Searching for Gardner/Landscaper


Anyone have a recommendation for someone to do some “spring cleaning” of our backyard? We just moved in, so we don’t know what a lot of the VERY UNRULY shrubs are or how to care for them. We’d ideally like to have someone come to get them looking nice for the growing season and tell us how to maintain them.

Categories: Garden
By erinelix | 03/07/2011 7:30 PM | Comment

Excellent Painter Recommendation


Just wanted to recommend this guy that painted our entire brownstone. His name is Nelson and he lives in Connecticut but is willing to commute.

My husband and I are just amazed with the work these guys did and how quickly they did. They are very meticulous and respectful of the home.

He charged us about $30/hr. The only caveat is that he doesn’t speak a ton of english…but enough to get by.

If you would like his number, email me at ewalkerfortin at gmail dot com

Categories: Painters
By erinelix | 12/21/2010 7:44 PM | Comment

Moths – Help


I have a clothing moth problem. I have been using mothballs diligently but it hasn’t seemed to completely stop the problem.

1) Wondering if people have recommendations for exterminators or other methods of getting rid of them.

2) Anyone specifically used Orkin? Just wondering how the local branches are.

Categories: Exterminator
By erinelix | 09/30/2010 3:45 PM | Comment

Getting the Deal Done…


We fell in love with a house but there is a major problem…no kitchen, no furnace, no boiler, and a few other unfinished items. The owner literally has no money to finish it.

WIthout it being “habitable,” we can’t get a mortgage. Someone mentioned a “mechanics lien” to us. Sounds a bit risky to me.

Anyone been through something like this before or have advice for us.

Recommendations for lawyers who are experienced in complicated transactions like this would also be appreciated!

Categories: Mortgage
By erinelix | 08/24/2010 11:47 AM | Comment

What is a Working Kitchen?


I’m wondering if anyone has experience/knowledge of exactly what this entails.

We are consider buying a house that has NO kitchen at all and were told that it would have a working kitchen put in to get the C of O. I’m kind of afraid that they will install garbage and I’ll just have to rip it out.

I think I need to explore these possibilities:

-Have them do the bare minimum so I can easily redo
-Subsidize the kitchen so that its actually a decent one
- Explore the possibility of getting around this stipulation and close without a working kitchen (if thats possible, which I’m pretty sure is not)

Any advice would be appreciated!

Categories: C of O
By erinelix | 08/10/2010 2:17 PM | Comment

Original Brownstone Plans


Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but is it possible to find the original “blueprints” for brownstone. If so, where do I start?

Categories: Structural
By erinelix | 06/16/2010 10:45 AM | Comment

Home Inspector


Looking for a recommendation for a home inspector…someone to walk through a brownstone (potential purchase) to make sure we aren’t buying a home that turns our to have lots of problems.

Thanks!

Categories: Inspector
By erinelix | 05/22/2010 11:53 PM | Comment

1-Time Renovation Consultant


My husband and I are going to look at a property that we know we’d have to renovate, but could live in for a few years before we did so.

I wondering if anyone can recommend a person/company to look at the building and give us an idea of what is possible and how much it would cost, knowing that we would have no plans to do anything for a few years.

Categories: Renovation
By erinelix | 05/02/2010 11:25 AM | Comment