Expert/Advice at Stripping Stucco off Facade?


So we bought a house whose facade is sheathed in stucco (synethetic stucco, or EIFS, to be exact). We really want to remove it but aren’t sure what we’ll find underneath.
1. can anyone recommend a facade person who could do this work?
2. and for anyone who has done it, any ideas of what the brick could look like? I don’t know if it was glued or propped over the brick. If was glued on, can that brick be repaired without replacing?
Grateful for any insights/advice.

Categories: Exterior
By gowanusgus | 03/03/2011 4:20 PM | Comment

Best Time to Start a Lease?


I live in a 2 fam in CG with a tenant and we’ve always had his annual lease start 9/1. But now he’d prefer it moved to 8/1. Is it tougher to get new tenants 8/1 versus 9/1? Grateful for any insight – thx!

Categories: Landlord
By gowanusgus | 08/27/2010 1:45 PM | Comment

Ruined Roof. Recourse?


I’m a new homeowner (Aug ’08) and did my first big screw-up.

We had one small pond up on the roof and I figured it should be fixed eventually. When we bought, the house inspector said the roof was in good shape. But when a neighbor casually mentioned she had a guy coming about to work on her roof for the same issue, I asked him to visit me as well. It was the first time I hired someone without researching them (figuring the neighbor had good judgement.)

I’m not sure if the attached picture quite illustrates the problems but after he left, there were multiple ponds instead of one. I learned he used the torch method to flush the roof which is illegal in NYC. Worst of all, we now have a leak on the third floor ceiling.

I’ve since had three real roof folks (culled from this forum) come examine my roof and tell
me I now need a new roof – they can’t tell where the leak begins because there are now so many holes and open seams. I don’t want to call the previous guy to fix it because as one roofer said, “never let that guy near your roof again.” (His name and company have never been mentioned on rownstoner..)

I have a receipt from his company on his letterhead though I did pay in cash. Not sure if he is licensed or bonded or just has a letterhead. The cost was $1600 and now thousands more for a new roof.

Do I have any legal options of getting some of my money back ($1600 is not a small sum not to mention the thousands more for a new roof.) Or is it an insurmountable hassle? Grateful for any advice.

Categories: Roofers
By gowanusgus | 01/09/2010 11:49 AM | Comment

Stoop Hell


I think my handyman made a big error. We have the mysterious leaky stoop problem, which has made the interior closet under the stoop all smelly. The handyman came by and put ThoroSeal around the stoop and covered it with patio water-based paint. Today the stoop has condensation all around it; there is still moisture in the underneath closet. Is the Thoroseal a major screw up? Does it allow the stoop to breathe? And can it be fixed now by any way that doesn’t involve stoop demolition? Thx.

Categories: Masonry
By gowanusgus | 07/23/2009 3:21 PM | Comment

C of O Issue


We just bought an old 2 family house that I understand had a C of O where the building didn’t have to state the living units because it was grandfathered. Now, we’re closing a lingering open permit and our architect is wondering if we want an official two family C of O.

What are the pros/cons of having one without living units stated versus one having them stated? Thanks!

Categories: C of O
By gowanusgus | 05/14/2009 9:44 AM | Comment