Electrical Service Upgrade Quote


I want to upgrade the service in my house from 100 Amps to 200 Amps to support my furnace and additional central air installation. We’ve received a quote from an electrician who has submitted the initial paperwork to Keyspan. He has come back with $3,200 for the labor for the service upgrade, which includes replacing/consolidating 3 separate breaker panels onto a single 200 amp panel. The cost of the panel and other supplies will be additional. Is this in/out of the ballpark? Alternatively, does it sound suspiciously low? Of our other two electricians 1 has not expressed interest in the job and another is not NYS licensed.

Categories: Utilities
By pschsmith | 02/08/2010 6:00 PM | Comment

Troubleshooting a Circuit


My cat got inside the dropped ceiling in my basement. Without electrocuting himself he still managed to do something to mess up one of the electric circuits…I can’t get the breaker to come back on. How can I troubleshoot this myself?

Categories: Electricians
By pschsmith | 02/05/2010 11:40 AM | Comment

Hot Bird


Does anyone remember Hot Bird? Did you eat there? Was it any good? Where was it, exactly? Love the name…very evocative, to me, at least, of NY in the 70s.

Categories: Research
By pschsmith | 11/30/2007 1:09 PM | Comment

MidCentury Armchair repair


Movers snapped the lower portion of one bentwood leg clean off an armchair by a named designer. It cracked diagonally close to the upholstery. Any suggestions on where to get this repaired/restored? $$$ no object as the movers insurance will be paying.

Categories: Furniture
By pschsmith | 11/27/2007 12:26 PM | Comment

Brownstone Window Replacement: A 3-part question


The first major project we are planning on our house (which we just closed after a nearly year-long contract saga)is window replacement. 21 in all, including the extremely tall parlor floor windows.

Part 1: How can I find out what would be historically accurate, particularly for the front parlor floor windows? Our block (Clinton Hill) is not currently landmarked, though it is up for review in 2008. Most of the neighboring buildings have 1 on 1 replacement windows of fairly recent vintage, so I haven’t got a good basis for comparison.

Part 2: Any experience with Major Homes or Window City? Found both through Angie’s List, but neither firm appears to be on the radar with the Brownstonerati.

Part 3: Any knowledge/experience with Starmark composite windows? According to the manufacturer’s literature they are more thermally efficient, durable, etc., than any other window on the market.

We’d be grateful for thoughts or advice on any or all of these parts.

Categories: Windows
By pschsmith | 11/26/2007 9:45 PM | Comment