Brooklyn Fireworks


Does anyone know if there will be any July 4th fireworks viewable from locations in Brooklyn?

Categories: Leisure
By Turtlejam19 | 06/29/2009 1:17 PM | Comment

Cabinet recycling


We will soon be replacing the kitchen cabinets in our rental apt. Does anyone know of any service/organization that would reccyle the old wood cabinents? I hate to just throw them out in the trash.

Categories: Environmental
By Turtlejam19 | 03/10/2009 3:04 PM | Comment

Changing plumber on open permit


Does anyone have any experience with changing plumbers on an open permit with the DOB? Basically we have a situation where the plumber who pulled the permit to complete work necessary to obtain a sign-off has turned into a bit of a disaster. He just does not seem to know what he is doing, and causes more problems than he fixes. We actually did not choose to work with him. He was chosen by the previous owner of our house who initially opened the permit, and now we would like to ask a new plumber to finish the job. Can one plumber take over the permit from another at the discretion of the owner? What if the initial plumber objects?

Categories: Permits
By Turtlejam19 | 03/04/2009 2:45 PM | Comment

Late Rent Notice


I need some advice on an awkward situation that has come up with our current tenants. Over the course of the last 1.5 years our tenants have often paid their rent late. Usually, this is no more than 3 or 4 days, but on occasion it has been over a week late (they do incur a penalty if the rent is more than 7 days late, but this is not what the issue is about.)

We have asked the tenants to let us know on the due date if they will be late with the rent. We live in a two family house and so are paying the typical costs of a residing landlord. Our request for them to give us a heads up is only so that we can make the necessary arrangements to cover the short-term decreased cash flow. However, our tenants feel that they are not obligated to do this given that the lease does not state that they are to communicate with us if the rent will be late. Aside from how we feel about this argument, we have decided to honor their preference and amend the future rental agreement accordingly.

So my question is what kind of clause would you recommend that we include in the lease to ask them to communicate with us on the due date if they will be late. Does anyone have a similar clause in their lease with their tenants/landlords? Or should we take a different angle and enforce stricter late rent penalties to avoid the issue all together? Thanks for any and all advice.

Categories: Renters
By Turtlejam19 | 02/06/2009 10:51 AM | Comment

Neighbor’s extension


We need some advice on a problem that we are having with our neighbor. She recently began work on a one story extension in the back of her house. Unfortunately, the previous owner of our house placed a dryer vent in the side wall of our house adjacent to her property. The new extension will block the dryer vent. Therefore, we are trying to find a solution to either move the dryer vent so that it exhausts abover her extension, or to build the vent into the outer wall of her extension. She says that the dryer vent was placed there illegally, and although she is probably correct, she did not take this up with the previous owner and allowed the vent to be there for the last 5 years. What are the city’s regulations for vents or similar placed at the side of row homes? Since our extension/dryer vent was there first do we have any argument to ask her to work around the vent? Or do we have to suck it up and deal with the fact that our dryer will now be useless? Does anyone have any possible alternative solutions?

Categories: Configuration
By Turtlejam19 | 10/16/2008 6:17 PM | Comment

Dunrite Renovations


Has anyone ever worked with Dunrite Renovations? I am considering using them for some siding work. Or if anyone has a recommendation for a contractor who does aluminum siding then I would appreciate it. I just need a small area of siding replaced on the area of wall that extends over my neighbor’s house.
Thanks

Categories: General Contractors
By Turtlejam19 | 09/18/2008 3:45 PM | Comment

Plumbing roughing


Can anyone tell me what “roughing” is in relation to plumbing? My house, which I purchased last year, has an open permit on it from 2003 which I am trying to resolve. The DOB site says (under the plumbing inspection info) “first floor rear roughing OK, basement roughin OK” but I don’t understand what this means. Any adive would be appreciated.

By Turtlejam19 | 08/25/2008 4:35 PM | Comment

Permit sign-off and C of O


Last year my husband and I bought a house that still has an open permit on it for work that was begun in 2003. At closing we signed a contract with the seller stating that they would finish the work and complete the inspections in order to obtain the sign-off within 3 months. Some funds were put into escrow to ensure that they did this. Unfortunately, a year plus later they have not and so according to the contract the escrow money should now be released to us so that we can complete the work. The seller has agreed to handover the escrow money, but on the condition that we release them from any liability relating to the C of O or the legal usage of the property. The house was built circa 1899 and so (to the best of my knowledge)does not have a C of O, but is noted as a 2 family dwelling in the finance records on the DOB site. Does this raise any alarm bells to anyone? On one hand, we want the issue resolved with the permit so that we can move forward and will have no problems selling in the futre. But on the other hand I’m worried that trouble is lurking around the corner with this C of O thing. Can anyone offer any advice on how to best proceed? Should I go to the DOB to ask them if there is any problem with the legal usage of the building before deciding to take their offer?

Categories: C of O
By Turtlejam19 | 08/19/2008 5:39 PM | Comment

Open work permit


My husband and I purchased a house on 14th Street one year ago which has an open permit for some renovation work don in 2004. We knew about the open permit before closing and so a contract was written up with the previous owner giving them 3 months from closing to do what was necessary to have the permit signed off by the buildings dept. It is now almost a year and the previous owner has made little effort to close the permit. There is money in escrow that is being held in the event that we must do the necessary work to get the permit closed, but the previous owner and their lawyer are dragging their feet. We have spoken with the original architect of record who has given us a list of what needs to be done to complete the work and we are getting an estimate from a contractor for the cost, but once we go to the owner and his lawyer with this my worry is that they will still find reason to delay. Technically, the owner is already in violation of the contract given that the 3 months are up. How can we demand that they hand over the escrow money so that we can do the work? Thanks to anyone who can offer advice on what we can do to expidite the situation?

Categories: Permits
By Turtlejam19 | 06/09/2008 6:40 PM | Comment