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April 27, 2009
Rewiring Landmarked Home
Hello all,
I was interested in re-wiring the tenant floor of my 2-unit Brownstone. A few questions:
1) A few electricians suggested adding a separate circuit breaker in the top floor tenant apartment. Seems reasonable but is this standard/normal/necessary?
2) Is there any way to preserve tin ceilings during rewiring (tenant apt. is top floor...tin ceilings are on garden and parlor floors)
3) Tenant floor has NO lighting fixtures in the living room and bed room. Does anyone have suggestions of fixtures that would be fitting to a house of this era? 1890's brownstone.
4) Any licensed electricians worth recommending?
Thanks to any and all
Comments
To answer #1, this is fairly common and worth the investment. Breakers trip and the tenant should be able to reset them without disturbing you. If they don't have their own breaker they can't have their own meter so they can't pay their own electric. On top of that the cost is really the same as the alternative is to homerun the lines back to your panel and add breakers.
As far as #2 goes this is a job for your GC, not your electrician.
For #3 I like http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com/
Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at April 27, 2009 1:58 PM
Thanks much Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy
Posted by: bk_bstoner at April 27, 2009 2:38 PM
Super Charged Electric is doing our home right now. They're very responsive, reasonably priced, so far the work is top-notch, the workers are pleasant to be around and respectful of the house, and they're helping us save some money by giving us the info we need to close up the holes behind them.
Posted by: UnprotectedWrecks at April 27, 2009 5:54 PM
Thanks a lot UnprotectedWrecks. Please keep me posted on the end result.
Posted by: bk_bstoner at April 27, 2009 6:26 PM
Check out Rejuventaions.com for new period fixtures that are priced well and they are running a promotion now.
Posted by: lilly9 at April 27, 2009 8:47 PM
Check out Rejuventaions.com for new period fixtures that are priced well and they are running a promotion now.
Posted by: lilly9 at April 27, 2009 8:47 PM
Check out Rejuventaions.com for new period fixtures that are priced well and they are running a promotion now.
Posted by: lilly9 at April 27, 2009 8:47 PM
"Super Charged Electric is doing our home right now. They're very responsive, reasonably priced, so far the work is top-notch, the workers are pleasant to be around and respectful of the house, and they're helping us save some money by giving us the info we need to close up the holes behind them."
I always wonder how a homeowner or anyone else not in the trade can really judge mechanical type work to be "top notch." It is one thing for things to simply work, and a totally different thing for them to be done in a neat, safe manner that meets or exceeds applicable codes. Most all of the mechanical work I see these days makes me want to vomit. Rough wiring inspection is desperately needed in NYC.
Posted by: AlexSPK at April 27, 2009 9:18 PM
We used A. Ceriello electric to upgrade the wiring in a five family building. They are located in Carroll Gardens. They did a very good job, and were fairly priced.
You definitely want a breaker box in the tenant's apartment, so they can reset any breakers that trip. This comes in handy if you are not home to reset the breakers in the basement.
Posted by: Bklyn born at April 27, 2009 9:51 PM
Very typical light fixtures in an 1890s bedroom would be those hanging gas light things with many bulbous shades. You will see them in any old interior photos. For example, in the book "New York Interiors" by Joseph Byron. Or you could just get any old hanging fixture from the 20s, 30s, 40s, etc.
Posted by: mopar at April 27, 2009 10:20 PM
Thanks for the recent comments and suggestions
Posted by: bk_bstoner at April 27, 2009 11:00 PM
try mohamed at M&N hightech. 646 226 4575
Posted by: dogface at April 28, 2009 10:19 AM
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