Hot Water Boiler question

The house has been there a 100 years, and it's probably done settling/sagging at this point..
I remember I looked at house once that was right above a subway line. The house was like 120 years old.. I was a newbie and I asked the inspector "will the vibrations of the subway damage the house?".. well the house was there before the subway was built, and it's been over 80 years since the the subway was built and the house is still fine, so you can pretty much assume the subway is not an issue.

Posted by: oe at August 11, 2009 2:13 PM in response to Settling and Sagging House

I would pay it but give him a warning. It's nice that he tried to help and put out the bins... if you make him pay, he'll never help you again.

Posted by: oe at August 11, 2009 11:11 AM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

The 5-boro bike map that you can find in most bike stores is much better than this one, and also easier to use when you are actually biking, as opposed to looking at your computer.

Posted by: oe at August 7, 2009 9:28 AM in response to Closing Bell: Brooklyn Bike Maps

I bought all my fixtures at Park Slope Plumbing on 5th ave and Prospect Ave. The level of service is way beyond any chain. For example, I needed to get a part replaced, 4 years after the sale.. I just brought in the old part, and they ordered it, and gave me the replacement.. no charge.. they just remembered me.

Posted by: oe at July 22, 2009 3:39 PM in response to Buying Bathroom Fixtures

A 3 family house doesn't need sprinklers or a fire-escape, only 4 or more family.

Posted by: oe at July 17, 2009 12:12 PM in response to No Fire Escape or Sprinkler?

don't apply for too many cards around the time you are getting approved for a mortgage, it could mess up your credit score. Also, keep in mind banks are getting rid of low fixed rates on credit cards... also, I don't think it's safe to assume a credit line on a credit card will be there indefinitely, since they seem to be cutting them on people.
Anyway, in general if you need to pull out cash from a credit card, you shouldn't be buying a home.
How about a margin loan or 401k-loan instead as a "plan B"?

Posted by: oe at July 9, 2009 11:31 AM in response to Credit Card as LOC?

Sounds like too big a job for the super.. if you are redoing kitchen and bath, what about electrical and plumbing? Maybe give the super a smaller job to see how he does.

Posted by: oe at June 25, 2009 11:26 AM in response to Hiring a Super for Renovation?

I don't think Manhattanites without cars are looking for weekend homes on the subway line... anyway, why does it need to cater to them? Plently of people from all over the city enjoy going to Rockaway beach, Jacob Riis Park, etc

Posted by: oe at June 19, 2009 1:06 PM in response to The Last of the Bungalows

The end of the A line at Beach 116 in Rockaway beach is a perfectly nice place for a day trip, so not sure why people on the UWS can't go for there as you alude to, maybe sans weekend house. People shouldn't get the impression that the whole peninsula is a mess like those pictures above..

Posted by: oe at June 19, 2009 12:30 PM in response to The Last of the Bungalows

They went nuts with the bricks... walls, backsplash, ceiling.. this house needs a makeover before it sells.

Posted by: oe at June 18, 2009 1:30 PM in response to House of the Day: 78 Douglass Street

these houses are pretty small.. I'm guess no more than 1400 sq feet (not including probably unfinished basement), so on a per-sq ft basis, 1.1 would be pretty good.

Posted by: oe at June 8, 2009 1:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 540 16th Street

Don't forget PS 154 (WT), PS 295 (South Slope) and PS 230 (Kensington)

Posted by: oe at June 4, 2009 11:41 AM in response to Best Public Grade Schools in BK?

How does your "below the water table" line jive with the fact that 8th ave is a higher elevation than all the avenue's to the west? I guess that means that 4th is atlantis.
I heard rumors of an underground stream or something.. not sure if that is true or makes sense.

Posted by: oe at June 3, 2009 3:04 PM in response to Development Watch: 1638 8th Avenue

Here is another article on the Harvard story:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528283

Posted by: oe at June 3, 2009 10:14 AM in response to Wednesday Links

Check out their facebook page... the place doesn't look like what you are implying.

Posted by: oe at May 24, 2009 8:48 PM in response to crossroads supper club 3rd ave

Seems like a lot of the development over the last few years were based on questionable assumptions.. people somehow thought they can discard common sense. The biggest offenders are all those high-rise buildings in non-residential or weird locations... I don't get the appeal. I think places that are not too ugly, and in decent locations will be ok in the long (or very long) run, but that only covers like 20% of the stuff that was built. And makes sense that nothing new will get built for a few years.

Posted by: oe at May 11, 2009 10:27 AM in response to REBNY Panel Reality Check

This is not dumbo and this is not a "new" building.... also, lovely view of the BQE from half the units has to be the big elephant in the room.

Posted by: oe at May 7, 2009 9:42 AM in response to Rentals, Price Cuts and Loan Extension at 1BBP

sorry meant 32, not 28... yes the school on Hoyt and Union is what I was talking about

Posted by: oe at May 1, 2009 3:08 PM in response to Open House Picks

The issues with PS 29 have nothing to do with their special ed program, which is very well regarded. It's just that the rest of the school does not have a great rep. It goes back to the fact that parts of the projects are zoned for that school, unlike PS 58.
Call it racism, classism or realism, depending on your point of view.

Posted by: oe at May 1, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Open House Picks

except FHA loans used to be a tiny percentage of total origination, but post-lehman they are now like 10x as many. This is a big ticking time bomb, courtesy of the gov't...

Posted by: oe at April 20, 2009 12:33 PM in response to 111 Monroe Street: Let's Do the Time Warp Again

Bar toto on 6th ave; Elora's (PPW x 17th street);
Sahara (Coney Island Ave)

Posted by: oe at April 13, 2009 11:57 AM in response to Nominate Your Favorite Restaurants

please don't put loose cinderblocks on your roof

Posted by: oe at April 13, 2009 10:49 AM in response to Building a Roof Deck

are you in a landmark block? if not, figure about $400 a window installed for good "replacement" windows.

Posted by: oe at April 5, 2009 2:40 PM in response to Need new windows....

If Wikipedia can get enough volunteers to run that site without charging, I don't see why PSP can't. This will just cause many new yahoo groups to form in response.

Posted by: oe at April 2, 2009 11:17 AM in response to Park Slope Parents to Start Charging for Membership

"...one of the most important pieces of Brooklyn's history.."
you lost me after that...
it's just some dumpy buildings in complete disrepair, this is no Penn Station.

Posted by: oe at April 1, 2009 10:19 AM in response to Ugly Politics May Trump Reason in Admiral's Row Saga

Also the wonder wheel and Dino's kiddie park next to it.

Posted by: oe at March 26, 2009 4:16 PM in response to Closing Bell: Cyclone Roller Coaster Opening Day

You're probably right.. I don't see how it could work with toll collectors on all those bridges, that would be a multi-year project of retrofitting, etc, and the "environmental impact studies" would end up killing it.

Posted by: oe at February 27, 2009 9:19 AM in response to Friday Links

If they make the bridges "ez-pass only", i think it's good. Basically, get an ez-pass or pay a fine, and the fine should be like $10 or something. No toll collectors.

Posted by: oe at February 27, 2009 9:07 AM in response to Friday Links

How about innovating a way to live in this planet sustainably?

Posted by: oe at February 19, 2009 10:53 AM in response to How the Financial Crisis May Not Be So Bad for New York

There was an article today or yesterday that Chase is no longer working with mortgage brokers... so that might be why he "doesn't trust them", in other words, he's not able to work with them. The theory is that brokers can shop around for the best rate, but in reality, their selection is fairly limited.

Posted by: oe at January 14, 2009 8:35 PM in response to question about mortgage brokers

Does this mean the common metal radiator covers are a bad idea? (I have hot water radiators, if that matters)
thanks

Posted by: oe at January 14, 2009 7:55 AM in response to Your Heat & The Coming Cold

You can pretty much assume these things are illegal...maybe your neighbors don't care, or they were built a long time ago.

Posted by: oe at January 3, 2009 10:35 PM in response to buidling an outhouse thing?

11217 - that's a great link.. thanks for sharing

Posted by: oe at January 2, 2009 1:36 PM in response to Another Mugging in Fort Greene

Just because housing prices go down from bubble levels, or because bankers are out of work, shouldn't cause crime to go up.. this seems to be some sort of wishful thinking/nightmare scenario that people seem to have latched on to. Take a look at the crime blotter each week, you'll see this stuff is so common .. I mean a $40 mugging, and nobody was hurt.. this is like reporting a traffic ticket.

Posted by: oe at January 2, 2009 1:08 PM in response to Another Mugging in Fort Greene

I don't live in FG, and I don't think there is any "trends" going on except which incidents suddenly get reported as news.
(except the cut-up body thing, which is actual news)

Posted by: oe at January 2, 2009 12:03 PM in response to Another Mugging in Fort Greene

Agree that this is dumb.. how many muggings happen each day in the city? this is not news.

Posted by: oe at January 2, 2009 10:56 AM in response to Another Mugging in Fort Greene

That rate could be realistic, if it's tied to a floating rate like prime, etc.
That means it will go up if interest rates go up again.
Seems like a safe way to go, but compute the payment if the rate went up to, say, 8%.

Posted by: oe at December 5, 2008 12:16 PM in response to Low Interest Rates Are Teasing Me

"kids from school across the street"??

This is just a nice quiet little elementary school..
what exactly are you afraid these 5th graders could do?

Posted by: oe at November 13, 2008 4:48 PM in response to House of the Day: 356 President Street

also the supposed e-mail above was written over 10 years ago

Posted by: oe at October 29, 2008 2:27 PM in response to Telephone Scam Alert: Don't Press 90#

basically an urban legend...

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa021898.htm

Posted by: oe at October 29, 2008 2:25 PM in response to Telephone Scam Alert: Don't Press 90#

Try AAL, I had this done a few years ago for less than $200.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=AAL+boiler+brooklyn&fb=1&view=text&latlng=15005810613887400192

Posted by: oe at October 24, 2008 4:00 PM in response to Boiler-Chemical Cleaning

that picture in on St. Patrick's day.. not a day to take a picture of how it is typically.

Posted by: oe at September 26, 2008 11:29 AM in response to [Virtually] Duking It Out Over Windsor Terrace

$1.50 on PPW, bet 16th and 15th Street...

Posted by: oe at September 11, 2008 3:49 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Dry Cleaner For the Slope

how about an address?gmap?

Posted by: oe at August 28, 2008 3:29 PM in response to Streetlevel: Wine Bar Opening on 7th Avenue

Regarding 10th, I think putting the rental on the top floor instead of the bottom floor may prove questionable.. but if the duplex bedrooms are on the 1st floor, so at least you won't be awakened by your tenants overhead.
A floor plan would help.

Posted by: oe at August 8, 2008 1:45 PM in response to Open House Picks

liquor store is moving around the corner... so there won't be two next to each other.

Posted by: oe at July 8, 2008 10:44 AM in response to Monday Blogwrap

I have used All HVAC, and would recommend them.
Check them out at www.AllHVAC.com

Posted by: oe at July 4, 2008 2:57 PM in response to Central Air Repair

If often seems like the so-called liberals are highly intolerant of those with different political views to them... they don't even want to be in the same bar or live in the same neighborhood where there might be people who believe that a smaller government is a good idea.

Posted by: oe at May 28, 2008 8:27 PM in response to StreetLevel: Windsor Terrace Getting a Little LES Love

New York Mag has always been suspicious of the outer boros and the underlying message of this article seems to be "see, we knew Brooklyn couldn't be trusted". They needed to find someone who could validate their insecurities about Manhattan no longer being the center of the universe, and that rich people would want to live in Brooklyn.. and they found their muse in .. "the what".

Posted by: oe at May 27, 2008 10:10 AM in response to Analyze This: New York Puts Brownstoner on the Couch

If you are going to get an inspector -- and you would be a fool to buy a house without hiring one -- make sure s/he is also a structural engineer.

Sag can be caused by a lot of things. Maybe someone cut through the main beam. Maybe there are termites. Maybe someone parked something heavy next to one wall. Maybe water leaks are eroding the foundation. Maybe there is an underground stream. Maybe the beams and joists weren't adequate in the first place. Who knows.

Most things can be fixed. It's just a question of how much it will cost.

Posted by: mopar at August 11, 2009 2:43 PM in response to Settling and Sagging House

I would talk to the tenant nicely and explain to them what happened. Hopefully, they will take responsibility. Get it reduced and maybe split the cost? It is best to be diplomatic in order to maintain a good relationship.

You guys are idiots if you think he should pay for it. If I throw a brick from inside my house, is it the landlords fault?
That was a personal action taken by the tenant. Unless he was instructed, employed or coerced, he is responsible for his own actions.

*rob* - your postings in this thread is absolutely horrendous and useless.

Posted by: crimsonson at August 11, 2009 3:02 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

Sagging can be dealt with. The house can be jacked up and posts can be installed to support the beams. However, keep in mind that you may need to do re-pointing and joist repair in various locations throughout the house. These are things an inspector may not see because they're covered. The sag alone isn't terrible as the home may have already settled, but if it annoys you and you want to level the floors, obviously that could get pricey.

Bottom line, get the inspector if you're ready to go through with the home and you're prepared to do some work. If it's a gut job anyway, that makes it a lot easier.

Posted by: rh at August 11, 2009 3:08 PM in response to Settling and Sagging House

"*rob* - your postings in this thread is absolutely horrendous and useless."

This thread?

Posted by: denton at August 11, 2009 3:38 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

crimonson. NY law makes the landlord absolutely liable when it becomes to properly handling the garbage.

If you are the super and you throw the brick- the landlord is liable. If you are merely a tenant-it depends- did the landlord have knowledge that you throw bricks and did nothing about it?

but the garbage thing is absolute.

You can of course collect it back from the tenant if the lease so provides...

and yes that makes it difficult for the landlord welcome to the NY world of impossible tasks for a landlord... garbage being just one of them.

While the tenant may have responsibility back to the landlord its still the landlords fine(which he can get reduced and sometimes even dismissed)

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 11, 2009 4:01 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

It seems like a good percentage of the houses (frame + brownstone) that I've been in "sag". (i.e. there is a downward slope of the floor from one or both sides of the house). Seems like stairs also "sag". I think that's a lot different issue than if the exterior walls of the house are leaning.

Posted by: Boerum Hill at August 11, 2009 5:03 PM in response to Settling and Sagging House

Here is what you do, post a note in the lobby stating that only 5-6pm on trash days only. In addition, goto 66 john st and explain to the judge it was a new tenant or next door so they can reduced the fine to 75. I did it and it worked!

Posted by: bblamchops at August 11, 2009 6:16 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

I don't get it. It appears the tenant thought they were doing a nice thing by putting out the trash. I don't understand how they put the trash out 12 hours too early if you woke up to find it there. Did they put it out in the morning when the next pick up wasn't until the following morning? If so, I would explain the rules to them and then ask for half of the fine or permit them to challenge it. I'm just not clear on the facts here.

Posted by: orestes at August 11, 2009 6:44 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

I forget the wording but it's part of my lease that the tenant is responsible to reimburse the landlord for any fines caused by the tenant's act or neglect. Even without that rider, I believe it is implied as the tenant is responsible for damages.

Posted by: jfss at August 11, 2009 7:04 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?

While I generally don't agree with anything *rob* has to say, I think there are arguments for paying it.

First, fight the ticket, like everyone else has suggested.

Second, look at your lease and highlight any language about fines, etc.

If the tenants are good people and you want to keep them, and if there's clear language in your lease, have a little sit-down followed by a letter that restates the chat. Say that you got a fine, and that you want to take this opportunity to refresh everyone's memory about the lease. Make it clear that the fine is their responsibility, but offer this one time to split the fine because it's easy to understand that the tenant wouldn't understand how expensive it is to put the trash out early.

Ideally, everyone will feel relieved, and you will have the opportunity to look like a nice person that your tenant wouldn't want to screw later. I think that's valuable--I would pay $150 for that once in a long, productive tenancy.

If they aren't particularly good tenants, then cut the part about paying half.

If there is no language about the fine, it's time to make some. Sit down and have a chat followed by a letter, and use it as an opportunity to make the new Trash Policy (and/or Fine Policy) clear. Explain that you got a fine, and that you have to pay it because you didn't make the policy clear, but that in the future, if there are any fines because of the tenants' garbage, they are responsible, and it will be taken out of their security deposit if it's not resolved.

Again, I would focus on being fair-to-big about the whole thing, so that in the future the tenant has not just the policy, but the social pressure of knowing that you shouldered a fine for them.

Posted by: vanburenproud at August 11, 2009 7:37 PM in response to Ticket for Trash - Who Pays?