Fresh Faces on My Brownstone

I designed and built my addition. I am an architect in Brooklyn. If you need more information you can call me at 646-257-3920

Posted by: Robert Proffitt at February 22, 2006 6:29 PM

I would have to see your conditions to get a better idea of what the conditions are in your rear yard. From what you are describing I would suggest to make a portion of the roof solid so you have some privacy and then build the rest as a un room but pitched as a shed. The solid part of the roof could be used as a deck and you could add some small evergreen trees in planters as screening.

You can call me at 646-257-3920 and I can talk to you about it in more depth.

Posted by: Robert Proffitt at February 23, 2006 9:16 AM

The pink flowering tree is a crab apple. The white flowering tree is a sour cherry (good for making cherry pie). The bush nearest to the outdoor photo is a peonies and the red leaf one is a pigmy bamboo that has small flowers. We also have black stem bamboo that looks terrific against the snow and we have added a fig tree in a pot, a Alberta peach tree, a grape vine and a lemon tree that lives in the green house and has over 20 flowers now, in February.

Posted by: Robert Proffitt at February 23, 2006 9:26 AM

Regarding heating my greenhouse:

As an architect I have experience with several systems and variations on each. As a poor architect I could not afford to do any and do the other renovations in my house. So I am using the original steam system of the house.

My original choice was to use radiant floor heating. At the time (Feb. 2000) the best price for converting the house to a two-zone hot water system was $18,000.

I then sat with some friends in different trades (plumbers, electricians and an engineer) and we came up with a system that could work and be relatively inexpensive. This would be to run a pipe from the steam boiler t a small reservoir tank the steam would be converted into hot water by running past a heat exchanger. The hot water would be pumped into continuous pipes in the floor with thermal foil attached to them to spread the heat. The pump would be electrically connected to a thermostat in he green house as the form of control. This could work but I didn’t have time to experiment.

Any way the green house is made of double glazed argon filled panels. And the walls are of 8-inch conc. block wall R 15 insulation and then metal suds with gyp. Board. The green house is warm. We use it more than any room in the house and because it’s next to our kitchen the humidity from cooking helps the trees and plants.

We pay the same as our neighbors in heat. The summer can be warm. We don’t have central air. But a fan and a cool adult drink help. The roof panels open as do the windows and the French doors always stay open. We also have screens to keep the bugs out.

The construction for this was $30,000. Knowing what I know I could probably knock off $5,000 from the cost.

Posted by: Robert Proffitt at February 23, 2006 6:21 PM

Thank you all for the compliments.

A greenhouse addition requires a permit from the Department of Buildings and a permit or waiver from the Landmarks Commission.

As far as cleaning. I’ll submit a picture of me in a rear moment of cleaning the windows. I bought an aluminum pole with a threaded head that can accommodate a brush, squeegee or paint roller. It cost $20 at the local hardware store and comes with attachments.

Posted by: Robert Proffitt at February 24, 2006 5:03 PM