But vinyl, we're told, is cheap and falls apart after a few years. Do the words "good quality" and "vinyl" never belong in the same sentence? Do wood windows require maintenance every 3-5 years? (Aluminum is out of our budget). What have you done? What companies besides Bonneville are worth considering? Thanks in advance.
HVAC vs. Radiator
Seeking advice about HVAC vs RADIATOR heat for a center slope 3-story brick renovation. Looking to cut costs as we review contractor bids, one of the items in our plan is new duct work for HVAC: 2 heating/cooling zones (2-family), shared ducts and equipment for air conditioning and humidified forced hot air heat. We really love this idea, but our budget is calling for cuts. We feel its a real value to have the system put in, less for the AC and more for the humidified hot air. (I've visions of waking up with a crusty nose to refill the bowls of water on the radiators, not to mention the ear plugs I will need to shroud the deafening whistle and knocking when the heat kicks on) What do others advise? One idea is to install AC but leave radiators for heat, which to me seems like a job half-done.
August 30, 2005
Listings on 22nd Street
I am looking for a place in South Slope and saw a few listings on 22nd Street and was wondering if anyone had seen any of the properties and what they thought about them.
Cyrus Carpenter Range Wanted
I am looking for a Cyrus Carpenter #5 brickset cooking range, pat. 1885, Boston. These were common in row houses of the era. I intend to convert the oven to electric and burners to gas so a shell without internal dampers, etc would be fine.
Scott Hanson
sthanson@verizon.net
Tiles and Shower Position
I am a great fan of small colored tile, and the battle with wife has begun on which looks better, opaque (ceramic) tile or the Italian GLASS tile. Does anyone have a view?
More complex question: the previous owner did a thoughtless renovation, such that the bathtub/shower is flush with the bathroom wall and therefore the stream of water from the shower head hits the window and the ledge, obviously not good for the wood, etc. Can anyone smarter than me think of how to deal with this? Room isn't so big so not easy to just move the tub elsewhere - maybe put a glass wall over the window, etc.? Has anyone dealt with this?
Picture Framer
Hi - This is slightly off topic (I think) but I'd love recommendations for a local picture framer. We are nearing completion of our master bedroom renovation and have some original drawings that need reframing for the new room. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Roofer for Leak
I'm looking for a good roofer to find and fix a leak--any recommendations?
August 27, 2005
Pavement Tiles for Sale
Nice terracotta coloured plavement tiles for sale from a brownstone
garden in manhattan's east village. 350 (+) square feet plus border stones (see pictures). some of the stones have nice moss growing on them...buyer must come and pick up tiles from garden yourself.
best offer above $ 50.00 accepted.
please email mgnann@gmail.com.
August 26, 2005
Two Family Conversion
Has anyone out there gone through the one fam to a two fam conversion process? I was wondering what the process is like and what the costs will be. Thank you.
Paint Color Suggestions
Brownstoners, please help a finicky fellow brownstoner with paint color/brand suggestions: an ideal, not too yellowy off-white for a parlor floor in particular. Recommendations for bedroom-appropriate glowy greens would also be much appreciated! Indeed, I’d really consider any great paint finds, if anyone’s willing to share. Best regards and many thanks.
August 24, 2005
Part-time Super
I live in a small ten unit co-op. We have just split from our management company and are self-managing. Does any one know of a part time super who would primarily be responsible for taking out the trash and keeping the exterior clean and shoveled in the winter? What is the going rate as well? This would be for the Park Slope area, around 3rd. St.
Cleaning Serious Grime
I'm moving into an apartment in an old (early 1800's) building and the prior tenant was there about 15 years. It's got layers of dust and grime - even if they spot clean, I'm going to want it really thoroughly cleaned before I get in. Can anyone recommend a service - the apartment is in Chelsea, but I can check with anyone recommended to see if they're willing to come into the city.
Thanks!
Building a Stoop
My husband and I are buying a brick/brownstone townhouse in Chelsea. The stoop has been removed and we are thinking of re-building it and restoring the house to its original form.
How much does building a stoop from scratch cost?
Many thanks
August 23, 2005
Cabinet Maker Recommendation
We have had a terrible experience with the cabinet maker who fabricated new kitchen cabinets that were supposed to have built-in appliances installed into the cabinets. We are now looking for any recommendations for cabinet makers who have experience fabricating cabinets for, and installing, built-in appliances (e.g. wall oven, microwave, coffee maker, etc), to remedy our situation. All suggestions welcome, please provide name and number of anyone you recommend. Many thanks!
Repairing Marble Fireplace
I have a white marble fireplace in an 1870s Italianate Park Slope brownstone which is cracked and broken in several places. Any suggestions on sources to repair or replace it?
CABINETS AND CUSTOM SHELVING
Is there any way this can be done affordably?
Noise Remedies
I just bought a townhouse in center slope and found that, over the wall in my backyard, a "music lounge" is about to open. I am terrified that my visions of a quiet garden are ruined. What can I do? There is nobody to talk to because windows covered and place isn't opened yet but I think any day now. Presumably they received the permits they need. Is there anything I could/should do?
Skylight Installation
Can anyone recommend a roofer for installing a skylight? Perhaps a different skill set than that needed for repairing a roof? Thank you.
Glass Wall: Idiotic?
Does anyone know whether it is idiotic to consider a glass "wall" instead of a banister? I am trying for a contemporary look. Any idea what that would cost?
Replacing Front Door
Hi- Our coop is looking to replace our current front door, which has an additional door of a very ugly grate. We would like to install a glass paneled door with some kind of iron bars over it, (as one unit). Can someone recommend a company or contractor who works with and installs these kind of doors? Our brownstone is landmarked.
Thanks.
Renovation Advice
I have a coop apartment in an 8 unit building in Park Slope, and i'd like to relocate the existing kitchen to a different larger room in our apartment, in a manner similiar to almost all the other units in the building. Already have coop approval. Furthermore, i'd like to create a 2nd spacious "master" bath out of the old kitchen space, since it has some plumbing hookups already. Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced plumber? I did get one estimate already from a plumber who seemed very uncreative in terms of solutions and said it would be about $17,000 and in addition we'd have to hire an architect to pull permits for us (read: another $2-3k). This leads me to my second point, ignorance on whether we in fact do need a permit. As much as we'd like to get it done as quickly and cheaply as possible, if we need permits, I need to figure out what kind -building permits (we're not moving walls, just moving pipes) or plumbing permits? Whenever we sell, the last thing i want is some buyer's attorney asking me for permits that i don't have. Lastly, generally speaking, should the plumber be expected to pull/organize any necessary permits associated with his work, or will i need to hire an architect/engineer to do all this like i was told??
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Regards,
Plumbing Novice
August 22, 2005
Gold Leaf Numbering
We are looking for someone who does the gold leaf style numbers in transoms. We have recently renovated a small brownstone in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens Neighborhood and would like to have this style of building numbering added to our front door transom. We have looked through your website and noticed that you were involved in significant restoration work. Any help in this regard would be appreciated. Thank you.
Advice on Brownstone Purchase Needed
I'm thinking of making an offer on a brownstone, but need some advice on how to proceed. I've gone to the house two times in the past week to take a look with my broker. The first time, we had an appointment, but the seller's broker informed us that the tenants wouldn't be giving access that day and that we should try again at the open house (the seller lives out of state and does not seem to be involved in the selling process). We went to the open house, and were only somewhat successful: we were able to get into the upper duplex, but the tenants were there, blasting music at an ear splitting level; we still were not able to get access to the lower duplex at all (rumor has it is is occupied by several different unrelated people, like a rooming house; no one in the entire building has a lease).
My gut tells me that this place could be worth the trouble, so I don't want to let myself be scared away by the tenants, who obviously have a vested interest in the place not being sold. However, I'm not sure how to proceed. I would like to get in there with an engineer and contractor to see what kind of renovation costs we're talking about, but what happens if I show up with these professionals (who aren't cheap) and can't get access? And further down the line, what happens if we buy the place, and the tenants just won't leave? The agent says that the owner will sell vacant, but what happens if he simply can't get the people out? Do we inherit the problem, or is there some penalty we can put into the contract? Perhaps money put in escrow until the house is empty, or a sunset clause so that this doesn't drag on for months or years?
I've never purchased a brownstone before, so any and all advice would be appreciated. Should I run the other way, or is something like this just the cost of doing business in this city and in this market?
2 Fireplace Questions
I've seen brownstones with heat damage and discoloration to the wood mantle around the fireplace. Does anyone know how to prevent this?
Has anyone tried "gas logs?" Do they meet code requirements in NYC?
Refinisher for Hardwood Floors
We live in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill. We recently had some construction done on our apartment, and now we are looking for someone to repair and refinish the hardwood floors. If you have used or know of anyone reputable in the area, please contact us.
Thanks
Small Clawfoot Tub for Sale
I am selling a claw foot tub I salvaged from our Williamsburg railroad apartment when the landlord decided to renovate it into "luxury" apartments by removing all the original detail. It is a small sized tub great for an apartment bathroom. The measurements of the interior of the tub are approximately 4'x 1.5'. The tub appears to be in sound, working condition, but needs to be repainted on the outside. The finish of the inside of the tub seems to be in good condition. It is pretty dirty from being in storage for 3 years, but it seemed to me that there were no permanent stains or damage to the finish. I did not notice any rust stains around the fixtures as you sometimes see. There is some silicone caulk on the rim that comes off very easily. Once cleaned up and painted this should be a very nice tub in a hard to find smaller dimension. The tub is located in Copake Falls, NY which is 2 hours north of NY City. I will accept the highest offer. Contact: AnnaFader@bbdo.com.
August 19, 2005
Heating Options
We're renovating a one floor apartment in a 4-story brownstone where we will live. (It has been a rental until now.) There are roughly 62 linear feet of baseboard heaters with ugly/falling-apart covers. We have gotten recommendations-- from architect-friends and numerous contractors-- to pull out the baseboard heating and replace it with some sort of cast-iron radiators. Here are the questions: First: presumably, this will cost much more than simply replacing the baseboard-heating-covers... how much more? I realize it depends on what kind of radiators we purchase-- any suggestions?? Flat panel vs. old-style cast-iron ones?
Second: are these radiators REALLY so much more cost-effective in terms
of heating costs? (We have been told that they are more cost-effective,
but if it's only a dollar here or there, perhaps the extra costs of
switching everything is not worth it....)
Third: we are doing the renovations in the next 2-3 months, so
obviously we need to have the heating done by the time the winter frost
comes in. Is there any way to check that the existent heating system
works while it is so hot outside? (Who wants to turn on the heat in
this heat?!)
Gas vs. Electric Dryers
What's the lowdown these days on gas vs. electric dryers? We are installing a washer-dryer next to our bathroom which is not very near a gas-line or an exhaust-option. We will most likely find a way to exhaust the dryer, but I'm wondering, what is the current thinking on gas vs. electric dryers? I have been told that gas dryers are WAY more efficient and clean. How much "way more"? I assume that the prices both mfor the units and their installation widely vary too... Suggestions??
Thanks.
Handyman Needed
Can anyone recommend a solid, reliable handyman who can install an A/C window unit and repair/patch holes in walls? We're in the Carroll Gardens area.
August 17, 2005
HVAC Systems
i'm about to buy a brownstone that is in need of renovation, and i was thinking about putting in an HVAC system while i was doing them. has anyone done this? the place is currently radiators and window air conditioners. does anyone have any idea of the costs? this would be a three family building.
thanks!
ISO Awesome Plumber
I am wondering if anyone can recommend an awesome plumber? I'm talking, the kind of company that has those fiber-optic snakes that weasel in your pipes from top to bottom and can tell you if you're in good shape or not without guesswork.
Many thanks!
Wanted: Patio Furniture
hi, i'm looking for patio furniture for our clinton hill home. doesn't have to be in perfect shape but in decent shape. prefer wrought iron. anyone looking to get rid of there patio furniture please email me.
thanks.
Front Door Repair
I would like recommendations for a contractor. My arch top wooden front doors need repair and refinishing. Thanks.
It'llCostHowMuch?
Kitchen Estimate
Help. We're looking to buy our first apartment and trying to sort out how much we can afford. However, how much we can afford will end up turning on how much renovations will cost, something we know nothing about.
I know this is quite vague, but can anyone give an estimate on how much a new, smallish kitchen (appliances, cabinets, etc.), not top-of the-line but not awful would cost? How about knocking down a wall or two?
Thanks so much!
August 15, 2005
Clearing Overgrown Garden
Hello, just bought a place and garden totally overgrown. Before I decide what to do with it, sort of want a couple of guys to clear it out, so at this point I need inexpensive labor more than a fancy gardener-type. Anyone have any suggestions for how to find this sort of thing?
Risks of Neigboring Development
I live in a landmarked building next to an empty lot. The owner alerted me that he intends to build a high-end, four-to-five story condo building in the lot. He wants to come by with his engineer to examine my building's structure and foundation. It seems like a good faith effort but I'm suspicious because this guy's known for his shoddy work in the neighborhood. What do I need to do at this early stage to ensure that my building won't be wrecked during the construction process? What other things should I be considering? Thanks!
Free Cast Iron Tub!
Giving away Kohler Mendota cast iron bathtub because Homeclick screwed up:
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?item=301502&prod_num=506&module=Baths
The porcelain was lightly fractured during delivery. Homeclick is delivering a new tub and is leaving us this one if anyone wants it.
It's in Bed Stuy.
HUD Buildings
We just started looking at HUD properties in Brooklyn. Has anyone out there bought and renovated a HUD house/building, or tried to? Are there any websites/agencies we could go to for guidance? We want to be aware of all the pitfalls before moving forward. Thanks.
Sourcing Old Bricks
I am looking for a source for old bricks. I want to build an outdoor fireplace out of old red bricks in my backyard in BedStuy but don't know where to buy them. Any suggestions?
Dating a Brownstone
Is there any definitive way to find out the age of a brownstone? The DOB is useless imho, as they only go back as far as any work permits on a structure. The Brooklyn Historical Society’s library is closed up for the summer I believe while they update their files to computer. Maybe you or one of your reader’s has done the research and can give the rest of us some tips, or at least a logical path to follow? This just doesn’t seem like it should be that hard!
August 12, 2005
Negative Review: Ricardo’s Iron Works/Piccolo
Do NOT use these people. They were recommended by the contractor I was using for my stoop and they did a very sloppy job refinishing our iron handrail and fence/gate. They got paint from the iron on our brand new stoop AND they didn’t sweep up after they drilled the iron into our stoop. We have red dust all over our sidewalk and it is NOT coming out.
The lucky part is we only paid them 25% and will not pay them anymore until they fix their work. When we told him we weren’t paying him, he said he was going to talk to another contractor about fixing the sidewalk and the paint… that was 5 weeks ago. We haven’t heard from him since….
Redoing Brownstone Facade
I’m wondering how much on average it costs to re-face the front of a brownstone building (when they blast off the surface and reapply it).
Can anyone advise on approximately what we might expect to pay?
August 11, 2005
Door Dipping
Can anyone explain what ‘door dipping’ is, who does it and how much is it?
Removing Varnish
What can I use to remove polyurethane and varnish from wood doors?
Floors and Stairs Repair
Our 4th floor toilet overflowed ALL NIGHT LONG causing our parlor floor to buckle. The floor is a parquet with nail facings but the detail is fairly intricate. Additionally, the water damage caused the rails for our pocket doors to rise so we can no longer open and close them. Can anyone recommend a floor person who won't break the bank?
Also, I need to replace one section of my staircase (from the 3rd to the 4th floors). Does anyone have any idea what we can look for in terms of cost? And besides Soxco, are there any other stair companies out there?
Thanks!
August 10, 2005
Roman Roofing
Does anyone have experience with a company called Roman Roofing- they seemed professional and gave a competitive quote to replace the roof on our three-family in CH. Thank you.
August 9, 2005
Conversion from SRO to 4-Family
Saw a property that I am interested in purchasing. Its a 4 story brownstone that is currently registered as an SRO. How would I go about converting it to a legal 4-family? How long can this take? Does anyone know of any instances where someone was denied a certificate of non-harassment? Please advise...
Gardener Recommendation
I wanted to highly recommend our gardener to the group. Julie Czeck is a Brooklyn based gardener and landscaper who recently helped us clean out our completely overgrown backyard and plant our tree box in the front. She is an amazingly hard worker, very professional and a pleasure to deal with. She has been gardening in the New York City and surrounding areas since 2001 and can design, install or maintain any backyard, terrace or rooftop garden space. She can be contacted for additional info at julie.czeck@gmail.com OR 646.270.2830.
Contractor Advice - Myhomeus.com?
We are just getting bids on contractors- I've looked at all the other posts on the site- I'm curious: has anyone come across myhomeus.com ?? they are a full-service contracting, build and design company in nyc.... They seem to do everything. I am concerned about hiring a 'random' contractor- my husband and i are pretty novice at this stuff, and we just want to quickly re-do an apartment in a building we just bought (in Ft. Greene) so we can move in within a month or two- what we're doing: new bathroom, new kitchen (quite small), sand/re-do floors, paint walls, install washer-dryer, and some small other fixes (like pulling out tiles around fireplaces and replacing wood there, fixing deck MAYBE...) Does anyone have a really good, affordable, reliable contractor who they could recommend??? Or tips on how to go about this process- we're looking at IKEA kitchens- but how to coordinate everything? How much do we have to have picked out/figured out before getting estimates from the contractors???
THANKS for any help/advice
August 8, 2005
Vinny's Iron Works
Does anyone have a phone number for Vinny's Iron Works on Bergen (I believe)? Several Brownstoners have recommended them in this forum but I can't find a number for them.
Thanks.
Window Bars
I just bought a brownstone in Bed-Stuy, but in order to fulfill the mortgage requirements, the previous owners had to cut the bars from the back windows because they were not the "quick release" type. I'd like to put some bars back on - does anyone know a contractor who can do this? Or, does anyone know where I can buy the bars myself?
Thank you
Fiberglass Windows
Has anyone had experience with fiberglass windows? Do you recommend them? If so, can you also recommend a reliable distributor and installer for them in the New York metro area?
Water Damage in Co-op
The bathtub is my co-op unit has sunk, causing the pipes beneath my tub to bend resulting in water damage to the two apartments below. The co-op board obviously would want for me to pay for the repairs, but I was wondering if I have any legal recourse to say it is the responsibility of the the co-op board. My argument would be the that tub is supported by the walls and floor, and if there is anything wrong with the supporting structure, it is their responsibility, since I bought the unit directly from the board. Any advice?
Wood Stripping
Has anyone ever stripped the wood in their brownstone. I was going to hire as someone to do it but was told it was very expensive and that, with patience, I could probably do it myself.
Any suggestions??
Tile Sources
We're about to tile three baths and kitchens....we have a sense of color and know we will be using alot of subway tile. Any suggestions for a quality/reasonable tile source (we only have Bella at the monent). I have heard about tile places on Myrtle...cross streets? Thanks
Painting Street Number
We are looking for someone who can paint our street number in a gold color with an outline on the glass above our door. Does anyone have a recommendation or suggestions for finding such a person?
Chimney Cleaning
I received a phone call from 5 Star Chimney Service offering to clean the flue from the gas boiler and to clean the fireplace chimneys. They were charging $30 for the gas flue and $25 for each of the fireplace chimneys. I made an appointment but they couldn't show me a license when they arrived so I didn't let them in. Has anyone heard or these guys?
August 5, 2005
Another C of O Dilemma
My husband and I live in a brownstone in Clinton Hill that has been in my family for generations and we are planning on doing some considerable renovations in the next year. The property is considered a legal 2 family, but there is no C of O on file and it is set up like a 3 family. Our intentions are to renovate the owner’s duplex and the top two floors so that they can function as separate rental units. My thoughts are that we would only need permits for the construction and the addition of a bathroom on the parlor floor, but would we need to create or change the C of O if the house is already configured with an owner’s duplex and two “quasi” apartments (i.e. 3 bathrooms and 3 kitchens)?
Contractor for Cellar Floor
In light of the wine cellar photo recently posted. Are there any recommendations on someone to do a smooth cement floor in a cellar?
August 4, 2005
Sagging Joists - Help!
Our four story brownstone has a sagging problem, we have to ad half inch thick pieces of wood under our furniture to level them out. We had an architect come in and he said that the sagging on the top two floors is a result of water damage to the beams. It turns out that our bathrooms are placed in the center of the brownstone facing the hallway and he thinks that water damage was caused by the bathrooms.
My question is what is the sistering of joists mean, and how is it done? Is it necessary for a hydraulic jack to be used? Has anyone had this done?
August 3, 2005
Structural Engineer
Can anyone recommend an engineer, deeply familiar with 100+ year old brownstone structures and systems? I'm in the middle of a major reno project and, as the contractor keeps finding and observing "new" and "critical" issues, I suddenly feel the need to consult with an independent, unbiased and reliable expert.
Structural Engineer
Can anyone recommend an engineer, deeply familiar with 100+ year old brownstone structures and systems? I'm in the middle of a major reno project and, as the contractor keeps finding and observing "new" and "critical" issues, I suddenly feel the need to consult with an independent, unbiased and reliable expert.
Special Air Conditioner
The garden floor of my brownstone has bars in the window. The bars date back to the 1890s and therefore leave very little space between the window and the bars for an air conditioner. Does anyone know where I can purchase a small, very very slim air conditioner? Apparently they exist but I haven’t been able to locate one.
Lead in Water
Has anyone had experience with testing for lead in their water? Does the city run any free programs for water/paint testing?
Repairing Brick Patio
I HAVE A BRICK PATIO . THE BRICKS HAVE SUNKEN IN MANY SPOTS. SHOULD I REMOVE AND POUR A 2"CONCRETE BASE AND REINSTALL? DOES ANYONE HAVE AN EASIER SOLUTION?
Water Leak in Basement
I have a leak in my basement apartment in a brownstone house built around 1870. The water leak is intermittent, and thus far a complete mystery as to where it might be coming from. Can anyone recommend a water leak detection service that specializes in detecting these kinds of leaks?
Asbestos Removal Help
I need a referral for a GOOD reasonable asbestos removal people that they used... I need one for work in my basement ASAP. Thanks!!!
More C of O Confusion
We are buying a lovely BedStuy brownstone, 2 family, used as a one family. It is registered with the relevant city departments as a two family for tax and finance purposes. Its two family status adds considerably to its value -- more than $100k in fact, according to one appraiser we used. The same appraiser was concerned that it did not have a C of O, and was not physically ready to be used as a 2 family. The realtor told us, however, that houses above a certain age do not need certificates of occupation, that houses do not need to be converted to be appraised as a two family and that the appraiser was confused. We have since switched appraisers and the two family one family distinction, C of O absence, no longer seem to be a problem. Can anyone out there tell us what this certificate of occupation actually is, when it is needed and whether old houses such as this need one or not to be classified as a two family. And whether or not a two family can be sold as a two family even if it is not converted. We don't want to have to convert this beautiful house in order to maintain its value. Neither do we want to overpay by more than $100k!!
WE ARE CONFUSED!!
Designer/Architect for 3 Bathrooms
We are renovating 3 bathrooms in our Upper West Side coop. Looking for a good designer/architect for this project. One bath is a gut re do; the other two are more cosmetic. Any suggestions?
August 1, 2005
Insulating Exterior Walls
Is it necessary to insulate between new walls and the exterior brick of your rear and front facade? our contractor claims it is redundant, since these walls have two layers of brick already. our instinct is "more insulation the better", but we are reluctant to pick a fight over something without further info....thanks.
Cedar Siding Contractor
I was wondering if anyone could recommend a decent contractor who can replace the ugly aluminium siding on my house with beautiful cedar siding.
Interior Painter Needed -- Quickly!
We are looking for a good licensed, bonded and insured painter to do the interior of our condo. Need someone responsible, reasonably priced, and who pays attention to details. We would also like someone who can provide us with references. We are located in Brooklyn near Bklyn Hieghts. Thanks in advance!!