Source for Salvage/Remnant Countertop Material?

i like this kitchen and i really like this ongoing feature. to the naysayers: if you don't like it, don't read it!

Posted by: z at August 13, 2007 5:57 PM in response to Parlor Floor Kitchen #9: White-and-Black in Bed Stuy

good catch, 2:44, although the extension looks more like 30-40 feet to me (still a lot of space). and with 120 feet of lot depth that still leaves a decent-sized yard.

Posted by: z at August 14, 2007 3:00 PM in response to House of the Day: 419 Washington Avenue

we are in our first year with chubb on a recently-purchased brownstone. they are currently trying to jack up our premiums by 50-100% during a renovation we are doing on the house. they are also imposing several somewhat onerous requirements, such as mandatory installation of a central fire/burglar alarm system. chubb was the most expensive option to begin with, and now i'm losing patience with them.

are renovation upcharges like this typical with homeowners insurance?

Posted by: z at August 16, 2007 11:20 AM in response to Townhouse Insurance: Bending Over for the Soap

4:23, we just had this done ourselves and it is super expensive if done by the book. there are two ways to do it. the first is available if you have less than 25 linear feet of asbestos to be removed. this does not require air testing or dob approval and costs around $1,000-$2,500 to do. if you have more than 25 linear feet, it's a more cumbersome process and can cost up to $6k (which is close to what we paid). apparently many people choose the less expensive option (which is just as safe as the more elaborate option) even if the amount of asbestos exceeds the threshold, and some contractors will accomodate this.

Posted by: z at August 22, 2007 11:19 PM in response to Asbestos

6:54, it probably would increase in value given the scarcity of land in nyc.

Posted by: z at August 31, 2007 7:14 PM in response to Where's the Late-August Market Slowdown?

10:24 -- let's see, one truck delivering groceries to 25 households in a day vs. 25 extra cars on the road per day buying groceries. you really think the truck is worse for the environment? as for the noise, if you can't tolerate a few daytime minutes of sound from an idling engine, you must find city living excruciating.

Posted by: z at September 6, 2007 10:45 AM in response to Red Hook IKEA: Planning at its Worst?

if i'm reading the listing right, half of the duplex is a finished cellar, in which case the asking price is totally insane.

Posted by: z at September 6, 2007 1:33 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 177 Union Street

love the white convertible posing in front of the clifton house -- with the top down! lol

Posted by: z at September 7, 2007 1:37 PM in response to Open House Picks

from the hotel's website: "hotel le bleu is ideally situated near Prospect Park, M, R, F, 9th Street & 4th Ave subway lines, Grand Army Plaza, and the Brooklyn Bridge."

near the Brooklyn Bridge? 3-4 miles away is "near"? the park and gap aren't exactly across the street, either.

Posted by: z at September 7, 2007 2:45 PM in response to Hotel Le Bleu Opening Still Stalled

as for the basement project, we recently removed the existing concrete floor, dug down a little less than a foot, and poured a new concrete floor. we also installed a drainage system since we were digging down anyway. the masonry cost was around $6,000, and the plumbing was around $3,000. you may not be able to dig down as deep as you want; it depends on the state of your foundation and pilings surrounding any columns. we weren't able to tell how far down we could dig until we actually started digging.

Posted by: z at September 8, 2007 2:49 PM in response to Sagging floors - all 4 floors of brownstone