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August 18, 2008
One garden you don't want
My husband and I are both artists (painters), and we've decided to buy a live/work space in Brooklyn. We're realizing that the most affordable scenario is a duplex with rec space in one of the many fugly new developments that everyone loves to hate. Some of the spaces we've looked at were workable, but several had mold blooms on the walls in the rec space, &/or a mildewy smell. This scares me. My question is this: would it EVER be okay to buy a place that you know has flooded in the past?
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EVER is a lotta time. I've seen a lot of apartments with some small water damage where the leak is contained (fixture repaired, roof leak reflashed) and the water damage is years old.
But I would avoid any newish building with any signs of water damage. Newish being less than ten years.
Posted by: Smokychimp at August 18, 2008 11:27 PM
Thanks! Most of the time it seems like the water is seeping from below, which I'm guessing is hard to remedy. Two of the units we've seen had open holes in the floor where the builder was trying to fix drainage probs.
It's been hard to find exactly the kind of space we're looking for. I'm trying to figure out if that's enough of a reason to walk away, in a case where mildew/mold/drainage probs are the only drawback in a new duplex.
Posted by: mothra at August 19, 2008 12:04 AM
probLEMS. sorry. annoying.
Posted by: mothra at August 19, 2008 12:13 AM
Hi Mothra,
I'm an artist too, and I have to say good for you for buying something. Live-work space is especially tough here... I have never understood that!
I would *definitely* avoid a new building that has a problem like mold already. It's potentially a health problem, and it's expensive/timeconsuming/potentially impossible to get rid of.
I would also be very suspicious of new construction in general--not because it's inherently bad, but because it's psychologically deceiving (it's new) and because a lot of new construction in Brooklyn is quickly and sloppily built on spec. There is no reason in this setup for the builder to care about what they build, and this can create all kinds of problems that the buyer picks up the tab and the heartache for.
Not saying that there isn't good new construction out there. Just hire a really good inspector that isn't recommended by the broker or seller and keep your eyes open.
Good luck!
Posted by: vanburenproud at August 19, 2008 7:38 AM
We need at-home work space too. We were open to buying a newly renovated brownstone condo or newly built condo but I saw water leakage issues in the approx. 3 or 4 duplexes with garden levels we looked at, in Park Slope. So we chose a whole house elsewhere. Figured it's easier to fix drainage and things to make a garden level dry in your own house, than to convince a coop or condo to do it.
Posted by: traditionalmod at August 19, 2008 9:17 AM
I would avoid below grade space that is supposed to be general living space because of a bad experience with a house I own - it is older and not in BK. We have to run a humidifier 24x7 to keep a partial below grade den from smelling. Even with that it is barely under control And the smell gets into the furniture and carpet - not fun. Don't do it.
Posted by: mimi at August 19, 2008 9:54 AM
Thanks for all your feedback! We'll keep looking & maybe look at other options, too.
Posted by: mothra at August 19, 2008 10:53 AM
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