Need someone to break up a concrete patio


I’m looking for someone to break up and remove a concrete patio so that I can replace it with irregular bluestone slabs. Have anyone to recommend? Thanks.

Categories: Demolition
By StuyMom | 02/27/2011 9:19 AM | Comment

Woodwork Stain Color


We’re in the process of stripping acres of paint off of wainscoting, fireplaces, window surrounds, doors, etc. in our 1880′s home. We’re not doing all of it – personally I like the look of white-painted trim in some rooms – but in the hallways, stairs and one or two rooms we’d like to have stained wood. But we’re having a hard time picking a stain color. We’d like something fairly period-accurate, but it appears that the original finish was a very dark varnish that is a little too Addams Family. Has anyone used a stain that they particularly love? And would you recommend sticking to one consistent stain color throughout the house?

Categories: Woodwork
By StuyMom | 04/13/2010 10:46 AM | Comment

Fixing a Chandelier That Rattles


We have a ceiling fixture that rattles loudly when kids are playing upstairs. It’s a newish chandelier-type fixture, hanging from an old plaster ceiling. Any ideas on how we could stabilize this fixture in the ceiling so that it holds still?

Categories: Lighting
By StuyMom | 11/25/2009 10:45 AM | Comment

Someone’s Using My Address


Apologies if this is a bit off topic, but it is a homeowner issue of sorts: for the past week we have been getting collection calls (some recorded, some live) from “Ed Fund” about a “federal financial matter. They’re looking for a person who does not live here and never has… however, she just happens to have the same last name as we do. And today I got two Sallie Mae bills for her in the mail. What gives? Our number is unlisted, although in this day and age it’s probably easy for a person to dig up our name, phone and address. According to Sallie Mae, “Ed Fund” is not affiliated with them. This is two separate agencies looking for this woman, one of whom has our phone and the other of whom has our address. Should I be worried about this? I guess it’s not an identity theft issue unless someone’s using my name, but it makes me nervous to have our address and phone erroneously linked to someone else (with the same last name!) by collections agencies, plural. Did these agencies just get their wires crossed somehow, or is Miss X doing this deliberately? Could this mess up our credit rating? Any suggestions for how to proceed?

Categories: Quality of Life
By StuyMom | 10/22/2009 3:54 PM | Comment

“Bedford District” about to be landmarked!


I just received a letter from my block association – or actually, a consortium of nearby block associations – telling me that several blocks in the Southwest end of Bed-Stuy are currently being considered for landmark status: Halsey between Bedford and Nostrand, Hancock between Bedford and Tompkins, and Jefferson between Nostrand and Tompkins. There’s a community meeting coming up for local residents to ask questions about the landmarking process. Since I won’t be able to attend the meeting, I was wondering if any readers had information to share about this process… pros, cons, what to expect. I am very pleased that the buildings around here will be protected (assuming of course that the landmarking goes off without a hitch), but I’m wondering if we should try to complete exterior work on our building now to avoid the hassle of getting landmark approval later… stuff like that. Thanks in advance for any input.

Categories: Landmarks
By StuyMom | 04/23/2008 10:30 AM | Comment