Front Door Repair/Refinish


Any recommendations for someone to repair the seriously weathered lower surround of this door and sand and refinish the whole thing? I am having some trouble finding someone who is both capable of doing a good job and not too busy to do it before winter.

Categories: Doors
By jellystew | 09/25/2010 8:50 AM | Comment

Interior Door Alterations


I am hanging an old door as an interior pocket door in a new, interior wall separating a spare bath from the rest of the house – occasional use. The old door is perfect for my needs, except that it is approximately 8″ too short – I plan to extend it by adding an 8″ by 30″ by 1-1/4″ board to the bottom using glue and either a biscuit joiner or dowels. The door will ultimately be painted, so I’m not terribly worried about an exact match. Anyone have any helpful suggestions to offer re: whether to use biscuits, dowels, or some other means of joinery? Thanks.

By jellystew | 06/07/2010 1:45 PM | Comment

Front Garden Follow Up


Here’s the update…we had a productive, and exhausting weekend. On Friday night, with our intrepid handyman, we sledgehammered out the concrete. On Saturday, we found some more concrete underneath and broke that up too, then mixed the underlying clay with some compost and generously donated dirt, and put in a rose, holly, and some daylilies from the back yard (the picture is from Saturday). On Sunday, we realized we needed more donated dirt, picked it up and added it, along with some cedar mulch, a small lavender plant and a little ivy from the backyard. We’re still thinking about what to do with the hydrangeas.

We do not appear to be getting any more water in the basement than we were before (the hatch doesn’t really seal tightly) and could not be more thrilled to have the front garden to play in. Thanks for all your suggestions, and I always welcome more!

Categories: Garden
By jellystew | 03/23/2010 10:50 AM | Comment

Building a Front Garden


I am planning to break through the concrete in front of my south-facing brownstone to create a front garden. I have some hydrangeas (and maybe a holly bush) that want to live there. But before we start breaking things up, are there any helpful suggestions from those who have already done the project?

Specifically, what did you use for a border (we’re thinking pressure treated 2x8s with about 2″ above the concrete), did you put in a french drain or gravel bed (we’re thinking just gravel), and did you use the soil that is already there, or replace with new topsoil?

Thanks all.

Categories: Garden
By jellystew | 03/18/2010 11:42 AM | Comment

Replacing an Expansion Tank


How difficult is this job? According to my boiler guy, I need to replace my 30 expansion tank with a 60 (or add another 30, which would require the addition of a “T,” which work would cost more than the savings from purchasing the smaller tank). To me, it looks like it just involves cutting off the water to the tank, unscrewing the old tank, teflon tape, and screwing on new tank, and adding support from a ceiling joist. I’m pretty handy, but generally hesitant to mess with the boiler. Can I do this myself?

Don’t worry, I will also be asking boiler guy before proceeding, but wanted to put the question to you folks, too.

Categories: Heating
By jellystew | 01/12/2010 12:33 PM | Comment

What kind of wood do we use


to sister termite-damaged joists in the basement?

The old, undamaged wood is to be treated for termites by an exterminator to prevent further damage. Some old repairs were made with the greenish pressure treated wood, which I understand emits harmful gases – so I don’t want to put any more down there. So what do we use to sister the single joist that needs sistering now?

By jellystew | 10/13/2009 9:59 AM | Comment

Basement Structural Work


Having torn down much of the drywall ceiling in the basement of our Bed-Stuy 2-family home, we discovered, no surprise, that we have some past and present termite problems. Seeking recommendations for contractor/engineers/architects to recommend solutions, bid on, and do, the necessary work. We’re happy with our exterminator, but need someone to correct some past repairs and do some new ones. Thanks.

Categories: Structural
By jellystew | 10/01/2009 11:51 AM | Comment

Basement Ceiling


We bought about a year ago and are gradually doing all of the “must do” projects. One of those is to sister a few joists in the basement that were not properly repaired following some old termite damage. To save some money, I am taking down the basement ceiling (drywall) myself, to make sure we know the scope of the job before we hire a contractor to do the job.

Question: Above the oil furnace/boiler, instead of drywall, there are several pieces of rusty painted sheet metal covering the joists. Can I safely remove the metal too, or is there a reason that I should leave it there? I don’t know the condition of the joists above it, but there is some damage nearby, so if the metal is not serving a purpose, I would like to remove it.

Thank you. Contractor recommendations are welcome as well.

Categories: Demolition
By jellystew | 08/04/2009 9:52 AM | Comment

Buyin a brownstone with no CO


I’m considering the purchase of a brownstone in Bed-Stuy with no CO (has been in one family since the 1920s), which has been used as both a four and a three family in recent years. I hope to live in it and rent the remaining units (either 2 or 3) – but I want to do it right. Has anyone done something similar- what will I need to do to get a CO (do I need one), what does that entail, and are there any good resources or books I should pick up?
Thanks.

Categories: C of O
By jellystew | 05/29/2008 11:41 AM | Comment