While the asbestos fibers are mixed with a hard binder and the floor tiles are certainly not friable, we have read accounts of airborne levels of asbestos fibers being traced to the presence asphalt-asbestos floor tiles in areas either subjected to high volume foot traffic or to abrasive floor cleaning or maintenance procedures (like using steel wool pad floor buffing machines in a school corridor), or during demolition of this material.

Older nine-inch "thicker" vinyl or asphalt-based floor tiles, some more recent 12-inch floor tiles, and some more recent sheet linoleum as well as the mastic used to bed or glue down older flooring materials are likely to contain asbestos fibers and should not be disturbed

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 18, 2009 1:09 PM in response to Beneath the Surface

I think I found the tiles, yikes!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=asbestos+floor+tiles&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=GzcES9GnO4besgbLxrFI&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQsAQwAw&safe=active

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 18, 2009 1:05 PM in response to Beneath the Surface

This may be noted above, but you must get that flooring tested for asbestos immediately. You certainly don't want your kid in that house until you have done some testing, you now have airborne particulate.

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 18, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Beneath the Surface

"I'd hate to give the house a gorgeous face-lift when what it needs more urgently is triple-bypass surgery."

That is exactly the dilemma that the above posters are describing. Everything, and I mean literally everything, in an old house is a "ticking time bomb." You can't replace it all -- you've got to draw a line in the sand.

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 10, 2009 5:50 PM in response to All Systems, Go — Away?

How many amps do you have at your service entrance? No knob & tube coming into that panel, but it looks the old bx with impregnated cloth sheathing, and thus only marginally better. Complete rewiring appears to be in order. I would not replace the risers if they are brass or copper, minimum ¾ inch, and are not leaking, unless you are planning on taking your walls down to the studs anyway. Speaking of which, once you start replacing the plumbing, filling your exterior walls with loose fill, and rewiring, you should seriously consider whether it wouldn’t be easier just to take the walls down and start over. The damage to the plaster will otherwise be considerable. Also, you may have knob and tube behind the walls, perhaps grafted onto part of an existing circuit, and without taking the walls down you would never know. Unfortunately, this looks like a major reno. Good luck!

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 10, 2009 2:22 PM in response to All Systems, Go — Away?

I don't quite grasp the intimidation factor. Most of what I see are low voltage alarm wires for door and window sensors, all of which can be ripped out in less than an hour, and an alarm panel that can also be tossed. Looks like you've also got some old buzzers to summons the hired help. The bigger job will likely be the electric, if it is has not been upgraded. What kind of service do you have coming into the house, and what kind of wire? K&T wiring, greenfield or grounded romex? The failing plaster looks like it's in the basement -- just rip it down. The big unfortunate will be all of the swiss cheese you'll be making in your walls pulling new electric, and insulating those walls. I doubt you have high voltage lines stapled to your molding.

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 6, 2009 12:50 PM in response to Welcome to The Albemarle Reno Blog

If it is in fact landmarked with no development potential, then the property is priced far too aggressively. It will sell for well under $5m.

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 3, 2009 10:37 AM in response to The Gingerbread House Hits the Market

The question readers should be asking themselves is whether the lot is worth $12m, since this will be sold to a developer. I think we can agree that the dwelling itself is nice, but short of spectacular and will not command a premium in itself. There are plenty of Tuder-influenced craftsman homes, some original Stickleys, near the city for well under $1m. Plenty of quartered oak, etc. if you like that sort of thing.

Posted by: Zarathustra at November 3, 2009 10:34 AM in response to The Gingerbread House Hits the Market

It's been completely remuddled, not worth anything close to ask.

Posted by: Zarathustra at September 21, 2009 2:26 PM in response to House of the Day: 135 Lafayette Avenue

6% and you're being robbed. You can easily negotiate 3% in the current market.

Posted by: Zarathustra at September 15, 2009 6:29 PM in response to Sunset Park Brownstone Broker?

That is not original.

Posted by: Zarathustra at September 14, 2009 1:07 PM in response to Salvager: Antique Mantel at BIG NYC

1. BOP rests on tenant; 2. No evidence of a current condition; 3. Serious chip on the shoulder (at least you come across that way). OP your claim is specious at best.

Posted by: Zarathustra at September 1, 2009 7:27 PM in response to Park Slope Bedbug Disaster

Unfortunately, given its prior SRO-status the house is severely delapidated. The few remaining details are typically nice, but really not sufficient to warrant any signficant remodeling. What I would do is sell for salvage what remains, and make the place rent-worthy. This property is best served as a multiple-dwelling, as others have indicated.

Posted by: Zarathustra at August 20, 2009 2:26 PM in response to House of the Day: 52 South Oxford, Reduced and Revisited

Blech, looks like 1/4 cherry ply.

Posted by: Zarathustra at August 19, 2009 8:55 PM in response to Complete Cherry Panelled Library F/S

Not a single detail in that house is original. The gorgeous dentil moulding that you are salvating over is injection molded. The mantles and "gilded" pier mirror all sourced from salvage. All of that window dressing could be recreated for well under 25k. Open your blinders, you self-proclaimed preservationists.

Posted by: Zarathustra at July 14, 2009 8:46 PM in response to House of the Day: 14 Seventh Avenue

"The interior is very impressive." I find the interior revolting, definitely not in love with the guady Cirque du Soleil decor.

Posted by: Zarathustra at July 14, 2009 1:24 PM in response to House of the Day: 14 Seventh Avenue