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Sprinkle Me Not
Am recovering from an incredibly depressing meeting with an expediter regarding my renovation. To recap–we are currently living in a four story brownstone occupying bottom three floors with renter on top floor. We want to flip the configuration putting renter on garden floor and occupying top three floors as a triplex. We have a lot of intact detail on parlor floor. We are currently taxed as a 4 family and want to file a change of C of O to a 2. We have a fire escape at the back of the building. Our budget is tight but realistic. I did not, however, budget for sprinklers or think I would need to create a lot of holes to run these incredibly ugly things through my house, but apparently the code changed two years ago and is now necessary given the parameters of both building height and width of our street. The expediter is recommending we go for a waiver based on economic hardship (??) This sounds far-fetched to me but I am wondering if anyone has ever had success with this tactic? Or maybe I could just bake a cake for the inspector with $2,000 hidden in the center? Kidding!
05/25/2011 10:45 AM
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Where Should Laundry Go?
Ok, fellow brownstoners, you have helped me in the past. Here is another question…
I am currently finishing up schematic plans for renovating a 20X37 brownstone in Cobble Hill. Going from a bottom duplex with two rentals on top floor to a triplex with a garden rental. We are a family of four. Here’s the question…where should the laundry go? Initially, I thought top floor where the kds bedrooms are, but my architect says we will have to have a stackable unit if we keep the laundry near the bathroom where all the plumbing lies. Otherwise, I CAN move it to the other side of the building but it will cost a lot and be a big pain to bring the plumbing down through four floors to the basement. Plus, that seems like valuable real estate for something as prosaic as laundry. I am now inclined to put it in my not great basement but that will mean taking the downstairs hall away from the tenant. Or, rather, sharing it. And it will mean a lot of stairs for this lazy person (me). And it will mean upgrading the basement.
Curious to hear how others have solved this conundrum? Many thanks.
05/16/2011 10:45 AM
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Support Beam vs. Pillar vs. Opening
A design question. I am pondering a renovation of my 20 foot wide Cobble Hill brownstone. It is a pretty standard design in that you walk in on the parlor floor and there is a wall on your right with a set of double doors. Since we are going from a bottom duplex with two rentals to an owner’s triplex I would REALLY like to open up the space and get rid of that narrow brownstone feel. My architect (ok, former architect, the relationship really wasn’t working for me) was advocating enlarging the opening so that we wouldn’t need to involve a structural engineer, but I am leaning toward a beam covered by a soffit(sp?). I am throwing these terms around as if I know what I am talking about. I don’t. Does anyone have any insight/thoughts/inspration?
01/20/2011 10:50 AM
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Columbia Hicks Lottery?
Does anybody know anything about the affordable housing lottery at the Columbia Hicks apartment building? My mother (a retired school teacher) put in an application but hasn’t heard anything. The deadline was June 25, but we are out of town and worried we might have missed a mailed notice. Thanks.
07/15/2010 12:06 PM
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Design/Build v. Architect
Here is a topic I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on. We are getting ready to renovate a Cobble Hill brownstone that hasn’t been touched in a while. We have interviewed a few architects. Mostly, these architects all say their services will cost 20% of the job. I have also started talking to a few design/build firms. For those of you not familiar with this breed, they are a construction company with an in-house designer. The theory is that you will save money on the design aspect by cutting out the 20% architect. Most of the firms seem to have an architect on contract who will stamp the plans. The big disadvantage seems to be that you won’t be able to do a construction bid process…On the other hand, saving that 20% architect (or even 10%, given that you will pay the designer of the firm something) could be pretty damn sweet. My gut is to go with the design/build because I would rather see my money go into the pockets of the laborers who are working their asses off…Would love to hear what people think.
03/26/2010 9:46 AM
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Building Going Up on Congress?
Does anybody know anything about the building going up on Congress, close to Columbia? It’s across from the park and used to be a Christmas decoration factory. (I think.) Is it condos? Affordable housing? Have a parking garage? Many thanks for any info…
12/07/2009 3:42 PM
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Cleaning Lady MIA
After being gone from the city all summer, I tried to call my cleaning lady today and found her number disconnected. Does anybody have someone they like and trust? Thanks.
09/06/2009 10:12 AM
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Fixing up basement
Finally converted to gas heat from oil (Parkset Plumbing, so far so good) and want to fix up the basement as play area for children. A few months ago someone recommended somebody for this job (nothing fancy) but I can’t find the post. Does anyone have any advice or reommendations for this kind of job? Thanks!
05/18/2009 11:54 AM
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Finally tackling the basement
Switching from oil to gas and getting rid of behemoth oil tanks in basement has got me fantasizing about the basement. Does anyone know a contractor who could take this on? I’m not looking for anything fancy, just taking down sheet rock, painting and hanging shelves. Could also be a handyman with a crew. Thanks…
04/02/2009 12:02 PM
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Landlord credit/reference check
In the past I have always used brokers to rent out the vacant apartments in my building, but I always felt bad about the hefty (15%) broker’s fee the tenants had to pay. Now that Craigslist has made it so easy, I am renting the apt. on my own. My question–how do other landlords run credit checks on prospective tenants? Thanks, in advance, for the advice.
10/20/2008 11:03 AM
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cara
May 21, 2012 | 02:16 PM