have you considered electric radiant heat? i know they pretty much only use it for this purpose, heating a small room like a bathroom. basically it is like an electric blanket that is placed between your subfloor and finished tiles. not sure the working cost, but i bet you can just flip it on when you hop in the shower and have a toasty room ready when you're done and drying off.

Posted by: benno57 at March 21, 2007 4:30 PM in response to bathroom heat

i had asked a RE broker about this very same issue not that long ago. while i tend to be suspicious about almost anything that comes out of a broker's mouth, what she told us seemed to make sense.

she basically said it wasn't the best idea (and our place already has separate meters etc, so we wouldn't even need to rennovate). legally it takes a long time and a bunch of money (she said $40K but that seemed rediculous to me). plus you have to keep the apartments vacant while this legal work is done. and in the end you may end up with new neighbors with whom you are stuck, you can't opt to not renew their lease anymore.

seemed to me that we'd probably be better sitting tight for a long while, saving our pennies, and when the time is right, get a new place and keep the old as a pure rental.

Posted by: benno57 at March 15, 2007 2:46 PM in response to Converting 3-family to Condo?

you can try the shannon garden center over on the other side of prospect park (forgot the address and road name, i just hug the park when driving over there and eventually i see it). i know they have garden and patio designers/installers. not sure what the cost would be, probably depends on material (bluestone vs. grass, etc.).

i wonder if the neighborhood garden shops (like gardels' garden on s. portland), do garden design? probably worth asking...

Posted by: benno57 at March 13, 2007 12:26 PM in response to landcaping...

the biggest differences between "pro" ranges and "consumer" ones is power. but it isn't a tremendous difference and probably only noticable to people who cook a lot. i have a viking (i had been steered away from thermador and wolf but forget the rationale, it might have had to do with simmering) and love it. there are definitely things i can do on that stove that i couldn't do on my old stove.

i would say the features that i look for these days (besides power) are sealed burners (for easy cleaning) and making sure the control knobs are on the side and not placed on top where they become difficult to use and grimy.

Posted by: benno57 at March 12, 2007 1:33 PM in response to Wolf v. Thermador

'thing' not 'think'. gotta start proofreading...

Posted by: benno57 at March 12, 2007 1:23 PM in response to Development Watch: Washington Bummer

what does your lease say about this?

if nothing, you may want to attach a rider addressing this issue if you choose to renew this tenant's lease.

not sure if there is much else you can do other than let your tenant know about the gas etc. and let them know that you hold them responsible as they are on the lease.

Posted by: benno57 at March 12, 2007 1:23 PM in response to tenants 'guests'

its funny. i walk past this think multiple times daily and my general thought is that it could have been so much worse. this stretch of washington is already a bit of a lost cause. bit of a bummer but we've known this was coming for a long time.

Posted by: benno57 at March 12, 2007 1:20 PM in response to Development Watch: Washington Bummer

you can also check in with the pratt area community council, they have an office down on dekalb. they do a lot of subsidized development for lower income buyers. i know several people who have found good affordable situations through them. it can take a while though and you have to attend all the meetings to qualify.

good luck!

Posted by: benno57 at March 12, 2007 10:26 AM in response to young family seeking to buy, how do we start?

when we bought our townhouse the backyard was just dirt and got fairly good sunlight for a brooklyn backyard. we opted to avoid grass for several reasons, most of them maintenance issues. one of the biggest being mowing. we didn't have space to store a mower, nor did we want to use an edge trimmer or some other smaller option (too much work).

we opted for a wood deck with a raised planting bed for some gardening space. low maintenance, looks great and when we need grass we head to the park.

Posted by: benno57 at March 7, 2007 1:05 PM in response to Grass Back Yards for Brownstones? Possible or not?

where does one find out about such rules? is there a landlord handbook/website out there? i'm a landlord and was unaware that i need inspectors to come to my building regularly...

Posted by: benno57 at March 5, 2007 10:53 AM in response to New sprinkler rules

you both seem to be at fault in this situation. your tenant jumped the gun, but you seemed to be unavailable. i'm not sure what fridge you'd get for $400, it certainly wouldn't be $400 including delivery. the cheapest basic ones seem to be at least $500 including delivery, your tenant really isn't ripping you off significantly (also consider your time having to get that done over the weekend).

regardless, just clarify with your tenant about these situations in the future so they don't happen again.

if the tenant is a pain otherwise, don't renew the lease.

Posted by: benno57 at March 5, 2007 10:38 AM in response to Impatient Tenant

you could try picking up a small handheld snake from the plumbing dept at home depot or lowes. they're in the $20 range and proove pretty good with hair clogs etc... you're out of luck if the clog is too strong for the snake or beyond its reach.

i've had good luck managing cockroaches using off the shelf pesticides (also bought at the big home centers) and just following the directions on the back. but my vermin problems are very small, i can't imagine this approach working with a real infestation.

If you're hoping to be more of a handyman (ahem, handyperson), finding a few good do it yourself books are definitely helpful. i have my father's from the 70's and they're surprisingly up to date for most common problems (patching walls, basic plumbing and electrical work, tiling etc...).

good luck.

Posted by: benno57 at February 28, 2007 4:46 PM in response to Bathroom drains

the only flood you should be concerned about (unless your basement floods anyway), should be from broken water supply hoses. they do make an electrical shut off device that senses when you're using your washer and opens the valves while in use. when the washer isn't being used, the valves close keeping pressure off your lines.

Posted by: benno57 at February 27, 2007 1:54 PM in response to washers in cellars

i was under the impression that they were rather easy to install, you basically unscrew the steam valve and screw in the TRV. the main difference between the valves is that the TRV has a dial on it that will let you set a temperature. you just need to use teflon tape on the threads and be super careful to not cross or strip the threads in the radiator. and, of course, make sure to turn the thermostat down so you don't get blasted in the face with steam.

i don't think that they require batteries. it think it is a plastic valve that operates through expansion/contraction when in contact with the steam.

Posted by: benno57 at February 27, 2007 10:54 AM in response to Anyone use or know about 'Thermostatic radiator valves'?

wow. i'm stunned that a vacant lot is going for as much as 2 and 3 family homes were going for 2-3 years ago.

Posted by: benno57 at February 27, 2007 10:40 AM in response to Party Like It's 2005: Bidding Wars Galore

chillbilly-

i would think that it would be difficult to replace a single hot water heater with 3 separate units regardless of their placement, mostly because your plumbing probably isn't set up for 3 separate zones (if it is an old house).

also, i don't think it really wastes energy transporting hot water up to a 3rd floor, it just wastes water. the hot water has just been sitting in your water tank in the basement and it takes a few seconds for the cold water in your lines to bleed out. if you're looking for instant hot water you could look into adding a recirculating line but i bet that's hard too if you have old plumbing.

Posted by: benno57 at February 26, 2007 2:08 PM in response to Tankless water heater by Paloma

if the condo allows it, get a big dog. best and cheapest protection around. plus you get exercise!

Posted by: benno57 at February 26, 2007 1:53 PM in response to Window bars in ground floor apt?

i rented an apartment in s. park slope 7-8 years ago that had a tankless system. the building was a 3 family and the owner had one tankless heater per unit. they seemed to work very well for the 3 bedroom i rented (2 baths, dishwasher). the only downside seemed to be that when it malfunctioned, parts were hard to find and expensive and not many repair shops knew how to fix them.

i'm pretty sure that they cost a bit more up front than a typical hot water heater. i have know idea what the gas savings was, but my landlord was extremely cheap, so they were probably efficient.

Posted by: benno57 at February 26, 2007 1:38 PM in response to Most Efficient Hot Water

pam and mas is slated to open in the former blimpies, which was the former video basket.

Posted by: benno57 at February 21, 2007 1:19 PM in response to Blimpies in Ft. Greene?? Wha' Happened?

you probably need a new faucet for your kitchen sink. you might be able to replace the broken part (the mixing valve), but it is usually easier to replace the whole unit. cheap replacements can be found at the home depot for as little as $30, but it is usually worthwhile to buy quality.

if, as you say, you have generally poor water pressure, then it makes sense that pressure would drop if you have more than one faucet open at a time.

Posted by: benno57 at February 21, 2007 1:11 PM in response to Strange Mystery Plumbing Issues...

maybe i misunderstand, but i'm a homeonwer and i'm NOT renting. i'm paying off a loan, which is a very different thing.

when i was renting i was paying monthly and when i moved out i got nothing. as an owner, when i move out (meaning when i sell) i'll be getting all my "rent" back. maybe more so.

Posted by: benno57 at February 16, 2007 5:11 PM in response to How low can you offer...?

i'm not sure you'll find any rule of thumb in regards to single vs. multi family. condition & location are going to play a much larger role in valuation. the only way to really figure it out would be to find similar houses in the same neighborhood with different configurations and see what they sold for....

however, and this was important when my wife and i bought, a multi family home means that your mortgage is offset by rental income. a $1 million single family was way beyond our means, but the same price for a 3 family means a managable monthly payment. it is a lot more responsibility in ways, but we wouldn't be homeonwers without the rental income.

Posted by: benno57 at February 9, 2007 1:10 PM in response to Single vs Multi-Family

i've heard that using higher powered heaters (i.e. blowtorches, heat guns) can be a problem if you aren't careful. instead of frozen water expanding and bursting your pipes you could swing the other way and have them burst due to steam that has no where to go.

in terms of finding the frozen water, your water main comes in from the street (in most cases). so, as in my home, the water main comes in from the basement wall facing the street. frozen pipes will always be where it is freezing, so look in the coldest parts of your home!

Posted by: benno57 at February 7, 2007 5:37 PM in response to Frozen Pipes

i've always wondered about that building. if you look up at the chimney as you pass by you can see a ladder that someone was using for repairs (i assume). it has been up there so long there are vines covering it by now.

Posted by: benno57 at September 29, 2006 3:29 PM in response to Wazzup With 447 Clinton Avenue?

we got our kitchen counters there as well as tile for our kitchen floor and bathroom. they were great, they warned us when our choice of finishes would cause problems (staining, scratching etc...) the prices were definitely reasonable and the part i liked best was that they had most of the stuff in stock and you could choose the pieces you wanted yourself. you don't have to wait 6 weeks for an order to arrive....

Posted by: benno57 at September 21, 2006 3:15 PM in response to SMC Stone - Greenpoint

it will almost definitely cost much more to do it in steps instead of all at once. and "cmu" is right, 3 rennovations in 5 years will most likely take the entire 5 years unless you're doing a very stripped down and cheap job.

costs, in general, have a lot to do with materials and finishes. if you plan on restoring period details it will cost significantly more than if you do a real basic rennovation. likewise if you want fancy fixtures, tiles, flooring etc....

Posted by: benno57 at September 19, 2006 4:24 PM in response to cost to convert a three family house

a friend of mine won a PACC local housing lottery to get his apartment several years ago. it required much more of the applicants than just getting your name in. you had to be a neighborhood resident for a certain period of time. there were numerous meetings that you had to attend. you also really do have to be able to qualify financially -- if a recent college grad couldn't pay the mortgage they wouldn't qualify. i think he was originally 80th on the list but ended up getting the first choice of apartments because of people dropping out.

Posted by: benno57 at September 14, 2006 10:45 AM in response to "Affordable" Condos Where Brownstone Stood

should also be noted that the former owner was not a "flipper". she seemed like a nice person who was raising a family there.

Posted by: benno57 at September 13, 2006 12:34 PM in response to Movement to Preserve Lefferts Place Gem

one of my best buddies lived here for years. from what i hear from him, the developer sent the buildings dept after the former owner. piling up tons of violations that she didn't have the resources to remedy, forcing her hand towards selling. i've never understood how that would work since the building always seemed to be in relatively great shape. but that's the story.

the lot next door was not owned the owner of 70 lefferts. a perfectly fine multi-unit building could have gone there without knocking down one of the prettiest houses in the neighborhood.

Posted by: benno57 at September 13, 2006 12:30 PM in response to Movement to Preserve Lefferts Place Gem

i'd be careful of light colored materials in high-traffic common areas unless you're keen on cleaning them all the time. if you find a tile or stone with a dappled color it will do a lot towards hiding the dirt and grime. also make sure you seal the grout otherwise it will look nasty really quickly.

we used cheap home depot style 12" x"12 ceramic tile in our tenant's kitchens and they've held up great, no scratches or chips. for our common hallways we ran out of money and ended up using vinyl tile with a stone-like pattern. they actually worked out great, but our hallways are pretty utilitarian and style wasn't a concern.

Posted by: benno57 at September 11, 2006 2:58 PM in response to Stone Flooring / Ceramic Flooring????

ground floor will become a borders bookstore.

Posted by: benno57 at September 11, 2006 12:18 PM in response to A Shower and a Shave for the W'burgh Bank Tower

oh yeah, we got our counters at SMC stone on morgan ave in greenpoint. they have tons of different slabs and tiles, not sure if they do soapstone though.

Posted by: benno57 at September 7, 2006 1:48 PM in response to Soapstone countertops

i've heard that soapstone, limestone and any honed granite are all stainable. but i've also heard that the wear and tear on soapstone is part of the charm. it is soft enough so it doesn't ruin your knifes if you cut on it (i think the installers use regular woodworking tools to cut the stone).

we ended up choosing a polished black granite for our kitchen because of staining fears and we're generally happy with it however the polished dark surface shows every smudge and streak. at least those smudges aren't permanent stains, i guess....

Posted by: benno57 at September 7, 2006 1:45 PM in response to Soapstone countertops

for $20 you can get a heavy hammer and chisel and do the demo yourself. pretty easy there. the tiling and plumbing are potentially a do-it-yourself project too depending on how handy and confident you feel.

tiling, itself isn't too hard and should only cost af few hundred dollars in labor. materials can go anywhere from $1-$30 sq/ft. installing sinks and toilets is relatively cheap too, particularly if you buy the units yourself. also shouldn't be more than a few hundred dollars.

Posted by: benno57 at September 7, 2006 1:37 PM in response to looking for a general estimate for bathroom renovations

agreed, pretty insane.

should be noted that 171 greene, on the same block, sold not that long ago for $1.425 mil. and the purchaser is condo-ing, rennovating and planning on reselling. woah.

btw, i'm pretty sure that this block was built by two separate developers replacing a delapidated hotel/apartment building. the whole block was built before the rush/gentrification into ft. greene and clinton hill. from washington to 175 were built as three family units by one developer and from 177 to st. james are two family units built by a different company.

Posted by: benno57 at August 9, 2006 11:59 AM in response to House of the Day: Crazily Overpriced on Greene

i had close friends who lived in this building (1st floor apt on the left side) for many years before moving overseas. the building is pretty stunning, pierced plaster crown moldings, stained glass and tiled fireplaces. the only real downside was the concrete backyard with a view of the white castle on atlantic. i can imagine that it is a total pain to keep up, a very large house with tons of details. will be a true shame if it is demolished. i can't imagine that a building this large could be easily transported....

Posted by: benno57 at July 27, 2006 12:31 PM in response to Civil War Era Gem Facing Wrecking Ball

question? is there a skylight in the bathroom where a significant amount of heat loss or draft will occur? If yes, then heat may be necessary, if no then i wouldn't even consider it.

Posted by: an0on at March 21, 2007 7:19 PM in response to bathroom heat

do it. heated floors? awesome.

Posted by: at March 21, 2007 7:23 PM in response to bathroom heat

question? is there a skylight in the bathroom where a significant amount of heat loss or draft will occur? If yes, then heat may be necessary, if no then i wouldn't even consider it.

Posted by: an0on at March 21, 2007 7:24 PM in response to bathroom heat

We renovated a bathroom in the center of our house, top floor with a skylight, and we have no heat. Except for a few very cold days during the winter, I really don't miss it (and I'm one of those people who's always cold).

Posted by: Anonymous at March 21, 2007 8:30 PM in response to bathroom heat

is it the bathroom you will shower in daily? if so, i'd spring for the radiant heat. a little bit of luxury goes a long way. you won't remember that $1250 in 2 years.

Posted by: at March 21, 2007 9:09 PM in response to bathroom heat

That price seems pretty high to me. We put electric radiant heat in our bathroom and it was no more than $600. We didn't have much floor space, really just a standard brownstone bathroom. No need to heat under the tub, so we just used a couple of mats. But it kicks out plenty of heat when you need it.

Posted by: at March 22, 2007 5:40 AM in response to bathroom heat

Electric radiant actually heats the whole bathroom and not just the tiles? I was reading up on it and they didn't recommend electric for heating, but maybe that's a larger room. How much of that price is installation and how much is materials?

Posted by: at March 22, 2007 6:34 AM in response to bathroom heat

We had electric radiant heat installed in a 3rd floor kids bathroom and once we turned it on, the electric bills shot through the roof. I never even noticed when it was on. Now we have it turned off permanently, and haven't missed it on bit. Plus we have a skylight and its still not noticeably cold in the winter....

Posted by: vs at March 22, 2007 8:51 AM in response to bathroom heat

We had electric radiant heat installed in a 3rd floor kids bathroom and once we turned it on, the electric bills shot through the roof. I never even noticed when it was on. Now we have it turned off permanently, and haven't missed it on bit. Plus we have a skylight and its still not noticeably cold in the winter....

Posted by: vs at March 22, 2007 8:52 AM in response to bathroom heat

OP here:
The bathroom is on the ground floor so it has no skylight.

I don't know how the cost is split up between materials and installation, but I trust the electrician not to be ripping me off. But now that I think about it, I wonder if it includes the shower floor. I hope it does, since that is about 1/2 the floor space of the room.

I don't know why I feel like this is the hardest decision I've made yet in this project!

Posted by: at March 22, 2007 9:01 AM in response to bathroom heat