How to fix a dead gas fireplace


I’m writing this email to you all in the hope that one of you will have a solution to my dead gas fireplace, or at the very least, can refer me to someone who’s job it is to know there things! This morning, the fireplace was burning merrily. Then it went out abruptly. Not knowing the reason why, and wanting to take precautions, my fiance turned off the pilot light. I successfully re-lit it this evening, but the fireplace just wouldn’t come on. I don’t know if this translates into a blocked gas-line, or what. Any ideas? If not, who do you think is the best person to call for advice?

Categories: Fireplace/Mantle
By nellymikhaiel | 01/22/2009 5:37 PM | Comment

Refinancing question


I’m wondering if I’m in a position to take advantage of today’s lower mortgage rates by refinancing. By way of background, I secured an HSBC CommunityWorks jumbo loan in mid-2007 for a condo in Clinton Hill at a rate of 5.75%. I also took another loan (NOT a mortgage, and therefore non tax-deductible, sadly) to make up the balance of the purchase price, at a somewhat higher interest rate.

My questions are two-fold: first, can I take advantage of the current new rate of 4.6%, or is CommunityWorks for first purchases only and not refinancing? Second, if I CAN use CommunityWorks for refinancing, would it be possible to roll-in the cost of my second, higher-inerest loan into my mortgage, since the jumbo threshold was been revised upward?

Thanks for any advice.

Categories: Mortgage
By nellymikhaiel | 01/21/2009 2:04 PM | Comment

Building Seeking Super


Our four-floor, seven-apartment building located in Clinton Hill is seeking a superintendent. Among the required duties are cleaning/maintaining the common areas; clearing the stoop/front path of snow for a number of days annually; and dealing with the garbage twice-weekly. Handyperson capabilities also highly valued. If you’re interested, or can recommend anyone, please let me know.

By nellymikhaiel | 12/03/2008 8:28 PM | Comment

Information about home repair/maintenance classes


Four months ago, I became the proud owner of a condo in Clinton Hill. Sadly, I’m completely inept when it comes to basic home repair, renovation/restoration, and maintenance. However, I understand there are some local classes that teach these essential basics of home ownership. I’ve seen links on neighborhood blogs about such classes, and although I’ve searched long and hard through the archives of every website I can think of (including this one) for places/dates/enrollment information, I can’t come up with the goods. Can anyone out there in Brownstoner-land point me in the right direction?

By nellymikhaiel | 10/04/2007 1:41 PM | Comment

Unpleasant exerience with Heights Woodworking


Since I couldn’t find a mantel at a salvage store that would fit my somewhat oddly-sized fireplace, I commissioned Heights Woodworking back in June to build a small stained shelf over the fireplace’s ugly concrete ledge. I read mixed reviews about this firm here on Brownstoner, but I wanted to give my business to a local carpentry shop, and decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. Big mistake. Heights Woodworking is an unprofessional, extremely unpleasant firm to deal with.

Heights Woodworking took four months to make and install the piece – and only after repeated calls from me to follow up on the status of my order. I was informed that the reception staff could not communicate with the floor staff, and vice-versa. (The owner of the business, who could communicate with all his staff members, kept an extremely low profile during this whole Heights Woodworking did turn up to install the piece in late September, it wasn’t stained at all(as I requested). The carpenters took it away, and after three more weeks of nagging from me, the crew turned up at my apartment (almost 5 hours later than promised – lucky I took the whole day off work) with the stained mantel. As they were packing up, I was casually informed that another small piece of the mantel would require staining, which they promised to do the next day. I couldn’t take another day off work, but my friends from out of town promised to stay home in the morning and let them in. Surprise, surprise, Heights Woodworking didn’t turn up, and when I called to find out why, I was curtly told that the “receptionist works upstairs, and has no idea about what goes on in the shop downstairs”. When I demanded to speak to the owner, she promised she would patch me through to him when he checked in later that afternoon. That didn’t happen either.

Using this company was a bad decision on my part. I’m glad other people on this forum had decent experiences, but mine was absolutely miserable.

Categories: Woodwork
By nellymikhaiel | 10/02/2007 5:22 PM | Comment