February 28, 2006

seamstresses?

can anyone recommend someone who can sew simple curtains from my fabric?

thanks

I would appreciate any suggestions for vendors of carpeting. I am interested in simply having a carpet-runner installed on my stairway in brownstone, only on the stairway going from parlor to garden floor.
Thanks, in advance.

Where to get a business loan?

Hi. I own a unit in a four family self-managed coop. This is a brownstone building in Prospect Heights. We are looking for an up to $100K loan to renovate the facade of the building. It looks like banks are not eager to loan to a small coop corporation, even though the mortgage on the building has been paid off. Does anyone have any pointers on banks/loan originators that will make such a business loan? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks a lot!

Freshdirect

FreshDirect - forgot to allow comments

What do people think about putting together a list/petition to present to Freshdirect indicating that there is a sizable number of people who want them to deliver to Bedford-Stuyvesant? They probably wouldn't care... Feel free to e-mail me if you have any ideas/thoughts. maconstreet@gmail.com

Towel-rack radiators

Does anyone know a good source for this? I'm looking for the style looks like a wide ladder with a lot of rungs, in chrome-like finish. Many thanks.

What is it and how do I get rid of it?

logo We recently moved into a prewar limestone with this lovely mirror built-in. Unfortunately, it seems to be inextricably linked to a (modern) shiny lamp fixture. I hate it. But if we take it out, it'll leave a big hole in the mirror. And since this is the only lamp in the hallway, and since we don't have the money to spend on an electrician for this, I'm hesitant to lose the light. Any suggestions on what we could do (replace the mirror and just deal with losing the light? replace lamp with something less gaudy?) would be very much appreciated.

February 27, 2006

Property Manager Referral?

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a property management company (full service)? What is the best rate you have found for reputable, reliable service? My husband and I are purchasing a 3 or 4 family/story townhouse in crown heights and trying to get the most accurate information possible regarding prop managers in the area. Any info you could provide would be much appreciated. I've seen the Brownstone Management company's name in a few places. Any thoughts/experiences you can share?

Looking for Reputable Cleaning Service

I own a 3 story brownstone + finished basement in Bedford-Stuyvesant. I am looking for someone to do a complete and extensive cleaning of my home after the renovation work is completed this week (e.g., cleaning after the contractors/painters/floor restorers leave for dust, sheet rock residue, etc.)

Can anyone recommend a reputable cleaning service? Also, I would prefer one that does not require the owner to be present in the house while they are working.

Thank you in advance.

Hot Water circulation problems?

Hi, I live in a 20-unit self-managed coop. We replaced our water heater 2 months ago - we got the same AO Smith model/size as we had before - and ever since then it has taken FOREVER for hot water to get to apartments (at least 3 minutes until it runs hot, whereas before it took far under a minute). Once the hot water arrives it is plenty hot - scalding even. This is happening in all apartments on all floors. Is there something our plumber could have overlooked during the installation or setup that is causing this distribution delay? What temperature should we be setting the unit at? Any advice much appreciated!

Looking for licensed architect/engineer for small co-op job

My wife an I live in a 750 sq ft one-bedroom in a pre-war co-op (72 units) in Park Slope. We would like to combine a large walk-through closet (it has doorways in the bedroom and living room), part of our bedroom and a corner of our living room to make a den/office/nursery. This will require moving the bedroom wall, tearing part of the wall between the bedroom and the living room, and putting up new walls in the bed and living rooms. We'd also like to take down half of a wall between the kitchen and the living room and close up the existing entrance to the kitchen, which is off the front hall. We've interviewed contractors but our co-op requires plans to be submitted by a licensed architect or engineer. We won't be touching plumbing, heating or electric (ok, we're moving one outlet, but that's it), and we have a pretty good idea of what we want. If anyone has any recommendations for this kind of job, we'd surely appreciate it.

Termite Inspector

Just signed a contract on a home in Bay Ridge. Can someone suggest a termite inspector?

February 26, 2006

Tips about sanding wood floors?

I've been renovating my Carroll Gdns brownstone for about 4 years now and I'm almost done. One of the last parts of the job is sanding and refinishing the 100+ yr old wood floors on the parlor floor. While I've never done this before, I've done most everything else in the house myself (with help from friends and family, and contractors) and think I can probably handle it. Also, I had a bad experience with a hack who did some other floor sanding for me. So, I have the following concerns/questions, and would love some input-

1. Best place to rent a sander and edger?
2. Is there lead or other harmful things in old wood floors?
3. I've seen ads for hepa sander dustbag attachments - any info?
4. Should I paint the walls/ceiling before or after sanding/refinishing?
5. I have a pretty good solution for filling in the gaps between the planks (paintable clear caulk before the last coat of poly) - but wondering if anyone else has bothered with this?

Thanks.

Noah's Ark movers comments?

Sorry I forgot to click the "allow comments" box.

Fire Hazard?

Hi
We live in 4 story building in Carroll Gardens. The owners live on the ground floor and their son and his wife and kid on the floor above them . We and and another couple are on two top floors. Thing is the son has a pile of stuff- bags, shoes, empty boxes - which seems to get bigger every day outside their door. We often bump into it with our bags or stroller as we come down the stairs. Aside from being ugly and annoying I have a feeling this is against fire code. But how do I complain to our landlords when it's their son doing it? If we call the fire department I fear for our safety - or at least fear we'll be kicked out.. I'm not joking - it's an old school family. Any advice what we should do? Thank you!

Oh those rusty window grilles

Our 3-story house on 6th st came with decorative iron grilles over the windows and doors of the parlor and garden floors. They have not been cared for in at least 50 years and are caked with brittle paint and pock marked with rust. We are replacing the windows soon which means that the contractor will cut off the grilles to pop out the windows. (Does this sound right?) He said if we want to keep the grilles, he will weld them back on (Does THAT sound right?). It seems to me that there is a brief window of opportunity in between to fix up the grilles assuming we want them back on. Here's where you can help: 1) VOTE - do you like or hate the round, curved decorative grilles? 2) How would you clean, rust proof, and paint them most efficiently? DIY or pro? Thanks a lot.

Finding marble mantle parts

We have a mantle made of white marble that has been vandalized and needs repair.
1 - It is a white marble that was once painted. Someone used a stripper on it. The marble is now streaked with mustard yellow stains. Anyone have recommendations for bleeding this color out?
2. someone broke the top piece of the mantle and stole half of it. We removed the remaining half and would like to replace or repair it. Do you advise we try to find a pre-existing piece or have one fashioned? Any places you would recommend to accomplish either?
3 - The "keystone" or front marble design that hangs above the grille was also stolen. Same question as #2, I suppose. Can these be purchased piecemeal from salvage places? Any good ones?
Thanks a lot.

Noah's Ark moving experience?

I am getting ready to move and have gotten estimates from the companies Flatrate, Moische's and Noah's Ark movers - all three were recommended from friends so I felt confident I was calling reputable companies. I got a considerably more affordable estimate from Noah's Ark movers, so I thought I would post to see if anyone had used them and had good or bad stories to relay...I have checked them in the BBB and they have a clean record, but I have heard such moving horror stories I think one cannot be too careful when choosing a company. Any info is appreciated - thanks!

Architect references

We recently bought a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights that will require significant work. Fortunately the plumbing and electrical are in good shape but it will be a significant project as we are putting in a new kitchen, 5 new bathrooms, French doors leading from rear dining area to backyard, and adding an extension to a stairwell. We are going to start interviewing archiects and build/design firms and wonder if anyone has an opinion on any of these firms and their ability to do high end work on a large project. The firms are Perfect Renovation (Brooklyn based), John Hatheway Architects (Brooklyn based), DeLaCour & Ferrara (Brooklyn based), Baxt|Ingui (Manhattan based). Any and all feedback appreciated. Thx

February 25, 2006

Month to Month rights

New again to the rental market, after a separation, I moved into a Park Slope garden apartment which I found through a broker and signed a lease for one year. When the lease was up, I asked to extend it but my landlord who does not live in the brownstone, told me he wanted to make it a month to month. Also in an oral agreement he raised my rent $100.
I was uncomfortable with that since I have children but trusted him when he told me that was the way he handled it with all his tenants. Now, three monts later, he has asked that I look for another apartment and I reluctantly agreed to move during the summer. I am a responsible tenant and invested a lot in moving and fixing up this apartment and I'm unclear about his reasons for asking me to move. Part of it stems from the fact that I asked him to do some repairs in a friendly letter and I know the upstairs tenants have an unspoken agreement with him to leave him alone. I knew this and thought I was low key and put up with a lot since I like the location and garden. Whatever his agenda, I am wondering what legal recourse I have in this situation and what I can do to prevent this from happening again. Thanks

Radiators (a bunch)

All have nice scroll work but to appreciate
they should be sandblasted and repainted.

Width x height x depth

26 x 38 x 9
30 x 38 x 9
36 x 38 x 9
42 x 38 x 9

28 x 38 x 13
24 x 38 x 13

20 x 26 x 9
40 x 26 x 9

Make an offer.

daroogle@gmail.com

Coop Brownstones

I am planning on moving to brooklyn within the next year. I really want to live in a brownstone and have a private garden. I have been looking for brownstones, but in prime areas they are out of my price range and usually need to be renovated. I considered renting, but I would really much rather own! So, I recently started looking at some coop brown stone apartments that have private access to the garden. Here are links to a few I found.

http://realestate.nytimes.com/+comshare/vulisting.asp?Lid=44-832340

http://realestate.nytimes.com/+comshare/vulisting.asp?Lid=395-2551

http://realestate.nytimes.com/+comshare/vulisting.asp?Lid=952-ec2

http://realestate.nytimes.com/+comshare/vulisting.asp?Lid=46-738619

http://realestate.nytimes.com/+comshare/vulisting.asp?Lid=395-312

These places range from 600K-850K and all have desireable locations close to transportation. They all have private garden access and most of them have been renovated. I was just looking to get some comments on these places as well as comments on coop brownstones in general. Im hoping that propertys like these will allow me to live in the location I want for a price I can afford.

-stephen

Security Gates

I am installing a set of French doors leading from Kitchen to backyard. My brownstone backs to a park and I am concerned about security. I don't want to use wrought iron gates. have been considering a rollup gate. Any ideas?

What has happened to Cino's

Can anyone tell us what happened to Cino's??? After moving to BedStuy, we were in the area recently only to find it gone!BooHooHoo! We have such fond memories of wonderful food and friends (Sal was my daughter's favorite) We were profoundly saddened(though not entirely surprised given all of the change in Ft.Green) to see that the doors were shut. So what is the scoop?

Architect recommendations?

My husband and I own a brownstone in park slope and need to combine our Parlor and Garden levels to make an owner's duplex. Can anyone recommend an architect and/or contractor that they worked with to do a similar job or renovate their brownstone. We'd like someone who will be innovative in ideas regarding use of space as our house is only 17X45. We'd like to use someone who is familiar with brownstone renovations.

English Basement

What is an English Basement?

February 24, 2006

last chance salvage open house

the last chance for the stair railing,spindles doors window moldings andshutter boxes and baseboard moldings is this saturday 8:00 a.m. demolition starts monday kindly respond to 461 state st between nevins and 3rd ave

Con Ed

Hi Help! Listen I recently purchased a 4 family BS which should have individual electrical meters. The people we purchased the home from diverted all the other meters to the main meter which would be me the owner. .....anyway called Coned to unlock the meters and they now say we need a license electrician to reconnect the wires to each seperate meter and each tenant needs to be on record for each meter. When the wires disconect from the main meter each tenant will have no electricity. What a mess Con Ed suggested doing it early in the morning and get con ed to come and reconect each apartment to the indivdual meter in the evening. Have anybody ever heard or gone through such a thing? Any comments would be deeply appreciated. My tenants are great and don't mind dividing the coned bill appropriately.(I just think some thing is not right here}

Executive Suites in Brooklyn Heights?

Hi -

We just bought a place in Park Slope but a small amount of renovation remains, followed by city red tape approval, etc. Meanwhile, our rental lease is expiring and we can not extend it. Thus, we must find short term housing, preferably month-to-month. Is anybody aware of the Executive Suites in Brooklyn Heights on Hicks and Remsen? They are monthly, furnished rentals. Looks like a good solution, but I'd love to hear some feedback if anybody has any familiarity. Thanks!

Mantel Rippin' Away

I have a mantel (slate, I believe, rather standard as they go) on the top floor of the brownstone that is coming off the brick. It is probably due to the significant settling of the house up there. Obviously, there's no pushing it back in place. What's to be done?

Take the whole piece off and remortar it somehow? Is this a job for someone you might know?

Would be grateful for the input.

Pella Windows

I received a quote recently from Bayridge Windows, for both Marvin and Pella windows. The quotes were virtually the same, (maybe off by 100 dollars or so). The Pella windows were from the Architect Series. Does this sound right? I thought Pella was less costly than Marvin.

awful textured plaster stairwell

Does anyone know the best way to redo the plaster on a curved stairwell, that has been highly textured (like a scary Hitchcock movie). Its an old house with plaster walls, I would hate to knock it all down and then sheetrock, but I am being told its the best and easiest way to go- we already did this to our parlor floor and I really regret loosing the original plaster- Thanks

February 23, 2006

white kitchen cabinets

I am in love with white cabinets, the modern style you see everywhere with the slightly raised 3" panel that wraps around the perimeter of the door. However, I've noticed at Home Depot that because the wood is painted, you get cracks in the paint where the joints meet at the corner. I am concerned this will make the kitchen look shabby very quickly. Can anyone comment on the look of this? Any recommendations for a cabinet brand that withstands this cracking better than others, yet wont break the bank? I suppose using laminate gets around this problem, but will that look really cheap? My budget for a 7' x 18' kitchen is optimistically 20k, all in. Thank you!!

code for gas fireplace

We have a gas fireplace in our parlor floor extension. The extension, which is open on four sides -- it has a skylight -- is about ten degress colder than the rest of the house and is not really comfortable unless the heat is blasting.

Insulating it is a huge hassle, and according to our neighbors who have the same extension, has not helped that much.

Our solution is to use the gas pipe in the fireplace and connect it to a separate thermostat. This could be vented through the extension roof. Someone mentioned that this is not code because it must be vented through the highest roof in the building.

Anyone have any insight or experience with this? Thanks.

front door hardware

we are looking for brass handles for our original hardwood front door. trying to find something with a little character for $300 or less. any leads appreciated. thank you.

converting window to door

We are converting a window in our parlor floor kitchen into a door that would lead down to our backyard. Does anyone have experience with this? Marvin wants $5000 for the door, screen door, transom and installation, which struck us as pretty high. (We need the transom because the windows are enormous (8 ft?) and are framed with original, elaboratley carved molding that we don't want to lose.) We would really appreciate any suggestions for doors, contractors, etc. Thanks.

Lock manufacturers

Do folks have recommendations for interior and exterior door hardware manufacturers suitable for a late 19th-century brownstone, other than Emtek, Rejuvenation and Schlage? Thanks in advance.

Come to my house tonight!!

Dear Readers:

Hello. I am having an open house tonight at 202 Clermont Avenue in Ft. Greene. The asking the price is 1,699,000. The open house is from 6pm - 8pm. It would be great if people could come down and see it. Feel free to contact me at bmg524@hotmail.com for more info. Or just come on down to the open house.

Thanks

February 22, 2006

WB Fireplace For sale

I need to sell a new Superior/Lennox 36" wood burning fireplace insert (Model HC-36) that doesn't fit into the existing (old stove) chimney in my LR - it's new but unboxed -

I wanted to re-use the old stove chimney location, but this requires a 8"int/12"ext dia vent (vertically through roof) -ideal for top floor renovation. this would be good in new constr. or on a wall that doesn't already have the chimney bumpout (like a bedroom?) for the details and spec see http://www.homeclick.com/showpage.asp?itemid=245356#options. this one has the herringbone pattern.

it cost about $600. but make me an offer? you can email me at brickcitymadness@earthlink.net - pickup in Cobble Hill or would trade for a mantel or even an antique clg fixture/chandelier...

I will also have much brick (free to pick up next week)

and also will have some old 4-panel 7' int. doors (some with old hdw) in a few weeks.

Toto -vs- St. Thomas Toilets

I plan on renovating 3 bathrooms and wondering which toilet would be best.
I presently have the old water tank (1960’s), which at times tends to clog do to a paper buildup from my 3 children. Now I’m wondering about the problems I’ll probably have with the newer toilets 1.6 GPF.

I was informed that Toto makes excellent toilets, yet the St. Thomas collection is very stylish. Does anyone have any experience with either one? The Toto has G-Max: Quiet, powerful, commercial grade flushing performance Fast Flush, a wide 3” flush valve which is 125% larger than conventional 2” flush valves, and a wider, 2 1/8” computer designed, fully glazed trapway. Its other model is Power Gravity with a 3" flush valve, and 2 1/8" glazed computer designed trapway, and siphon jet action. Where as the St. Thomas has an extra large 3” flush valve & an extra large 2 1/8 glazed trapway.

As far as it’s use…. the Powder Room is on the 1st Floor and will be used by entire family & guests, the 2nd floor one is in a private bathroom for adults and 3rd floor used by 2 toddlers and a teenager (who’s always clogging the toilet).

Landmarks

Landmarks has deemed it necessary for us to go to a public hearing to do the work we require on the back of our house.

Can anyone recommend a lawyer and or architect to represent us at the hearing?
Gary

Tempted to paint oak trim

We live in a 1910 Arts and Crafts-layout townhouse. One of the reasons we initially fell in love with the place was due to the original oak trim throughout the house (and there’s a lot of it). However, we just renovated our DR. The original wood panels were not salvageable, so we had them replaced and painted them white, the walls above a light gray. The white has completely lightened up the DR and makes everything look so crisp and fresh. Now, sadly, I am supremely tempted to paint the rest of the trim in our house white. Furthermore, we have wood panels in our parlor that I am really really tempted to paint, to match the dining room (in the parlor there's white plaster between the wood panels... it's not solid wainscoting, if that makes sense... so it looks "stripey" in the Arts and Crafts style.) Would it be a travesty to paint over gorgeous oak? Will I regret it? It’s the stripes that I mind the most… our painter said he could faux finish the walls so it looks like solid paneling, but my husband is against anything “faux.” What would you do?

sublet for potential newcomers

My husband and I are considering a move back to NYC from the suburbs due to various lifestyle issues (we moved from Manhattan to a house we built in Freehold, NJ). Before we fully commit, we’d like to spend some time living in Brooklyn which is where we now think we’ll land. We are looking to spend a few days a week in Brooklyn, preferably in Park Slope or Cobble Hill, in a short term sublet of a 1-bedroom for a reasonable price and a reasonable amount of time. We’re happy to submit to any credit check or referral practices, and can of course pay cash up front. My husband works in financial services and I am an attorney.
(Eventually, we'd be looking for a 2 bedroom, though whether we rent or buy depends on many factors we are still working out.)

We'd be thoroughly grateful for any contacts, guidance, advice or tips you might take the time to provide.

Finishing Hardwood Floors

Hello

I have old wood floors in ym brownstone, but don't have the money to sand and refinish them right now. Has anyone tried just refinishing them without sanding them down? Any suggestions on what I can do to make them look better without spending a lot of money?

Thanks!

Dedicated Broker -- necessary?

Hi all,

A great community you've built here. I'm considering buying a home (my first), and am confused about the whole seller's broker vs buyer's broker thing. Is having a dedicated broker necessary? What else do they provide, besides forwarding listings? Did you find it helpful to have one? Are there ground rules to establish? Am allowed to still look on my own?

Compouding the issue for me is that I do not know Bklyn very well (well, outside of the areas I can't afford), so imagine a good broker might be helpful for that purpose. Whenever I've met one (open house, random, etc), they've come across more like a used car salesman. My ideal (surprise..) is a 3-unit property in an up and coming neighborhood, near an express subway stop.

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

m

Survey

Does anyone know of someone that can do a building survey for a townhouse in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Clinton Hill Brownstone prices

We purchased a brownstone in Clinton Hill a few years ago and I really believe that we won't make much when we sell later this year. We purchased the brownstone for $1M and put over $200K in it. I can't imagine anyone will pay more than $1.2 for it in this market. Am I wrong?

Tin Ceiling Available

We finally removed the tin ceiling from our basement this long weekend. It is in several sheets. Note, that this is not pristine tin ceiling, but has many nice patches. We tried to remove the ceiling as carefully as possible. It was painted white, but the paint can be removed easily. It was a big job (we also removed the century-old failed plaster and lathe).
Please call me at 646-298-9630 if you are interested. It's yours for free. We would just like to see it being reused in some way since it is technically antique and historic.

Trying to Sell House

Hi, I love this weblog and have been following it for a while. I need to sell my house ASAP as I am moving out of the country. I have got an agent but I am still not sure the price is appropriate. What do people think?

Here is the ad for an Open House this weekend:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/rfs/135825606.html

Pigeon Problem

Hi,

I live in Park Slope, in a 16-unit apartment building. There is a narrow alley between our building and the building next door. For years, pigeons have loved roosting in our window sills. We have tried applying this sticky stuff that we got in a hardware store which is supposed to keep the pigeons away, but it has had little effect. I am wondering if anyone has had any experience or knows of a good exterminator, as we are ready to get this taken care of by a professional.

Thanks,
Carolyn

February 21, 2006

Outlet issue.

My wife just plugged in a lamp into an outlet, and a spark shot out and her hand is now somewhat covered with black smoke, or dust or something. She did not get a shock, and the circuit-breaker did not trip. Later we shut down the breaker, plugged it in, and switched the breaker back on, and all is well. What's going on here? A loose ground, or something like that? A flash came out of the outlet, but no fire or anything like that. And yes, we have an extinguisher handy, and are aware of the hazard. But what to do?

brownstone moldings and stair railing with spindles

i am a contractor renovating a brownstone on state street. unfortunately the homeowner is modernizing. there are moldings and baseboards doors,box window shutters that will be thrown in the garbage in two weeks. i have the authority of the homeowner to sell them. you may cotact me through my e-mail ts2katz@aol.com

Where Foundation Meets Rear Cellar Entryway

Standard 20x45 attached brownstone in bed-stuy. Interior restoration is mostly complete... my question is what to do with the cement/metalwork needed at back of house with respect to rear cellar entryway. i assume there is some sort of ventilation requirement that opposes simply sealing it off. yet i have seen the installation of steel doors set into cement at the foundation. don't know what the purpose of this would be, however, since i don't access the cellar this way.

clearly, however, the rotted plywood cover needs to go and is a security risk, not to mention access point for many pests.

any suggestions?

Preservation Education Program for Teens - Free

THE WEEKSVILLE HERITAGE CENTER is proud to present Hands On! A Preservation Education Program

Open to Brooklyn High School Students grades 9 - 12.
Starting April 15, 2006 – June 10, 2006
Saturdays, 10 am – 2pm, for 8 weeks

Location: Historic Hunterfly Road Houses, 1698 Bergen Street between Buffalo and Rochester Avenues
Stipend: $7/hr
Workshops will include:
Stained Glass Restoration
Timber Framing
Glass blowing
Traditional Carpentry
Field Trips!

Space is limited, so apply soon. Applications due Wednesday March 22nd, 2006. For applications, please contact Kaitlyn Greenidge, Historic Preservation Coordinator at 718-756-5250 or email Kaitlyn@weeksvillesociety.org.

Install pocket doors

We're planning on dividing our large bedroom into two rooms by adding a wall with pocket doors. Does anyone know of a good contractor (or carpenter?) who could do this for us? Thanks!

Power Washing

In today's HOD, someone mentioned power washing the painted facade of a building. Is that something that can be done by a tool rented/bought at HD/Lowe's, or is this only done by professionals? Any recommendations?

2 to a 3-family c of o

We need to change our c of o on our 2-family to a 3-family pronto. We already have both a fire sprinkler system as well as a fire escape. When we moved in, the building already had each of the 2 top floors set up as apartments. We already have a floor plan for the top floor (the one not rented out) and all the work has been done except we have no paperwork for it. We would like to rent out the top floor legally with as little stress and money invested as possible. Any help on this would be much appreciated. We'd love to know what special things are needed to go from a 2-3 family.

Sorry, my last one didn't post properly.

land surveyor

We're looking for a reasonably priced surveyor to stake our yard. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Question for the Brownstoners

Dear Mr and Mrs Brownstoner,

You mentioned your contractor at the talk you gave last week. Could you please give me his name and contact info? I have a little work to be done that I would like to contact him about.

Insulation and Siding

Sorry, I did not allow comments on the previous post.

This is related to the forum posts around Oct 13 regarding blown insulation. I’d like more Ditmas Park homeowners opinion. I have a 2.75 storey 26x48 detached frame house that needs insulation and siding. I’ve got several quotes on ¾ inch insulation and vinyl siding over the existing asphalt shingle, window and door wrap, some sofit, some gutters and downspouts. The median quote is around $33K. Does this a good price. Is blown insulation inside the walls a better way to go? Any recommendations on siding companies. I’d love cedar shingle or wood, but it’s not in the budget. Thanks.

Bergen Tile

Hey there,

I want to redo a small bathroom (width of the tub slightly longer) I went into Bergen tile - they said it would be "around $800" to take down current floor to ceiling tile (very ugly) and floor and replace w/much nicer (but not too costly) subway-esque white tiles.

My questions:
Is this price ridiculously low?
Do they do decent work?
Could this really be done in the 2.5 days the guy in the store mentioned?

OR are their numbers too low and likely to rise significantly?

Finally - if i go through w/this plan - does anyone know where i can get nice old (or fake old) sink/medicine cabinet)?

thanks

brownstone condo conversion

i'm in the process of converting my 2-family brownstone to a condo so that i can sell one unit to a friend and live in the other unit.

i have had an attorney draft and submit a "No-Action Letter" with the NY State Attorney General's office over 6 months ago. we have yet to hear a response from the AG's office.

has anyone else gone thru this conversion process on a brownstone with 2 (or 3 or 4) units? how long did it take to get the approval from the AG?

any info greatly appreciated.

thanks,
tracy

Navigate Search the Forum

can you tell a relative new comer to this board how I can search the Forum for information and actually get to the original post? If I type in MANTLES this post -
'How to Sell Beautiful Marble Mantles - I am doing renovation work on a brownstone and, unfortunately, will not need approx. 4 beautiful marble mantles in very good condition. Any ideas on how I can get a little money back (from the fortune I spent on the... Posted in Forum on January 28, 2005 04:36 PM" comes up but when I click on it to read it I return to the latest posts on the Forum.

February 20, 2006

Fences please...

I know people have been inquiring about garden stuff recently and there has been some information shared...but the only fence contractor name that I have seen is Jimmy Caruso at Precision Fence. I would like to get a few more names so that I could get different quotes. Does anyone have any other contractor recommendations? Also looking for someone to put down some slate or brick for ground patio.
Thanks

Columbia Journalism Student

I'm writing a story about the rising price of real estate in Brooklyn for school and am interested to interview property owners in Brooklyn and anyone who are looking to purchase real estate there.
If you are interested, pls email me with your phone number to hs2266@columbia.edu

Looking for a Heating/AC consulting engineer

I am looking for a consulting engineer (PE) to help me with the design of a new heating and AC system for my rowhouse. I will be installing central air and also need to increase the heating capacity of my existing boiler. Any suggestions for a good consulting engineer willing to work on a small job?

Termite Redux

oops. forgot to make my termite rant open to comments...sorry. Please respond here.Thanks.

Homeowner as GC

Has anybody else here been the GC of record and the actual homeowner? I am not a contractor, but need to pull the work permits (everything will be subed). I am told that i need to get workmens comp and disability. I looked into it and it seemed very expensive (called the State Insurance Fund). Someone told me that I might be able to get a rider on my homeowner insurance that would do the same thing. Anybody ever do this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Marvin Windows

Need feedbackon window installers. Considering Bayridge Windows and E-Z Tilt for installation of Marvin Windows. Any one have any experience with these installers and these windows?

free box spring

Free near-new queen-sized box spring for anyone who can take it away by this Wed. Call 212-748-9284.

Termite saga

A few years ago, I realized the lacy blackwinged insects that periodically swarmed the ground floor addition in my Cobble Hill brownstone were not, as I liked to tell myself, harmless mayflies but actual termites. I called Orkin and Terminix to come look. The man from Terminix basically read from a brochure in a monotone "Termites are the number one cause of blah blah blah..." The Orkin guy seemed a little more together and they were both pushing the same system--bait traps and then treatment at the first sign of activity. I signed a check for some thing like $1,700. A few weeks later, a guy showed up and drilled massive holes in my bluestone patio, put pieces of wood in the hole and said he was done. The "traps", it turned out, were nothing but untreated pieces of pine. Every few months they'd come back and monitor them. Meanwhile, I had ANOTHER swarm in the house and called in a panic. I kept samples of the bugs which seemed to die very quickly. The guy who came, looked at the bugs and said, "Those aren't termites. Termites are white." I wanted to believe him but even so, it seemed impossible. What were they, if not termites? He said he'd send them to the lab and get back to me. Weeks passed. No word. I started calling and calling. Finally, someone told me no bugs had been sent anywhere. I pitched a fit and finally another guy came out, looked at the bugs and said, "Termites. Definitely." But hecause there had been no "activity" in the traps, he refused to provide the actual treatment of drilling holes and making a poison barrier around the house. The theory is, the termites will eat the poison, bring it back to the nest and kill everyone else. Did I mention I have a one year old and two year old? And a dog?
That was a year ago. In order to keep up my service contract, I had to keep paying $500 a year. I was so disgusted with the whole process, I declined to renew.
I'm sure you can see where this is going...last night, I returned from being away for a long weekend and my back office, an addition which looks out onto the garden was filled with tiny dead termites. Aargh. Does anybody have any suggestions? Me and my wooden joists thank you.

February 19, 2006

Short-Term/Month-to-Month Advice

Hi All --

My wife is pregnant and due in mid-June. Our current rental lease expires at the end of May and and we just purchased a new condo in Park Slope. Unfortunately, the building we bought into is still under renovation (90% complete) and there is no move-in date in immediate sight until the developer obtains a temporary Certificate of Occupancy. This could very well happen by May 1st (the earliest date in our purchase agreement) or many months thereafter depending on delays. Thus, my wife and I have to move and we are going to break our lease one month early in order to give ourselves several weeks time before the baby arrives. The main issue is that we are reticent to sign a one year lease since we might be able to move into our condo after just a few months -- although we think May 1st is unrealistic, we don't believe it will take longer than 6 months max. That said, who really knows?!!

At any rate, we are looking for a month-to-month 2BR rental ($2500+) in Brooklyn, preferably in Park Slope, if such a thing exists. Extending our current lease is not an option. Needless to say, we are concerned and anxious! Is it reasonable to assume that we might be able to negotiate a month-to-month lease (for a premium above the asking price of a normal 1 yr. lease) if we: A) guarantee the landlord at least 4 months by paying in full at move-in; B) ask in return that the landlord consent in writing that we be allowed to continue occupancy on a month-to-month basis beyond the 4 months time if need be (with another price bump negotiated in advance)? We are trying to be flexible, creative, careful, and realistic, but this is new ground for us and we are uneasy, especially with a little one on the way. In short, we don't want to sign a one year lease, then break it prematurely and screw the landlord in the process, so we're looking for a viable alternative that might be mutually beneficial. If you have any ideas, please advise.

Lefferts buy?

I'm about to buy a house in Lefferts Gardens..2 family brick for 640k. Good condition and close to the park. Is there anything i need to know about the neighborhood? People have said that its not safe but no one has exactly said why or in what ways? People have also said that parking sucks. Anyone live there that can give me the real deal. Signing my life away on monday.

Roof Dead/Live Loads

We live in a 4-story co-op building in PS and the apartment we live in also has half of the roof rights. In the fall the building replaced the roofing and now we are looking to build a better access from the fourth floor to the roof and a private roof deck. I was told that I needed to find out what the dead and live load capacity was for our roof before I received bids on the job. I have looked at the NYC DOB website and have not been able to find this info under our building's address. Could someone please let me know how to get this info. Also, if you installed a roof top deck recently can you advise steps, problems incurred that we should look out for, recommendations for the job, etc. Thanks.

It's too cold to ignore your boiler.

I've had three calls this weekend from people without any heat only to find that their boilers were low on water.
Boilers are running overtime in this cold weather. Know where your water level should be and check frequently.
-Master Plvmber

Marvin Installers

Has anyone had their windows installed by Bayridge windows? Have the results been positive?

February 18, 2006

Setback Rules

We would like to add a half floor additin on our roof (we have the FAR to do it) and are wondering whether we have to go through landmarks since we're in Ft. Greene Historic District--or is this just a DOB issue?

February 17, 2006

My bad experience with 660 ddean st.

Dear Brownstoner:

The property I am complaining about is not a brownstone. In fact it is a 3 family brick house on dean st. I have recently viewed and it is a junk box with potential. My problem is that th owner is not a motivated seller and I feel the agent strung me along, although he claims he was strung along also. I viewed the property once and wanted to go back to make an offer, but apparently now I was told I can't because the owner is not motivated to sell at his asking price of 1 million. I know the agent reads this website so I am sending this as a message to to tell the truth and know his seller, if there even is one. My family and I thought we found a good thing in this tough market. The property is at 660 dean st. I won't give up the agent because he is an intelligent and seemed like a hard working guy. I hope he really is telling the truth because he wasted my time and his. I am a motivated buyer I hope his company and the seller are motivated also.

BROWNSTONER CENSORSHIP

NOTICE: I apologize in advance. This is NOT an attempt to highjack this thread. However, in light of Brownstoner's FAILED AND UNJUST ATTEMPT to block me from this blogsite, I must quickly respond to his final edict with respect to the discussion on the "Tri-Hood" thread.

"Anonymous Posting"

I gave full disclosure (unsolicited) on my 8:30am post (2/16) that I was Anon 4:40pm (2/15); 9:55pm (2/15) and 6:31am (2/16). No bombshell here. In the future, I promise never to post again as Anon as I stand firmly behind my statements. It would be great if everyone else could do the same.

"Not sure what your problem is, but you are becoming increasingly destructive in your tone and tactics to the site."

Everyone on this site can read the "Tri-Hood" tread for themselves and render their own determination (despite unwarranted censorship, e.g., the removal of the post expressing the opinion that folks should not live in Bed-Stuy because of "crack whores" and "drive by shootings"). As for my comments, the vast majority of bloggers agreed with me, with the exception of a few hardliners, and supported my right to provide a more balanced interpretation of the facts. As is the case with every other blogger on this site, I have the right to disagree and express my opinion in this public forum with respect to issues or statements that I deem misleading or patently false. Outside of showing a lack of civility toward others, there should be no exceptions to this rule or the imposition of undue restrictions on the freedom of expression. With respect to the "Tri-Hood" thread, a healthy discussion on race and class as it pertains to real estate and Brooklyn communities is clearly within the spirit of this site and no form of censorship is going to change this fact.

"Frankly, you seem somewhat schizophrenic, making useful contributions one moment and sounding like a paranoid lunatic the next."

This is pure spin and clearly undermines your objectivity on this site. A coercive tactic aimed at manipulating those who disagree with your position. Some might call this an attempt at censorship. Question: Is this Nazi Germany or Stalin's Russia?

"Not really sure what to do about it. For the second time in a week, though, we're going to close the comments down on a post that you were integrally involved in (though not wholly responsible for) injecting with bad spirit and negativity."

Brownstoner is referring to the "Open House Picks" thread of February 10th. First, for your information, I did not post any comments on this thread. The point of contention was between BROWNNOSERS and Bob Marvin. I did not take part in this discussion in any way, shape or form. Statement like this undermine your credibility. Honest mistake? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. No worries, apology accepted in advance. Second, please help me understand why it's okay for posters to make false, misleading or inflammatory statements (some of which are clearly racist, sexist or anti-Semitic) on this blogsite with impunity but it's in "bad spirit" or "negative" to speak out against such ignorance? Please refrain from the typical condescending and dismissive response (Stoner trademark). Third, it is NOT racist to say that FG, CH or BS is plagued by crime or poverty. It's true! Conversely, it is also NOT racist to put those statistics in proper context! Lastly, threats of "expulsion" from the blogsite simply because folks are not in agreement with you does nothing to promote the free exchange of ideas and information, nor does it create an open forum for healthy, productive discussions.

Stoner: Hopefully, we now have an understanding. So that it is clear, I do not have a personal problem with you. I commend you for creating and running a WONDERFUL site. Your hardwork is recognized and truly appreciated by all. Please do not become discouraged when charged issues are discussed passionately by bloggers and even more so when these discussion take a turn for the worse. It's inevitable. It will happen. This is New York. This is Brooklyn.

I'm finish. Everyone have a blessed weekend and despite my dfferences with Jon B., please enjoy this otherwise great site.

Brown Bomber

giant satelite dish

we have a huge satelite on our roof- not a direct tv dish but an actual satelite dish. i can't figure out why it had to be that big. we would like to get it removed but i don't know who would be interested. scrap metal? could we get $$ for it? someone would need to tie it up and lower it down the front of our house which is a little tricky. anyway, just curious if anyone has one of these or has any ideas. thanks

Awning Replacement

The post on the outdoor fabric reminded me that in the Spring I need to replace the fabric in my backyard awning. It came with the house and must be 30 years old. The mechanicals work fine, but the fabric needs to be replaced, probably with sunbrella. Anyone have suggestions on who is good at this? I am tempted to walk up to someone installing an awning at some store or asking a store owner who did their's, but I prefer a referral. Thanks.

window contractor needed

I got all new windows last year, but some of them were defectively made or installed. There are leaks, they don't lock, etc. Need someone to either fix them or replace them, and I'm certainly not using the first guy. Recommendations?

February 16, 2006

attn: clawfoot tub lovers

We have a 60" clawfoot tub that we are happy to give away to someone who will remove it from our fifth floor bathroom. The tub is in excellent condition with no chips or marks. We live in Bed Stuy and would like it gone by February 26, at the latest. The catch is that our hallway is already renovated so you will need some experienced handlers to take it out. Pls email clutfy@gmail.com if you are interested. Thanks.

Help, Lead Paint.

Please share any info about dealing with lead paint in old brownstones. I bought a two family house this summer which is in fairly decent shape and has a rental unit. The plan was to buy a house now that we could have and raise kids in. We just scraped it together to buy the house and planned to do renovations down the road. I am now really concerned about lead paint issues. Of course there must be lead paint all over the house (walls, trim, baseboards, doors, stairs, etc...) it is 100 years old. I've talked with a variety of people about this and gotten a variety of responses. So generally the best idea is to remove the paint right? That would basically amount to a gut renovation of our house. We also should not be living in the house when this would happen (which would be an another huge financial burden). Now, we were told if we could stabilize the lead paint than we'd be okay. We were also told to be careful about rubbing doors and windows, powdering paint and chipping paint. I think all our doors probably rub and there is of course chipping paint from pipes and ocassionally baseboards, etc... Everytime you put a nail in a wall you get powdering paint... Doesn't everyone out there who does not have a perfectally renovated brownstone have the same problems? How are you supposed to adhere to all the lead safety rules and have children and live in a brownstone that has not had a complete gut rehab? Please share any advice, experiences, refrences for good contractors, lead experts etc....I would really appreciate it.

Need advice on removing weight-bearing wall

I want to remove a wall on the ground floor of the three-story frame house I'm buying in the South Slope. I've heard everything from "That's not hard," to "Whoa, you need a structural engineer in addition to a contractor." Our inspector said it looked like we just need to leave 8 inches of the wall at the top. But it seems a column or two might be needed as well. I'd really appreciate any advice from someone who has done or had this type of work done, and for names of contractors who could do it. Among the things I'm wondering: Will this be expensive? Take a long time? How much of a mess will the floor be in when the wall is gone? Thanks for all input.

Recommendation for a Commercial Broker

We recently bought a multi-unit building in Carroll Gardens, which has a raw commercial space on the ground floor. Any recommendations for a good commercial broker, ideally one who knows the neighborhood?

How to find history of our old buildings

I am closing this week on a co-op in Carroll Gardens in a 4 story brick tenement building. The building has a great deal of history and had a fatal fire in the early 1900's - in fact, it used to be a five story brick tenement! I would love to look into the past stories that may lurk in the halls and find out more about the history of the building, but have no idea how to go about it. Any suggestions?

1925 House

We are about to purchase a detached house that was built in 1925 and still has some of the details. Does anyone have any good sources for period research for the '20s? Its an interesting time since it is on the cusp of so many architectural and decorative styles. House is a little more deco feeling than arts and crafts based on the motifs in the woodwork- though right now it is stuck in the 70s!

February 15, 2006

sheetrock/plaster walls

We just moved into our new row house in Windser Terrace that needs work! Anyway first I want to address the walls - they are plaster that has several layers of paint cracking - cracks in the plaster - and textures that I cannot live with - so I wanting to put sheetrock up. My question is should I remove the plaster walls and then put up sheetrock or just put sheetrock over the plaster walls? thanks Could you reccomend a sheetrock person?

Windows

Awhile back somebody said that their architect recommended Bonneville windows. Has anyone had this brand installed and if so, how do you like them?

outdoor fabric

I am going to be redoing some outdoor furniture. Any resources on outdoor fabric. Price is a major consideration as I am doing it myself and expect it to be an experiment I may have to redo! I've gotten good fabric at in the fashion district before for good prices, but don't know which stores to go to for outdoor. Suggestions would be appreciated.

small appliances

Anybody have any opinions on good smaller type appliances? I am replacing mine and am looking to get a 24" stove, 24" refridgerator
and a 18" dishwasher. Most of the brands (summitt, avanti, premier) are hard to find feedback on. I am going for a stainless look. I know that some more well known brands offer those sizes (viking, etc) but I am not in that price range. Any real life opinions?

roof hatch

We are moving our roof hatch to a hallway closet on the fifth floor. We are a three family. There is plenty of light in the hallway. Does anyone know if Code requires us to put a light in the closet anyway? Thanks

'Modern' Wood Paneling

Can anyone recommend an individual or company qualified to install the fancy wood paneling (or woodgrain laminate, which is a tad more 'slick'-looking, I think) that we're seeing in Dwell, Metropolitan Homes, etc?

Hey, Gideon...what about you/Studio g+a? I see you have what I'm looking for pictured on your site! ;)

Need someone to repair boiler..

Hi- Does anyone have any recommendations for a person that is knowledgeable about boilers?? We have a trusted plumber/electrician, but they can't seem to figure out what keeps making our boiler turn off for no apparent reasons..recommendations appreciated.
Thanks!

Vintage Doorknob Installer

Can anyone recommend someone who has experience installing a range of vintage door knobs? How expensive can this get?

February 14, 2006

Be careful with recommendations

I got very badly burned by using a person that routinely gets recommended on this website. I do not want to post that person's name or trade because I am worried about retaliation. I just mention this by way of saying be careful. Get multiple, very, very current references from everybody you are considering using. And to be honest I am now avoiding this board as a place to find good, honest workers. It's anonymous and so who knows who's really posting on here about a person? Could be that person. I must say that there are wonderful exceptions. One person who routinely posts about plumbing matters is a person I know personally and would trust with my life. But unless you know any of the people on this board personally, or have a real-world introduction I would steer clear. And I'm sorry to say this because brownstoner is clearly trying to create an amazing community here. But this is very serious stuff -- letting strangers in to your home who may not act professionally.

In Need of Real Estate Services (lawyer, expediter, etc.)

Hi All,

I need recommendations for a number of real estate related service providers. Recommendations for the following are greatly appreciated:

attorney
expediter
broker (real estate sales and land purchase)
general contractor (for interior construction)

thanks for suggestions and recommendations.

regards,

k

Dank Cellar

We're new to the Slope and recently posted a message regarding our basement, which is very damp (smells dank, etc.) but not actually WET. The responses we received indicate that a dehumidifier and improved ventilation might do the trick. If they don't, who should we call to waterproof a poured cement floor? What can they do? A drain? A french drain? Pitch the floor? What type of contractor does this work?
Thanks!

cellar trash removal

I was looking on craigslist trying to find a man with a van so to speak- I don't really need a dumpster but do need a lot of trash/junk removed and carried away from my cellar. there are tons of guys who do this- has anyone dealt with someone like this that worked out well? I've heard many horror stories about hiring these guys... basically i'd have it in a section of the cellar ready to be removed and loaded onto a truck of some sort... how much might it cost?

Electrician

I need an electrician for a small job in Brooklyn Heights. I found Gunzer Electric through the Franklin Report, does anyone know them? They are quoting $140 for the first hour and $95 per hour following. Does that seem reasonable? Is there someone in Brooklyn people here have used and would recommend?

Disputing Rise in Property Taxes

I live in PLG and have received a notice from the Department of Finance that my home value has risen a lot more than I would have expected and that my property taxes will be going up about $1 thousand.

Does anyone use/know a good service or law firm for disputing the tax increase? If possible, I would prefer an arrangement where the client pays a percentage of the savings. Many thanks.

Which are the good real estate offices to deal with?

Which are the good real estates to deal with?
Hello All.

I recently started started coming to this site because I am planning to buy a brownstone. I am interested in the Park Slope area, worst case scenario Carrol Gardens. I figured I would go to the public first and ask which real estates are good to deal with? Is better to deal with many or just one? Any input.

Which are the good agents to deal with?

Hello All.

I recently started started coming to this site because I am planning to buy a brownstone. I am interested in the Park Slope area, worst case scenario Carrol Gardens. I figured I would go to the public first and ask which real estates are good to deal with? Is better to deal with many or just one? Any input.

Looking for Radiator

I'm looking for help in locating a narrow hot water radiator for my home. It needs to be less than 1 foot wide. Height is not as much of an issue - it can be 1 to 2.5 feet tall. The one shown in the link below would be perfect but the prices at Demolition Depot are downright offensive.
http://www.demolitiondepot.com/vo/demo/inv/detail.asp?ID=15595
Please email me if you can help. Thank you.

Brian
mileslou@hotmail.com

February 13, 2006

Painting rental apartments - is neutral the best bet?

When seeking tenants, I hear it's wise to paint walls a white or neutral shade.... but if that's the case, why are so many of the high-end homes you see for painted painting in nice, solid colors? Could some of the realtors enlighten us? I will soon have an apartment to rent out and I think the kitchen and small bedroom could really use bright, solid colors to liven things up. But am I an idiot for assuming that tenants will prefer, say, an orange to white?

Work Permits

I am in the begining phases of a gut renovation and addition to my brownstone. I have a very competent architect who is working with an expediter to file the plans etc..The question I have is about getting the work permits. I was going to have a out-of-state relative be the GC as he is a contractor. Only problem is he is not licsensed in NY and he would need to be to pull the permits. SO the other options is for me to pull the Work Permits and to do that I was told I need both a Workmens Comp and Liability policy. Has anybody out there dealt with this before? As a homeowner do I need those policies to pull the Work Permit (all the work will be subed). Any recommendations on whom I can get these policies from? I would appreciate any advice. Thank you for reading this.

baby gates

we just bought an old frame house with 24" stairways and are having a hard time finding baby gates to fit such small openings. most are for 28" and up. we're also not thrilled about drilling holes in our gorgeous banisters. anyone come up with a solution? thanks much.

Lead Inspection and other bad things

Sorry about this repost...but here goes again...
We just bought a house in Brooklyn and I want to have it tested for lead and any other potentially hazardous materials. My question is what other big, awful, scary children's brain and development stealing materials should I be concerned about hiding in my house? There does not seem to be asbestos in the house. Also can anyone recomend someone certified to do this and give me an idea of the general cost. I got a price of $750.00 for lead testing and it seemed high to me.....I'll pay for safety but just want to get an idea of what is out there...Thanks.

Leak in extended/excavated basement

We recently purchased a condo duplex in a newly renovated townhouse, consisting of the first floor and a finished basement (sub-grade and excavated deeper for ceiling height). Since we moved in 8 months ago, we've had a number of flooding/leakage problems. Many have been related to our neighbors' poor maintenance of their building, but there is also the argument that had our basement not been extended deeper than theirs, we would probably not be taking on their water. At present, we've had a slow, steady leak for a month and a half in one of our basement corners and have been unable to find the source of it.

Has anyone else had experience with this situation and its legal and/or practical redress? Any advice would be appreciated.

How do I fix 1 inch mosaic tiles??

This summer my contractor installed these 1' square tiles on the floor of our shower. I believe they are glass (opalescent, the ones that look like mint ice cream). Anyway, they keep popping out -- pretty much the same 2 or 3 tiles. We've tried applying adhesive and regrounting (the same processed used to install the tiles). Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Marble in entryway

In addition to the door hardware question below, I am also wondering about the few square feet of white marble floor in our entranceway. It is very shabby and eroded. I'd love to restore it rather than replace it but I doubt this is possible. Can anyone recommend a good marble resource that would also do the installation? Thank you.

Installing door hardware

We have a double door entry to our brownstone and are in the process of purchasing new mortise locksets. In total there will be 8 new locks and handles (some dummies) to install. We're confused about whether a locksmith or a carpenter should be doing the installation. The doors are old and have been recently stripped. We have someone lined up to finish them including some light carpentry after the installation. Thanks for your input.

February 12, 2006

cast iron radiator

Due to renovations in our house (from 1925) we have 2 original hot water cast iron radiators we don't need anymore. I have people who are interested in it, any idea how much I can ask for? Any other advice? (34" long 12 "wide 18 high 12 sections)

What to do with rude tenants?

Should we get rid of our totally rude tenants? They pay on time, but still. Who wants to be treated so badly all the time. I don't want to get in to specific examples of their nasty disposition because I don't want to risk publicly slandering them. But really it's not our imagination with these people. Every time they call to ask us for something they are screaming and shouting. And we are landlords who will happily throw time and money at any problem just to make sure life is good for everybody. We'd just rather not deal with such hassles. But then again they are the devil we know. What do you think?

Basement refinish questions

We are thinking about digging out our basement now, but not finishing off anything down there now. We are wondering if there's other things we should do/wait to do for our major bldg reno in light of the fact that we will probably refinish the basement one day; ie: we are having all new plumbing, electric, & heating put in should we re-route the lines in a special way because down the road we may refinish the bsmt? Also wondering how high basements that are finished are ideally? We can go down quite deep we have been told by a structural engineer, so the depth is up to us. Thanks in advance for your responses!

Ventilation Advice?

Oops-- it's me again. I forgot to check "allow comments" when posting, so I didn't get any responses to my questions.
We've got a below-ground basement that's very humid, but not wet (and no mold). The engineer says it needs a dehumidifier, but we're wondering if it needs ventilation, too. Has anybody had similar problems? (Oh-- one last question: any flooring recommendations for damp basements? Wood and tile are out, I would imagine.)
Thanks!

New Exterior Door

I have read lots of posts regarding rehabbing original doors but not much on where to get a nice new door. Our existing door is 1960's awful. We're looking for a simple 4 panel exterior with a nice recesssed detail. I've looked at Simspon and IWP/Jeld-Wen and Morgan. What about high quality fiberglass vs. wood. We are painting the door black. I'd love some feed back. Thanks.

February 11, 2006

Corcoran Sunset Park Brownstone

Does anyone know the actual address of this property listed by Corcoran? Or if anyone has any other opinions or info on this listing feel free to contribute.

-stephen

Credit check recommendations

Does anyone have a preferred service they use for credit and background checks for tenants? Also, should we charge prospective tenants a fee for the background check?

Need fireplace mantle surround

Hi - we brought back 5 fireplaces during our renovation - trade off for bargain price is ugliest brick work imaginable. We have found 2 surrounds/mantles now looking for remaining 3. They are small fireboxes - max 50" wide - slate or marble, maybe even wood. Have had some success with ebay and none with NYC salvage/antique shops. Any suggestions or fireplaces? Thank you.

Hardwood floors in tenant's kitchen?

We're considering putting prefinished hardwood floors in the kitchen of our tenant's apartment - is hardwood durable enough? Using wood in the kitchen would actually be a bit cheaper than using linoleum, pergo, or some other harder material (because we're already installing it in the adjacent room)...but I don't want to worry about replacing the floors anytime soon.

fireplace

I have a brick fireplace that the bottom has sunk in about 3 inches from the sides is there a fire proof cement that can be used in the bottom to bring it level again??

February 10, 2006

Steam Radiator

I have what I think may be a valuable antique steam radiator. Can someone who has expertise in this area contact me at ZrokewL299@aol.com ? I look forward to hearing from you! -Larry

Real Estate Litigator

After failing to advertise our listing as promised, giving us horrible advice on purchasing (bidding 10% over ask on a place that has been on the market for months), and also maligning us when we have complained, we plan to withhold a commission point from our realtors on the sale of our home. Our amazing RE lawyer doesn't do litigation, just transactions. Can anyone recommend a litigator who can help us in case this goes to court? Thanks

sound leakage through shaftway

i have been posting this question on pro-audio forums and someone linked me to this site. i was hoping you might be able to help:

the brownstone has forced air heat which comes into the living room and the bedroom (the problem room) through an 8"x12" cut-out in the wall... there is about 6" of wall (1" plaster and 5" brick) that are missing and covered by a grate.. the problem is that sound flows
between the floors of the apartments and from the brownstone next door. the shaftway even amplifies alot of frequency causing me to make up this morning at 7am while my neighbor (in the next brownstone over) bumped their system... also i can hear my downstairs neighbors when they talk on the phone... all leakeage is caused by the shaftway.

so..... i need to fill-in this hole (at least in the bedroom) and get a space heater so i wont go crazy. what do you all recommend i do to get this done in the best way. do you think i have to brick it up? or can i create some sort of semi-air tight plug that is thick enough to stuff in the 8'x12"x6" hole? what materials, etc.....

thanks!

Great Contractor for Staircase Repairs?

Can anyone recommend a really good firm or individual for repair of an internal staircase? This is a fairly small job but necessary to be done: replacement of a couple of treads and the bullnose;spindle replacement and reinforcement of the knewel post, etc. Heights Woodworking says the job is too small for them and,for days now, Soxco doesn't answer the phone or return VM messages. Help!

How do you deal with tenants' dogs?

We're new landlords (of a limestone) considering what to do about pets. Cats seem fine, and some dogs would be too, but I wonder if there's a way to avoid getting one that'll bark incessantly or piss all over the floors. Does one interview dogs? And if so, what would such an interview entail?

Buscarello - Contractor for Brownstone Repair

Has anyone used J. Buscarello for brownstone repair? We're looking for someone to rebuild our stoop and patch and paint the front of the house.

Fire code issue with neighbor's wall

I recently bought a condo. I discovered that the owner of the unit adjoining mine had done a gut renovation of her unit some time ago, and that she had removed the original plaster or sheetrock and failed to replace it on the common wall. My contractor has torn down my side of the wall to install soundproofing, and we could see that there was only paper covering the lath and studs on her side of the wall. It is bad enough that we could see her furniture through what little of the wall exists on her side. When this was pointed out to the owner, she insisted that the work had passed inspection, and that she had received a certificate of occupancy from the building department. However, the inspection was probably for the plumbing or electrical work she had done elsewhere in the unit over a two year period. The building department appears to be unwilling to call what I described a fire code or building code violation. My concern is what I will find for the common wall that I share elsewhere with this neighbor.

electrical costs

Is $19,000 too much for an electrician to put in about 20 fixtures (recessed light etc), 20 outlets and 10 switches?

February 9, 2006

do you know these contractors?

Has anyone worked with the following contractors? We are considering using them to gut renovate a bathroom. CBS construction, (Bernie Belkin), Bulls eye construction (Emanuel Linsey), Holder contracting (Eddie Holder)or Madera Custom Interiors (Paul Sosa). Any info appreciated.

Converting a garage

We have a one car garage in Ditmas Park that I was considering converting into a studio apartment for income. The garage has its own C of O. What would I need to do to make it a legal live space? Maybe an office conversion would be a better idea...

Asbestos

Dealing with Asbestos

I live in Ditmas Park and have asbsestos in the basement. What's the best way to deal with this problem? Yes, its flaking of to the touch so I'd like to do something. I imagine removal would be very expensive and disruptive, not to mention more likely to disperse dust into our house. So purhaps surrounding it with something would do the trick. Would love to hear about others experiences or advice. And any contractor recommendations. thanks.

Zillow.com

Has anyone seen this site yet: zillow.com. It's about real estate values..

(couldn't get my login to work..fyi)

Seeking Ballpark Heating Costs

I am curious what folks are finding this winter with regard to gas heating costs this winter. We have a loose split arrangement with the owner of our building who occupies the top three floors. Gas covers boiler, HW Heater and gas stoves. I know natural gas has spikes this year but the numbers seem awfully high, nearly $200 a month for a single floor flat's share! Thanks in advance.

Bronstones in Greenpoint

Does anyone have any info on the Brownstones on Kent St (btwn Manhattan Ave & Franklin Ave) in Greenpoint? Have any sold recently? If so how much? Any currently on the market? Any good agent that might specialize in these?

Rewiring my entire house

I just got a bid of $12,500 for rewiring my home... 2700 sq ft total, downstairs is totally gutted, upstairs walls are intact but ceilings are gutted... Old wiring is all knob & tube... Is this a reasonable price?... seems a bit high considering most of the house is gutted to the studs.

Philadelphia

Any brownstoners out there investing in the Philadelphia real estate market? Condos or townhouses?

Renovation needed

I'm in the initial stages of renovating the 3rd and 4th floors of my brick townhouse in Bed Stuy. I am searching for an architect that can file the necessary plans with the city. The property is listed as rooming house so the C of O will need to be changed. If anyone has some experience with this please share. I was told that this can be a lengthy process.

So far I've gotten an estimate of 30,000 per floor which I think is a little much for what needs to be done. the bulk of the work requires that the bathrooms be relocated to to the center of each floor. I would like to find another licensed contractor that can read plans and won't take me to the cleaners.

looking for small pcs of bluestone

I'm looking for some small pcs of bluestone, to cover a 4x6 area. Trying to match old stuff that is there to finish a patio. Willing to pick up and pay a small price. Would also be willing to trade some items we can't use: some stripped pine door/window molding, stripped stair rails (balusters), or some old marble fireplace pieces (very simple design).

Or does any one have a source for old/recycled bluestone? I just need smallish broken pieces. Thanks!

my email is gmr3 @ columbia. edu but without spaces

HVAC Contractor?

We're moving into a brick townhome in the Slope and want to install central air. From what we're read on these posts (and on websites), the Unico and Space Pak systems would work best for us. (And why shouldn't they-- they're the most expensive.) Anyway, nobody has mentioned any names of HVAC contractors that could do this job well. Does anybody have any names of contractors to use for this job-- or to stay away from?

February 8, 2006

Cabinet & Staircase Work

I'm looking for a carpenter who can take apart some old quarter-sewn file cabinets, use the wood for a new built-in cabinet, and restain a "vintage" finish.

Also looking for somebody-- maybe the same person-- who can create, fix, and stain some of the spindles on a staircase. (We just moved in and some spindles are broken, some missing, some wrong color, etc.)

Any suggestions?

POCKET DOOR REPAIR

One side of my pocket door has developed problems with closing. It sticks and or rolls back on to the track and doesn't stay closed. The track needs replacing and the top needs to have the dowels put back properly. This door was probably "fixed" many times but never correctly. Does anyone know a good carpenter who can fix them right this time?

Brick Expert

I would like to get an honest opinion from someone who is very knowledgeable about brick walls as to whether it is necessary to repoint the back of our brownstone. Of course - when I bring the crews that do this work around Brooklyn in for a look - they all say I need to do it - but I'm not convinced. In addition - at some point - the prior owners of our house had the back of the house painted - and the paint is now peeling off and falling on my deck. I'd like to get an expert opinion as to what to do about this situation. Would appreciate any suggestions.

Interior Decorator Recommendations

Did anyone have any money left after buying their brownstone to hire an interior decorators? Several years after purchase, I am interested in hiring someone to help decorate our family duplex, in a basically traditional style. Some minor design reconfiguration of two bedrooms, but mainly furniture, fabric, paint, etc. Any recommendations are appreciated.

Bricks?

Hello there. I'm building a decorative brick wall in my basement rec room with some old bricks that were stacked down there. Looks like I'll be needing a few more though - anyone know where I can pick up around 50 old bricks? Thanks for any help.

What can i charge for rent?

Dear Brownstoner:

I just bought my Brownstone bet. 8th and the Park. I have 2 rentals that are 1 bedrooms. The realtor said I could charge 2400 because there is a small office in both.. i am originally from Kansas so i am a little shocked by this info. I checked craigslist but they seem like the have a lot of the same apts. Oh yeah my house is 8th bet. PPW and 8th.

Any feedback?

What is up with Prospect Ave.

What is up with Prospect Ave
Hello all. On prospect ave between 7th and 6th there are like 4 homes up for sale and a new construction. What is up with the block? Is it worth the time to buy over there? I thought the most appealing was the Pub and the last house closer to 6th? Does anyone have info on the block and those houses?

February 7, 2006

converting basement for office

I am looking to buy a limestone in Bay Ridge and would like to know what would be involved in converting the basement to house a professional office.

Specifically, what sort of money (and city red tape) is involved in digging down 8 feet or so through the concrete in front, putting in stairs, and cutting a door into one of the three windows normally found on the ground floor of these 1900 buildings?

To all Brooklyn agents/brokers who will not co-broke

You are doing a disservice to the SELLERS you represent because not as many people will see the listing, and those that do will not be, on average, the kind of serious, quality buyers who tend to work through agents. Your listings, in many cases, languish for months unsold, listed only on your own website or, repeatedly, on Craigslist. (I think I have most of them memorized – if that were my property, I would so fire you.)

You are doing a disservice to the BUYERS who are not able to choose a buyer's agent with whom they can build trust, and who will work on their behalf, get to know what they are looking for, set up showings, and shepherd them through the offer/contract/closing process. Instead, buyers have to jump from sellers agent to sellers agent, limited to the “exclusives” which make up the majority of their listings. And they are hardly interested in customer service or lasting loyalty.

And all because you want the entire commission all to yourself. Lame and selfish.

A higher commission would make co-broking possible. A slight increase in the price would make up the difference to the seller, and the difference is minimal for most buyers when it is broken down into monthly mortgage payments.

Your excuse about how evil and selfish the big name agencies are is a hollow farce - if you charged, say, 6% commission, you could co-broke with them just fine. (You would only get 3% instead of 4%? Oh, no! Now who is the greedy one? The point is, your property would sell faster, which benefits the seller you supposedly represent.)

Your other excuse about how you represent your community, grassroots, homegrown, little guy, local knowledge, blah, blah, is an even more ridiculous foil. You can still specialize in a particular area or property type AND co-broke. Then you would actually be working on behalf of the sellers in your area, not just SAYING you are.

I am not a broker/agent, and I have no allegiance to any of them. I am speaking from the perspective of an actual buyer with excellent credit and financials looking for an actual coop/condo to buy outside of the gentrified areas of Brooklyn - the very buyer you pray for. And, from where I sit, you people suck.

deck questions...

I see a number of posts about decks/permits, etc.. Does anyone know if a deck on a 4 family MUST be steel, OR, can you get permits for a wooden deck?? I've seen so many decks that are wood, and relatively few (if any) that are all steel..Hmm..
Thanks.

sparky's

anyone know what's going into the former Sparky's bar space at Nelson and Court.
Haven't seen anyone working in there in a while and recently have seen a few guys.
Please tell me it's something good!

Architect/Contractor needed

I'm in the initial stages of renovating the 3rd and 4th floors of my brick townhouse in Bed Stuy. I am searching for an architect that can file the necessary plans with the city. The property is listed as rooming house so the C of O will need to be changed. If anyone has some experience with this please share. I was told that this can be a lengthy process.

So far I've gotten an estimate of 30,000 per floor which I think is a little much for what needs to be done. I would like to find another licensed contractor that can read plans and won't take me to the cleaners.

Using my exterior wall for their interior wall

I live in a semi detached brick townhouse. The detached side retains the party wall of the building that once stood adjacent to ours. The owner of this lot will start building a three story townhouse this Spring and is asking if he can tie into this wall and use it as his interior wall. I am wondering if anyone has any advice about the pros and cons of allowing him to do this, or if anyone can recommend a good structural engineer who has experience with brownstone construction. Thanks.

radiator for free

I have a cast iron radiator to give away. 3 feet tall, 2 ft wide, around 8" deep. In Fort Greene. Plain stle. In Ft Greene. Call Ken 917-453-1343

February 6, 2006

permit question

I've got handymen that I like using. They're ontime, quote resonably and do good work. I want to use them for my bath renovation. I'm going to need to draw permits for this work I believe since we'll be moving all the plumbing except for the toilet.

My friend wanted to use them for permitted work and said that they couldn't.

What makes someone not able to work on a permit job? Their business card says that they're licensed and insured. But they're not plumbers, is that the problem?

I haven't yet had this discussion with my guys yet. I'm trying to pull as much info together as I can.

Sorry about reposting this but i wanted to allow comments.

Kitchen Renovation 101

Thank you everyone for your replies to my other posts.
After 1.5 years of owning this Federal 3 story brick townhouse in Red Hook, we have recently begun to think/ dream of renovating the garden floor kitchen/ dining room. It is a large open space with a small extension at the back that has a bathroom. As it stands, adding cabinets and a counter to this kitchen would be a major improvement. We have reasonable plumbing and an original deep cast iron double sink, frig and rusty stove, but not much else. We have a large open shelf that we use as a cabinet, old painted over plastic tile floors, and a beat up tin ceiling with holes and rust installed on top of lathe and drywall. Hence, we would need to gut the walls and the ceiling, upgrade electricity amps, rewire as required, new outlets, new floors, sheetrock walls, cabinets, counters, appliances, fixtures. I also plan to replace the boiler room by the chimney with a small wall hung high-efficieny modulating boiler and radiant floor heat to free up space and to free up the flue for a gas fireplace insert/ masonry fireplace. The bathroom in the back also needs to be retiled, needs a sink, etc. Also plan to have a mudroom in the extension with washer/dryer, maybe another sink, built in closets for tools, garden stuff, cleaning supplies, etc.
Question:
Where do I start? Should I first get a Kitchen Designer, an architect, permits, make a budget (what could this cost?), get a contractor, look at kitchen magazines, or browse home improvement stores? Hence, looking for some tips as it seems many of you have been through the ordeal of renovating your kitchens. Also, any tips, advice about what I need to be prepared for, coping tricks, etc. would be very welcome.
Thanks again!

What is wrong with the people selling their homes

What is wrong with the people in Park Slope selling their homes. They ask such astronomical prices for the property. Are they dumb, everybody knows that they refinanced the heck out of it. We recently saw this over-price house at 375 6th ave and few other properties that Warren Lewis showed us. They are asking 1.5 and making it out to be amazing, when it is not. I am sorry to sound off on people but I have visited most of the brokers and they are all jerks who showed me the same property. i must say that all seem like nice people but every broker and their agents seem unprepared and lacked originality... show me something new!!!!

I have complied my list of very unprepared realtors who take my info and send me on my way.

1. Warren Lewis
2. Bettancourt....ugh!
3. Brenton Realty
4. New Millenium Realty
5. Brooklyn Properties.... (they have like one person there)
6. Brown, Harris , Stevens

Get A Clue!!!

Heating Oil Fumes

Hi. I've been dealing with pretty intense heating oil fumes for over two weeks now. The heating company is trying to clean it up. Any recommendations for environmental engineers/inspectors/someone for an independent appraisal of the situation?

Babygates/window guards

Does anyone know what the laws are regarding installing window guards in your own house/apartment?
311 was not so helpful nor the Dept of Health. Are guards required on windows that already have regular bars on them? What about on windows that have nonpermanent air conditioners? How about for ground floor windows slightly below ground (windows only a few inches from the ground)? We'll be doing a second-parent adoption with a social worker checking that everything is done to the letter of the law, so we want to make sure we have everything covered. Thanks!

Kitchen to Parlor floor

We're considering buying a three-story house in Greenwood Heights but would want to move the kitchen from the garden to the parlor level. We imagine it wouldn't be too hard since there are kitchens on the floors above and below the room we'd use on the parlor level. Any ideas about how much this would cost? I know there's a lot of variation in pricing, but even rough estimates would be helpful. Thanks.

Looking To Dig Down Basement?

Reading the resonses to the "Dig Down Basement" post, it seems there's quite a bit of interest in people wanting to dig out their basements. I would very much appreciate people emailing me with recommendations (or people to avoid) and quote that they've been given. In return, I would be happy to exchange the fruits of my research. Also, for anyone is interested in getting this work done soon, we could form a sort of consortium and get group discounts and/or get some of the more trust worthy contractors to take an interest. Please email me at cgbrownstoner@cox.net. And please -- no solicitations. Thanks.

sewage cleanup in basement

can anyone recommend a service that cleans up flooded basements?

Windows

Has anyone had experience with Jeld-Wen windows? Are they less expensive than Marvin?

February 5, 2006

homeowners insurance: value of house vs. loan amount

I am wondering which is more typical for properties in Brooklyn: insuring the value of the house (replacement cost basis) or insuring at least the loan amount? I know each bank has its own requirements for the loan, but I am wondering which is more typical?

174 VANDERBILT

anyone no what they are building on that site?

Similar forum for co-op's ?

Hello, I am looking for a website/forum similar to this one that is focused on larger scale buildings. The 30+ unit, war-era type building that are the common co-operative in the NYC area.
I do have some specific questions about building codes, etc. for renovations in apartments in this type of building.

Sorry for the interruption...Any links?

Steel Deck

Can anyone tell me who to hire to put in a steel deck? And do you know the price range. Thanks

Purchasing a house with others - advice, interest?

The price of purchasing housing in Brooklyn, where I live and really want to remain, is killing me. I have a very healthy downpayment, I make a decent wage, but this is looking like something I may not be able to do by myself. I'm looking into purchasing a property and converting it to condos with some other people interested in the same things I am: more space for the money, respectful and trustworthy partners/neighbors, creating and maintaining a beautiful home.

Has anyone done this? Is anyone else interested in doing this? Advice and interest welcome. I'll follow up with contact info if there is any interest on this board.

tankless water heaters

I've read conflicting reports about tankless water heaters. Does anyone have one in their home? We were thinking about getting one per apartment in our 3-famliy building so that each apt would pay for their own hot water. With 3 smaller units the thought is that they wouldn't have to compete for hot water either. Any opinions?

Back yard redo....

Need to rip up 700sf wood back deck, than lay down concrete over most of it, with the outside rim w/soil to plant, etc....

I believe its broken concrete under the wood...

Costs??
Contacts??

February 4, 2006

Need a good/very reasonable contractor?

Our contractor has renvovated three apartments for us, including the one we live in. We've been very happy with his work, his prices are extremely reasonable, and we've found him to be very trustworthy. He's looking for work now, and if anyone is interested i can pass on his name. (I also have pics etc. i can e-mail). Note he is NOT licensed, but works with a group of friends -- electrician, plumber, etc. that are...Cat -- catherine.gattoverde@gmail.com

Any experience with Infared Paint Remover?

Has anyone had any experience with the speedheater infrared paint remover product offered at the following url -
http://www.eco-strip.com/index.html

Lewis & Ruby

Does anyone know why Lewis & Ruby on Lewis ave closed?

February 3, 2006

price to dig down basement

we have an estimate and want to ask your opinion if it is reasonanble.
House is 20'x66'.
Project includes:
- digging down the whole floor in the basement 1 to 2 feet ( depends on what is down under ),
now it is mostly soil with about 25% covered with a fragmented concrete. Depends also on footing of the walls and need to underpin.
- put new concrete floor, I do not remember the number, but they specifically stressed that it should be that number thick, not less, to make it right.
- dig down in front of the house about 2 feet down and 3 feet out and reconfigure and build new cement stairs from the street to the basement.

- waterproof front wall
- enlarge existing windows by cutting down, now it is about 2' high, make about 4' high
-finish and waterproof space under the stoop
- open 2 windows, a little over 4' high at the back of the house, currently closed by bricks.

Estimate is 25K and 3 to 4 weeks of work.
do you think it is reasonable?

any feedback on Gregory Martins, Engineer?

Has anyone worked with Gregory Martins, PE, of Queens? We're looking into a co-op that needs some work, but we're a little skeptical of his "lowest price guarantee."

Any thoughts?

plumber recommendation?

Continue reading "plumber recommendation?"

Doors - Beveled Glass

I just purchased a brownstone in a historic distric. The house is has double doors but is missing the beveled glass. I need to replace. Is this type of glass easy to get? Expensive? Where? Do I need to clear anything with Landmarks?

February 2, 2006

Williamsburg souh side safety

I just moved into an apartment on S 4th St. between Rodney St. and Keap St. I really should have looked into this more before I signed the lease, but I'm wondering how worried I should be about safety in this area, particularly at night. Any thoughts? Also, are there areas I should avoid when coming home from the Northside?

condo inspector

going to my walkthrough soon in a new construction condo and need the services of a home inspector who knows about construction, electricity and the like.

does anyone have any suggestions?

Donating rights to facade

A couple of times a year I get a mailing from the National Architectural Trust inviting me to donate the rights to the facade of my building so that it will be preserved. Theoretically they monitor any alterations to make sure they comply. They value the rights at 10% of the building's value and that becomes a tax deduction. In exchange you kick back a portion of your tax savings to them. It becomes an entailment on the building that all future owners are supposed to respect. Has anyone done this? I question its legitimacy. We're in a historic district, so in effect, I don't have any rights to the facade in the first place, so what is it I'm donating? Moreover, some of my neighbors who have made this donation have gone ahead and altered their facade, ignoring historical accuracy, and the National Architectural Trust has done nothing about it. Is this actually a legitmate preservation initiative?

A4 Classification?

What is A4 classification? I am considering buying a brownstone property and I see it is located next to an A4 building: city residence/one family? What kind of agency, though? Google did not yield any satisfactory results. Thanks.

Crown Heights brownstone owner's group?

What's the name of the Crown Heights brownstone owner's association? I'm trying to find their Website. Thanks.

MAKE AN OFFER - new stove, fridge, sink & cabinets 4 sale

We just moved into this brownstone - the fridge sink, stove & cabinets were brand new. But we're renovating the whole thing. If you have a need - (maybe for a rental?) PLEASE CALL, MAKE YOUR OFFER, then come PICK IT ALL UP.

YOU CAN SEE PHOTOS AT: http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/hsh/130585684.html

Liani (917) 561-9814

Flip Tax

Probably a stupid question, but the 25% flip tax at Turner Towers--is that 25% of the sale price, or 25% of the profit?

February 1, 2006

Beadboard

Brick rowhouse from 1863. The downstairs bathroom, formerly a closet, has lovely beadboard. It's been painted several times. Any recommendations for an environmental-sound paint stripper before I try the toxic route?

Building Economics

I have the opportunity to purchase a vacant lot in Park Slope that has an as of right buildable footprint of 4000 sq.ft. I wanted opinions as to cost per sq foot estimates to build a 4 story 2 family home. I would try to build a neighborhood-appropriate building that is in line with the neighboring brownstones - so I am not seeking the cheapest cost estimates. Anyone with builder/architects/engineer recommendations or experience with new construction (as opposed to renovation experience)? Thanks in advance.

Yard Work

Does any one have a recommendation for someone to dig up plants, trees etc… in the yard and put tile, put in a new fence, outdoor lighting and outlets and possibly extend a porch and dig underneath it for additional height?

Mouse Control

I have mice in my house. I've plugged every hole I can find and put out traps. I don't think they're coming into the living area any longer, but I can still smell them in the kitchen. I'd appreciate any advice on how to deal with them since they're still in the walls and if anyone knows a good exterminator. Thanks.

Brownstone rental buildings

As someone looking to purchase a 3-4 family Bklyn brownstone to fully rent out as floor through apartments, in which neighborhoods do you Brownstoners believe the best value currently exists as far as rent roll covering purchase & maintenance costs?

Iron suggestions for Balcony?

i hate the boring cheap ironwork my contractor put on my balcony of center slope TH. How can I replace this with more elegant scroll-work and does anyone know what that will cost?

How much rent is laundry and storage worth?

Several months ago my boyfriend and I bought a brick rowhouse with two 1 bedroom garden rentals. It has a fairly spacious basement with two roughly 16' x 13' work rooms that are accesible from the back yard. I'm debating putting a washer dryer in one of the work rooms for the renters and also allowing them to use that room for storage. It will cost us some money to make the basement more easily accessible from the yard (reconfiguring some deck work and adding a lock to the existing door so it can be opened externally) plus there's the extra water and electric charges.

I have no idea how much extra rent I should charge for these "amenities". Any thoughts?

Forum: February 2006