Forum
October 11, 2008
Air-Krete Insulation for a Brownstone
It's that time of year again...
I got a quote from Federal Conservation for roof insulation (blown fiberglass) and to have the walls of my house insulated with Air-Krete.
The Air-Krete quote was around $3500 for 3 floors in front and one floor in back of the house (19 feet wide).
Has anyone had Air-Krete put into your house?
How much of a difference do you think it's made?
I am trying to ascertain what the breakeven point will be on this sort of thing since it's not cheap.
Looking for network consultant
Hey all:
I'm running ethernet cable to every room in my reno but I'm realizing to make a full functioning network is stressing my computer ability. And my electrician isn't up on this stuff.
I need someone to come in and help me wire up the patch bay, get my DSL distributed around the house, make sure I can add other network devices, etc. Any recommendations?
Cute kittens need adoption (free)
I have 4 adorable kittens who need new homes.All are healthy and clean and have been weaned and box trained. 12 weeks old, very friendly and playful. They would be fine on ther own, but all are very social and would be fine with another cat.
I also have a video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCiio24PHDc
If interested please e-mail Daniel at: daniel11216@optonline.net
or call 917-753-1416.
habitable Basement/cellar
Hi, could anyone clarify for me what is meant by habitable basement? We have a basement which is not used apart from the fact that it the meters and fuse box are located there. Would this be regarded as habitable?
There may now also be the issue of whether it is a basement or cellar?
If anyone could help with any of these issues, I would be very grateful, thank you
habitable Basement/cellar
Hi, could anyone clarify for me what is meant by habitable basement? We have a basement which is not used apart from the fact that it the meters and fuse box are located there. Would this be regarded as habitable?
There may now also be the issue of whether it is a basement or cellar?
If anyone could help with any of these issues, I would be very grateful, thank you
habitable Basement/cellar
Hi, could anyone clarify for me what is meant by habitable basement? We have a basement which is not used apart from the fact that it the meters and fuse box are located there. Would this be regarded as habitable?
There may now also be the issue of whether it is a basement or cellar?
If anyone could help with any of these issues, I would be very grateful, thank you
Working of Shower Filter for Our Health
The Aquasana shower filter arrangement uses an avant-garde dual-filter process, complete with a choice "Niagara" adjustable burden shower head. The shower head’s different architecture prevents any burden loss.
Stage 1- It reduces chlorine which is the could cause of a lot of diseases, abnormally asthmatic accompanying ones, and enhances pH antithesis with a accustomed copper/zinc mineral media alleged KDF-55D which is important to your derma affliction purpose.
Stage 2 - A carbonized attic carapace media for the abridgement of constructed chemicals and VOCs which could cause derma rashes and allergies.
Installation is simple as you can just attach anon to the shower faucet aperture and are able at removing exceptionable chemicals at up to about 115 degrees. For added enjoyment, there is addition Massaging Wand that can be absorbed to it and acquiesce you to get water burden beating to your accomplished body, and in the absent of acrid influences of chlorine you‘ll apprehension cogent corrective benefits... Softer derma & hair in a anniversary or your money back!
Although the corrective allowances of the abatement of chlorine from showering water are already abundant to accreditation the use of shower filters, the absolutely benign aspect of chlorine abatement is apropos bloom for you and your family. Don't be bamboozled by added agnate (only by the angle or appearance) products, which do not accord you the aforementioned allowances as Aquasana Shower Filter. Choosing the appropriate Shower Filter is important as you do not wish to pay for some shower filter that do not abolish chlorine as able-bodied as slowing down the water pressure.
October 10, 2008
Who does lamp repair?
Anyone know a shop or a person in Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan who does lamp repair? I have an old 50s desk lamp and a 50s Nessen floor lamp that are not working. I live in Bushwick. I spent hours driving around Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Jackson Heights one Saturday to no avail. It was very frustrating.
Ornate Radiators for Sale
I'm not sure if this went through...
Add some class to your pad!
3 Lovely Antique Radiators for sale!
The first one, depicted above, has 11 sections and is approximately 27 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 38 inches high.
Another, with a torch pattern (can send pics) is:
7 sections
38.5" tall
8" deep
17.5" wide
The third is:
3 sections
10" 37.5 " tall
7.5" deep
10" wide
All measurements are approximate. All of them work and do not leak. I replaced them only because we didn't need all of the heat that they generated.
Please contact me for more info and pics at ppsw175 at hotmail. You can come see them anytime!
Ornate Radiators for Sale
Add some class to your pad!
3 Lovely Antique Radiators for sale!
The first one, depicted above, has 11 sections and is approximately 27 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 38 inches high.
Another, with a torch pattern (can send pics) is:
7 sections
38.5" tall
8" deep
17.5" wide
The third is:
3 sections
10" 37.5 " tall
7.5" deep
10" wide
All measurements are approximate. All of them work and do not leak. I replaced them only because we didn't need all of the heat that they generated.
Please contact me for more info and pics at ppsw175 at hotmail. You can come see them anytime!
Should I let them use my electricity?
The people who bought the vacant house next door to me want to began work on the house. Their problem is they dont have electricity in the house yet. A woman came over this evening and asked they could use the outlet in my front yard. On and off for the next couple of weekends. They would be willing to give me $50 toward by bill. Is this a risky thing to do? What do you guys think?
mirrors cut to size
Looking for a local company to cut mirrors to size for bedroom cupboards?
Or in Manhattan.
Please help.
Thanks
VINTAGE RADIATORS
We have 6 vintage radiators for sale, all different sizes.
Available to see from this weekend in Boerum Hill, or can send photos if interested.
call Victoria 917 860 1272
email . victoriasullivan@mac.com
Old fireplace openings
Dear Brownstoner,
The previous owner removed some plaster walls around old fireplaces to expose the brick. Unfortunately now as winter is arriving I am concerned that we are going to lose all our heat through the fireplace flues? Does anyone have any experience sealing these up besides bricking these over? Much appreciation in advance!
Faye
Bathroom Vanities
Hey there, Anyone have any hot tips on where to find a nice solid wood two sinked bathroom vanity this weekend? I don't know where to start looking.
Looking for a 3 Bedroom to rent
Hi Brownstoners,
I'm not sure if it's kosher to do this sort of thing, but I'm looking to rent a three bedroom in Brooklyn, preferably in Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Fort Green, the Navy Yard, Crown Heights, or West Bed-Stuy. I'd love to deal directly with an owner.
I'm a Columbia U. graduate and own my own business. The other two roommates you'd be taking on are great fellows. The three of us are wonderful old friends. One fellow is a fashion designer, and the other works in the service industry.
Each of us is a great tenant and has excellent references, credit, etc.
Please get in touch with me if we sound interesting :)
Thanks for reading,
Gabriel
Definition Bedroom
I was renovating my home and was not able to install windows in two bedrooms because it was too close to the neighboring property. Inspection time came and I was told to define it as a den. When my final inspection came, I already had the home occupied through a TCO, and the inspector gave me a fine because there was a bed in the room. Does a bed in the room define the room as a bedroom?
what is halloween like in brownstone brooklyn?!
i love this time of year and especially halloween. i was just curious what it's like. do lots of kids get dressed up and go trick or treating and stuff around the neighborhood? i never really saw any trick or treaters in manhattan. im already loving some of the halloween decorations up on some peoples stoops. how's christmas? lots of lights? i know some people think it's tacky but i love it. the more lights the better!
rob
considering open floor plan for our place
Has anyone opened up the whole first floor of their place? We have to take down all the walls anyways and Im thinking to keep it open to give that loft effect. Anyone?
new-ish poster here from park slope would like to say hi!
hello! anyway long time lurker here but decided to sign up today cuz i plan to come to the happy hour on the 16th..
i just moved to park slope from harlem in july and honestly, i f'ing love it. i really didnt think i would at all. things aren't as cheap as they were in harlem, but i guess as long as i dont go crazy things will be okay (bitter renter here yes. with my finances, i will never own. at least not in nyc)
anyway, i just wanted to say hi and that i enjoy a lot of your posts and i used to read this blog waaaay before i even thought of moving to brooklyn. i sorta wound up in park slope by luck. it was either harlem again or bushwick for me.
my fav. part of park slope is that everyone leaves free shit on their stoops!!! LOVE IT! i've gotten so much great shit that people leave. i pretty much furnished my entire bedroom with the free stuff people have thrown out. (okay that probably sounds gross, sorry).
nice to meet all of you! if you ever see someone on 5th ave and 1st street walking a pitbull and a beagle, it could be me (or my roommate actually. or our dog walker.. hmm) well see you on the 16th!
-rob
ps.. can anyone suggest any restaurants in the area that aren't really overpriced but still a nice place to take someone? like if youre on a budget... maybe no more than 20 bux per person.
I told you so...
Boy don't you hate when someone says "I told you so". The same person you thought was dumber than you. You was so smart and just dismiss the warring and now you are getting murdered!
The our financial system is broken...
sidewalk repair
Can anyone recommend a good company to repair my sidewalk in front of my house in Park Slope. Looking for reasonable price and competent work.
October 9, 2008
INSTALLING FRENCH DOORS THAT NEED TO BE SHORTENED
I recently renovated my kitchen and in the process of laying down a new subfloor and tile- the floor was raised a few more inches higher than before. I had ordered new doors at standard size and now they need to be shortened to fit the new height (there was a new doorway with transom installed prior to the new floor). My usual handyman is out of the country for a period of time and I am searching for a reliable person with special attention to clean lines and detail to cut and install doors. Does anyone know of someone that they can recommend?
thanks.
Installing Sprinklers
Do any of you have suggestions for a company to install a new sprinkler system?
Many thanks
Low Voltage Wiring
Do you have any recommendations for a person to do this work?
Comments on both good professionals and people to avoid welcome.
Many thanks!
electrician recommendation
had Ghassan Fattouh, from Tesla Electric (tel. 646-258-1025) do some electrical work at our house last night and write to say how pleased i was. he came over on pretty short notice, he was on time, extremely professional, and knowledgeable. probably not the cheapest guy around, but he did high quality work, which is always worth it in the long run.
Recommendation on Kitchen
Dear Brownstoners,
Wanted to give a strong recommendation for Mentor Frangu if you are looking to redo your kitchen. You will never meet a more honest and genuine guy who takes pride in his work and does it for a incredibly reasonable price. He fixed a few things that I didn't even ask him to do without charging me any extra. Also I ran into a few issues with getting cabinets in time and he was very patient a didn't mind coming back to finish the job. Lastly after the countertop guys came and installed the undermount sink, I asked Mentor if he could come to hook up the sink plumbing and he came on a Saturday so I wouldn't be without. Amazing guy!
Mentor Frangu, Altina Tile Care: 917-692-6234
South Side of Boerum and Atlantic
There's another sponsor sale in 215 Pacific. But I'm wondering a) what's the monstrous construction project right outside the window and b) is it halted or in progress? I haven't seen any work on it recently.
Anyone use Groundworks Inc for their landscaping?
Im just wondering if anyone used Groundworks Inc for their landscaping. A few weeks ago I was recomended to them by someone else on Brownstoner. I have a meeting with Carmen on Monday...Ive heard horror stories about landscaping companies, but these guys seem to be great so far!
rec for an accountant who knows real estate tax well?
looking for an accountant (and a book-keeper, actually) to handle my accounting and taxes as a property investment/management LLC... any good rec's?
wood stripping
I need to get window and door frames stripped of old paint. Any reccommendations?
Chase and Wells ending jumbo conforming early
Im trying to verify this information. Will update once I find out.
http://ny.therealdeal.com/articles/chase-wells-set-early-date-for-jumbo-loan-closings
Updated On 10/08/08 at 03:44PM
Chase, Wells set early date for jumbo loan closings
By Adam Pincus
Home buyers using two of the nation's top lenders are losing a mortgage sweetener a month early, following a decision by two large banks to alter some loan deadlines.
JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo have moved up by four weeks to December 1 the deadline for borrowers to close on jumbo conforming loans, thereby limiting lending options available to already pinched home buyers, in high-priced areas such as New York City.
Chase and Wells Fargo announced the decision about a month ago, according to three brokers. The two lenders did not respond to requests for comment.
The move affects buyers of homes and apartments between about $1 million and $3 million seeking a loan in the jumbo category, which is between $417,000 and $729,750.
In March, the federal government raised the upper limit for jumbo loans from $417,000 to as high as $729,750 in certain areas including New York City in order to stimulate home sales.
The increased limit, which remains in effect until December 31 for most lenders and will then likely drop to $625,000, was part of a national economic stimulus package signed in February by President George Bush, allowing banks to sell larger loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, thereby freeing up the lenders' capital.
Out of the 216 mortgages published on the city's Department of Finance Web site over the past week, Chase wrote 31 mortgages and JPMorgan wrote 40, according to a count by The Real Deal. Sixteen of Chase’s mortgages and 12 of JPMorgan’s were between $417,000 and $729,750, the records showed, making them eligible for the jumbo conforming loan.
The change does not make it impossible for home buyers to get the large mortgages, but it does make them more costly, brokers said.
Melissa Cohn, president of Manhattan Mortgage Company, said the shorter time was not scuttling deals.
Mortgage broker Thomas Wiggin, president of Thomas Funding Group, said the earlier date set by the banks would impact buyers closing on deals over the duration of the year, who make a late decision to seek a larger mortgage.
“If at the last second [buyers] want to close under higher numbers it will be a problem and they will have to find another lender to do the deal,” he said.
Wiggin added that he believed the banks moved the date up to be sure the loans were completed by December 31 so that they could be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and not remain as loans on the banks' balance sheets.
sunny_hong@countrywide.com
Don't worry be happy...
U.S. May Take Ownership Stake in Banks
http://tinyurl.com/4uzkl8
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- In another attempt to loosen credit markets and restore confidence in the financial system, the Treasury Department is considering a plan to take ownership stakes in many U.S. banks, both healthy and troubled, according to a media report Wednesday night.
Nice! Free housing for all
Anyone ever work with Frank Tamayo at Traubman
Am considering him as my mortgage broker. If you've worked with him, I would love to know your thoughts.
chimney sweeps
Does anybody know of a reputable chimney and fireplace cleaner for the Cobble Hill area?
October 8, 2008
sign of structural problems?
I recently saw a home where both sets of stairs had a pretty serious slant to them. More than the standard 'old house' lean for sure. Is this an indicator of serious structural problems?
What Makes Brooklyn Different From Anywhere Else?
I moved from Brooklyn when I was 9. I have always sensed there is something DIFFERENT, (and WONDERFUL!), about Brooklyn than anywhere else on Earth. Independence of spirit
and intelligence of the population? Forward looking, yet proudly nostalgic? Brooklyn -- and its people -- are all of these things...and more. What else do you think is different about Brooklyn and its people that you are proud of?
Gold Address Lettering
I just finished installing a refurbrished double door entrance to my brownstone. The final detail would be the old fashioned gold lettering i see done in the transem above the doors.
Does anyone have an idea who can do this well ?
rec's for oil to gas conversion (plumber?)
I'd like to convert our three unit building from oil to gas heat. I posted about this last week and the only reply I got was from "Master Plvmber;" it was a thoughtful reply, but I called his company to get someone out for an estimate, and they said it would cost $400 just for the estimate!! And if I hire them, they'll credit me $200 of that. Seems insane... Is that standard??? I can't imagine...
For those of you who have done the conversion, who did you use? I'd appreciate any rec's. I frankly have no idea where to even start or who to call...
Thanks.
Can you rent in Midst of CO change
I am currently renovating a 2 family (taxed as a 3) brownstone. My architect put in the reno as a change of CO from 2 to 3 family. I am still working on my unit; but two apartments are complete and I want to rent them out. My contractor is telling me that I may have a problem renting because we have not yet obtained the 3 family CO. Is this true?
There are only two kitchens (the ones in the rental apartments). My floors still have a way to go and I need the income to offset the mortgage. I am thinking that I can rent out under the current 2 family CO.
Am I looking for trouble or is my contractor mistaken?
Turning Home to Room Rentals
Hi,
I'm interested in purchasing a minimum 4-bedroom one-family home and turning it into a "rooms for rent" only....I'm interested in hearing anything from anyone who either currently does this or knows someone that does this. Here's more info:
-ideal purchase price: no more than $500K
-will be in decent area of Bklyn
-I will not be living in home
-will furnish each room with a bed, armoire, ceiling fan and computer desk
Where can I research this more, what the pros? cons? etc...thanks!
FG restaurant developments
Wandering if anyone out there has some info on any of these restaurant observations:
-is the name of the place going in at Lafayette and Cumberland now "EN"? What type of cuisine will this be?
-Anything going in at the old Location Location Location space on Dekalb near Bittersweet and the laundromat?
-what's going in on Dekalb beside Bonita where the scaffolding is?
Mice have become insufferably cavalier about strolling through my home
Can anyone recommend a good exterminator in the CG/BH/CH area?
Close Kitchen Entrance
I need someone to close one entrance to the kitchen. It has to look like a wall.
Any referrals of someone to do the job?
Close Kitchen Entrance
I need someone to close one entrance to the kitchen. It has to look like a wall.
Any referrals of someone to do the job?
Close Kitchen Entrance
I need someone to close one entrance to the kitchen. It has to look like a wall.
Any referrals of someone to do the job?
new Victorian stinks of cat pee and poo...maybe mold too??
We bought the house last month and it smelled horrible then. The owner had HUNDREDS of cats in the house over the past 40 years the neighbors have told me.
Since we bought the house, we have gutted it...now its just the shell. The 2nd and 3rd floors are fine, they dont smell. The first floor however is an issue. We can tell a large portion of the stink is coming from the kitchen, which thankfuly is an addition that we are going to tear down. Under the kitchen is a dirt crawl space area which I assume is where all the cats crapped and peed or something. But that smell is horrible...could that be mold or something? Did anyone ever experience this? What could be the cause of this smell besides the fact that she had so many cats. Will this go away?
Hole in the wall + noise issues = need yr repair advice
Hi all, While installing a new plumbing pipe in the party wall, our neighbor made a substantial hole in our wall. We were devastated to see the damage to our home but the good news is that he will make the repairs and, we hope, all will be amicably resolved. Meanwhile we can now hear EVERYTHING on his side of the wall and he presumably can hear us. The adjacent rooms, btw, are our bedroom and his bathroom. He has closed up his side while ours is still open. We can actually see the back of the pipe he installed because our bricks were pushed out of place. Obviously the bricks will be reset and the wall will be replastered. But I have always understood that when a major barrier is broken/changed within or between houses (floors, walls etc), the sound proofing is lost. How do we recreate it? What additional steps beyond the repair I described above will be necessary? Any extra precautionary steps we should be taking? I'm very concerned that we could have a structurally and aesthetically sound repair but one that would nevertheless be compromised if we don't address the sound issue as an integral part of the work.