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August 13, 2007
Paint and debris from neighbor's buiding work
My neighbor, an elderly woman, is having some work done on the back of her brownstone - I guess chipping away old paint and then repainting, or maybe repointing the bricks. The work started today and there is already paint chips and debris all over our back yard. I have two young children (18 months) who go back there almost daily and will put anything in their mouths. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to deal with this situation, other than just cleaning thoroughly myself daily or giving up the yard for the rest of the summer? Are there any guidelines or requirements that the workers have to follow? I am not too worried about preserving friendly relations since this elderly woman has hated us since we moved in and vacillates between pretending we don't exist and shooting us death rays when she sees us on the street.
Anyway, do we have any recourse against her? I have no idea if this is lead based paint, but as I'm sure she's done nothing on her house in decades I would not be surprised if it is.
Thanks for all suggestions.
Comments
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/homeowners/lead_paint.shtml
get paint chips tested:
http://www.willowenvironmental.com/395497.html
close windows and hose down backyard asap
Posted by: guest at August 13, 2007 9:51 PM
Your first step should be to talk to your neighbor and to let her know your concerns.
Posted by: guest at August 13, 2007 10:12 PM
Also, call 311 and report it. They can send someone out to intervene.
Posted by: guest at August 14, 2007 7:38 AM
Don't bother with the old hag. Talk to the contractor first. Without getting angry, ask him if he could figure out some way to stop the paint chips from flying into your yard and when he can come over and vacuum up his mess. Depending on how responsive he seems, you could always follow up the first question with "you're a contractor... do you know of any city agency that will come out for free and test these chips to see if they contain lead?" You know what, forget about it, I think my lawyer is getting his house reno'ed and I will just ask him."
Posted by: guest at August 14, 2007 10:52 AM
I would politely point out to the contractors that your yard is getting covered in flying paint chips, and ask that they put down some drop cloths in your yard and clean up at days end.
If the neighbor is an old crank probably better to deal politely with the contractor a.s.a.p.
When our co-op had pointng done we gave our neighbor next door a "heads up" , made sure that their yard was left immaculate at days end... covered all plants etc. ... we received a lovely note thanking us for our thoughtfullness afterwards... sounds as if your neighbor isn't too neighborly though, so,again,try speaking with the contractor first...
Posted by: bren at August 14, 2007 12:26 PM
I agree with Bren, the contractor should have been laying down drop cloths not just in your yard but in your neighbor's yard who is getting the work done. Even if it doesn't get into your yard, the lead paint chips (or any type of paint chips) going into the dirt in the old lady's yard and/or into the storm sewer eventually gets into all of our groundwater.
Posted by: traditionalmod at August 14, 2007 2:03 PM
Sounds like your neighbor doesn't like the young 'uns! 18 month old twins? That's a load (no pun intended) of diapers. As the paint chips pile up in your yard, let the diapers pile up in hers! I hope that helps...
Posted by: GHB at August 14, 2007 4:03 PM
...if the kids only eat a little no big deal, just a few points less on the IQ test, like all of us who grew up in the 70's eating lead paint. Vac and hose the yard over and over again and don't bring the vac back in the house when your done.
Posted by: guest at August 14, 2007 7:38 PM
Thanks everyone. I spoke to to the GC today who was very apologetic and promised to be more careful. Meanwhile, love the idea of tossing the dirty diapers over the fence!
Posted by: BklynDahl at August 14, 2007 9:22 PM
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