Just as a follow up. I'm having Killer Queen come on Saturday to check the place. I searched my bed yesterday and couch, and all nearby furniture and nothing. The bed is spotless as is the couch. Asked the babysitter and she scoured her apartment last night and found nothing. Killer Queen mentioned it might be the cleaning person, which seems the most likely culprit as she goes into different houses each day (and the bug appeared the day after she cleaned). I'll keep you posted as to what he finds. (Crossing my fingers)

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at November 17, 2009 9:41 AM in response to Bed Bug Question

Wow, wasn't expecting this much conflicting information. Just to give a little more color to those experienced with bedbugs, the one bug that we found was not an adult, and (according to the exterminator) had not yet had a meal.

Also I have a baby so am doubly concerned. Obviously I do NOT want to let this become an infestation. However, I also am concerned about spraying toxic chemicals all over my apartment if I do not need to. I own my place, so will be footing any bills, though that is not a huge concern. No one else in my building has ever had bedbugs (according to my building's exterminator). It is a relatively new building. It was my babysitter who found the bug, so it's possible she brought it in, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

If I do go ahead with treatment, any recommendations? Oneeasternparkway, who did you end up using and did they get rid of the problem? (And what was the cost?)

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at November 16, 2009 2:16 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

Thanks. I gave the sample to the exterminator so don't have it anymore, but was pretty convinced myself before taking it in that it was a bedbug. Looks exactly like the pictures online, with the telltale black spot on its back. I agree, the exterminator definitely has different motivations, but then I kind of don't want to mess around with what might be a bedbug infestation. If you see one bug, does that mean there are always more?

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at November 16, 2009 12:07 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

Thanks for all the comments. My husband is a softie and agreed to give him the extra $ he was looking for. He has done a lot of things that were not contemplated as part of the job, but then he never said he was going to want money for those things. As I said, this is my first time working with a contractor, so I guess you live and learn. He did do a very good job though.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at April 16, 2009 9:46 AM in response to Question about Contractor

Hi, sorry, you never know who reads these things so I was purposely vague. Just so you know, I did not play any contractor off another. I had 3 legitimate bids but my husband liked this particular contractor the best so we were open and upfront with him. We told him we'd like to go with him but price is an issue and if he can't match the other's price we would go with someone else. there was a large discrepancy in the prices and I was fully prepared to go with someone else. I guess he was hurting for business so he took the job.

We do have a contract but it's pretty vague. We've added some stuff outside the contract and agreed to prices for those things. Now he wants more. The problem is in the beginning he would find all kinds of things around our apartment that were either broken or not done right and he would offer to fix them. He never said he would charge for them and I probably wouldn't have agreed to let him do them if I knew he was charging. For instance, he's building a closet and he suggested that we really should put in 2 closets. He offered to do it at no extra charge. Now he's complaining and wants us to pay for the materials he used to build both closets (materials are definitely not our responsibility in the contract).

He's almost finished so even if he walks now we could probably finish up the rest ourselves. I don't want to be unreasonable, but I could have (and ultimately should have) gone with one of the lower estimates in the beginning.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at April 15, 2009 4:43 PM in response to Question about Contractor

Great, thanks much! I'll check back after May 1.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at April 7, 2009 9:41 AM in response to New Conforming Loan Limits?

Nope, definitely not a broker. The offer that we made was still well below asking, and what we thought it was worth. I hated the fact that we were told the developer would accept a certain price, and even though we thought it was too high, we agreed to it after much agonising, and then were told nope, only full asking will do (which was significantly higher than what he had said he would accept). Asking prices are still way too high, given the high maintenance. We decided to go with much bigger unit in a condo building that was less than 5 years old, also with a parking space and private outdoor space, with common charges of $500 a month, that was $50k LESS than what the developer was ostensibly asking on this unit in the Heritage.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at August 5, 2008 1:58 PM in response to Closings Begin at the Heritage

The unit we were looking at is "unlisted", whatever that means. Common charges were in excess of $1000k a month, which, I'm sorry, is HIGH on a unit around $900k. The amenities are not that great. No doorman as i said, plus you can't include the garage because you pay EXTRA common charges for that of $67 per month. The kid's playroom is tiny and the outdoor part of it is all concrete! Maybe I have sour grapes, but if someone tells me a number that they would accept, and I then raise to that number and they say they won't accept it anymore, that is pretty obnoxious negotiating. The unit is still available, so I know they didn't have a higher offer. They were just trying to squeeze us for every last penny. Sorry, I'm not playing that game in this market.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at August 5, 2008 1:48 PM in response to Closings Begin at the Heritage

Sorry, I got to agree, common charges are high on this one compared to others. No doorman, the garage is deeded parking so it is extra, plus the spot incurs an EXTRA common charge, so that should not be factored into the regular common charges. Plus taxes are high as well, even with the abatement. Personally I think the broker here was an a**hole. I saw him turn away two older couples who asked about one bedrooms. He told them they didn't have any one bedrooms available with no explanation, even though they clearly did and he was showing them to us! We made an offer here and were completely jerked around, first told they wouldn't accept it but if we raised $40k they would, so we raised $40k and then they said they wouldn't accept anything short of asking. The place is nice, but it's not THAT nice, and it's still far from the subway and the park and the units are SMALL! They definitely play some games with the square footage in this one.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at August 5, 2008 1:25 PM in response to Closings Begin at the Heritage

OP here. Wasn't trying to offend or cause any kind of controversy here. I certainly sympathize with disabled persons, however that does mean I want to buy a spot which could potentially be taken away from me. Just trying to figure out how long that regulation remains in effect (which I now realize is forever) and how likely the possibility is that I would have to give it up (which you all seem to think is pretty likely). After further inquiry turns out there already is a disabled person living there who uses a different spot which they are going to re-designate as the disabled spot, so my problem may be solved. Thanks for the help!

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at July 11, 2008 5:02 PM in response to Question About Handicapped Parking Space

Thanks for the responses. Yes, parking is bad around there and one of the main selling points of the apartment is the parking in the basement. The only thing is the building has 14 units and 11 parking spaces, so presumably the risk is only that someone buys or moves into one of the 3 units that did not purchase a space. If someone disabled moves into one of the other units, presumably I could swap my space with them. Still not sure if it's worth the risk though.

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at July 11, 2008 2:19 PM in response to Question About Handicapped Parking Space

you have to have the treatment. you have to. not even a question in my mind about it. you do NOT want it to get worse.

Posted by: jasonkyle at November 16, 2009 1:43 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

There are things you can do right now that are less expensive than a professional service:

1. Buy a consumer grade bedbug spray. This isn't as effective as the professional chemical, but it works to slow down infestation. Spray it around the seams of your bedframe and around the baseboards of your apartment. If you can, shop around, some Hardware stores charge way too much for a bottle because they know people are desperate. After you spray, leave it for at least 2 weeks before washing or mopping the area you sprayed.

2. Heat kills them, so if possible, crank up your radiators or heaters.

3. Go through your clothing. You can either wash(in hot water) and then dry (on high) or, to save money, run them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. After washing or drying, put in clean garbage bags/plastic bags and close them up, only removing items as you use them. Dry cleaning will kill them, but is very costly. You might have some success at keeping them from infesting clothes/shoes/bags with moth balls.

4. If you can, rent or borrow a steam cleaner and steam clean your sofa/rugs/furniture/mattress. You can buy a mattress cover to use after the mattress has been treated.

Posted by: surly at November 16, 2009 1:59 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

Vanburenproud,

I'm not knocking the concept off debating a topic, which i agree is the purpose of a forum in the first place.

I'm just saying that unfortunately on this particular subject, you're giving bad information. Yes, the exterminator has motivation for making a sale. Yes, you shouldn't rush into anything.

But unfortunately, and again I speak form first hand experience and countless hours of research, if you find a bedbug, you have a bedbug problem. the only question is how to deal with it. not whether or not to deal with it.

as for the bed bug sniffing dogs, yes, many companies now offer them. you must be very careful in choosing the right company, however. a dog that gives a false "alert," and that does happen, can cost you thousands of dollars of uneeded treatments.

but in the case of the OP, if you've seen a bug, then you don't need the dog to tell you that they're there. you've got bedbugs and you've got to deal with it.

when we had them, initially we didn't think it was a big deal b/c we'd "only" seen one. I wanted more proof too, so I spent hundreds of dollars to bring in the dog, who proceeded to tell me that they were also in my sofas, my loveseats, my daughters' bed, the picture frames above my bed, my bookcase, etc etc.

in retrospect, I didn't need the dog, having found a bug, I should have just started treatment. but I wanted to believe that it was "only" one, that it wasn't that serious, etc etc

Posted by: oneasternparkway at November 16, 2009 2:02 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

Wow, wasn't expecting this much conflicting information. Just to give a little more color to those experienced with bedbugs, the one bug that we found was not an adult, and (according to the exterminator) had not yet had a meal.

Also I have a baby so am doubly concerned. Obviously I do NOT want to let this become an infestation. However, I also am concerned about spraying toxic chemicals all over my apartment if I do not need to. I own my place, so will be footing any bills, though that is not a huge concern. No one else in my building has ever had bedbugs (according to my building's exterminator). It is a relatively new building. It was my babysitter who found the bug, so it's possible she brought it in, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

If I do go ahead with treatment, any recommendations? Oneeasternparkway, who did you end up using and did they get rid of the problem? (And what was the cost?)

Posted by: Brooklynitetobe at November 16, 2009 2:16 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

get a consumer brand called Hot Shot spray containing lambda-cyhalothrin .03%... A landlord friend of mine swears by it... Don't know if it works but my friend has 4 apt buildings and loves it... I just called him and he told me that they sell it at home depot.. Sometimes it also comes in other brand names... This should only be your start.. I would also get exterminators in your home... To make sure..

Posted by: HOBOKENROCKS at November 16, 2009 2:26 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

I used Bell Environmental (who i mentioned). I would not recomend them. They are very expensive and in my opinon not worth it. again, relied too much on Krylon Spray, which i've found is not effective. I have a baby and a toddler, so I was attracted to it because it's more 'green" but the truth is it just doesn't work and it costs a ton.

when factoring in treatments and replaced furniture and countless loads of laundry, we're approaching 10k. it's insane.

I would recomend Jeff White (I would also watch all his bed bug seminars at BedbugTV on bedbugcentral.com.)

You might also want to try M&M Exterminators, a firm in the city I've heard good things about.

and a guy who goes by the Name of Killer Queen (you can find his info on BedBugger). I've also heard very good things about him.

and if you understandably don't want to commit to a treatment yet, then get either one of those monitors I recomended.

Posted by: oneasternparkway at November 16, 2009 2:26 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

A related question. Assuming OP is in a rental apartment -where is the line between what the tenant & what the landlord is responsible to deal with?

It's in the tenant's self interest to avoid getting eaten by bedbugs, but LL doesn't want a problem that could spread between apartments. What's NYC law say?

Posted by: Bklnite at November 16, 2009 2:38 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

it might have come from your babysitter since you said she found it. i would ask her to please vigorously shake herself off before entering the apartment from now on.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 16, 2009 2:52 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

There's also a product available online, manufactured by RESULTS Indoor, which contains;

pyrethrins
butyronyl
silicone dioxide

It's in powder form, the product is aimed at bedbugs. It seems to be very effective since it is picked up while they crawl around and kills them by several methods including dessication.

I think that manufacturers are responding to the recent explosion of these once common bugs.Widespread use of DDT had virtually eliminated them. The newer products are targeting these pests specifically without the need for DDT of course.

Remember, all cracks must be dusted and sealed.

I've also heard that a portable steamer is good for those hard to get or treat places. at least 150 degrees.

Posted by: Legion at November 16, 2009 3:30 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

Don't use the sprays. I had a neighbor who didn't report the problem to the Landlord (they're rent control and didn't think the Landlord would do anything) they sprayed for 6 months untill the bedbugs spread in the building. Now after weeks of 2 different exterminators coming (1 specializing in eco-friend treatments complete with a dog but not Bell Environmental) and throwing stuff out and getting mattress covers, the bulding is bedbug free. The only way to go is with an extrerminator and to follow their instructions.
And yes, the landlord is responsible for treating bedbugs regardless of who brought them in.

Posted by: Cobblehillbaby at November 16, 2009 3:52 PM in response to Bed Bug Question