corolla's Profile
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July 14, 2008
Questions on electric baseboard heating
It's hard to talk about heating when it's so warm outside. but we're investigating installing electric baseboard heating in both units of our Brooklyn townhouse for two reasons: 1) To give the tenants control over their own heat, 2) to save money on the heating bills.
I read that natural gas is likely to be at least 25% higher next season, and our heating bill is out of control. We're also looking into a solar electricity solution for the house, this year or next.
Would anyone be willing to share any positive or negative experiences with this sort of heating set-up? The tenants' unit has uneven heat in the winter and the house thermostat needs to be set to 72 degrees to get every nook and cranny up to 68 deg in the daytime. Meanwhile, we boil downstairs.
December 6, 2007
Antique Clawfoot Bathtub w/o Overflow
I have a beautiful antique tub in the upstairs rental unit in my 108 year old brownstone. However the tub has no proper drain on its overflow. There is simply a metal plate with a small (approx 1/4") hole a few inches below the original faucet. Thus when the tub is filled unattended, water streams out onto the floor. During renovation a reputable plumber pointed it out to me and said there was nothing he could do, as the back of the tub is neither straight nor in great condition.
My tenants recently filled the tub up when I was out, and didn't drain it as soon as they noticed the leak. A large amount of water soaked our bathroom and then drained into the basement.
Two questions: 1) is this really how the overflow was designed to work? I've asked some people who say it is how antique tubs did it. 2) What can I do to help ensure the tenants are more careful? I sincerely believe they didn't understand what was happening, since a modern tub has a regular overflow.
Perhaps antique tubs aren't appropriate for rentals.
November 27, 2007
Month to Month Lease?
Hi. I'm a new landlord letting an apartment out in our building for the first time. I have tenants that I am comfortable with, they have passed their background/credit checks, and are willing to take a month to month lease. What is the process to offer them month to month tenancy? Is there no lease at all? Should I just take their first month's rent and security and hand them the keys?
Author's Comments
... = total comment genius.
Posted by: corolla at December 6, 2007 5:36 PM in response to Antique Clawfoot Bathtub w/o Overflow
I think that is high. I would expect it in the rough range of $50-100k for your whole house, though maybe your inspector knew more about what was wrong.
Posted by: corolla at March 13, 2008 11:43 AM in response to Cost for electric and plumbing upgrades
Does anyone know the process for fixing the sidewalk in front of your own house?
Posted by: corolla at March 25, 2008 10:37 AM in response to Bad Sidewalk & Broken Ankles
As I understand the law it is ok to paint over existing paint. Paint that is chipping is a problem, as is anything else that breaks the paint and could put the particles airborne. The pertinent regs are on nyc.gov. I would not go through the lead testing or abatement process unless you are made aware of an unsafe condition.
Posted by: corolla at March 25, 2008 6:19 PM in response to Lead paint abatement, what's the deal?
Take this in terms of relative justice, but if you stiff your landlord on the last month's rent by using the deposit -- and there is ANY damage, dirt, crazy paint or whatever when you leave -- your MO is as unsavory as hers. Even if she's been weird, do the right thing. You're an owner now too so you certainly see this.
That said, without a current lease, all of the above is correct. What would she be able to do to you without a contract, anyway?
Posted by: corolla at April 23, 2008 11:44 PM in response to Shady landlord lease question
We are living below a rental unit in which we exposed and refinished the subfloor. I would recommend highly against anyone else doing this. The noise and footfall vibration is a serious problem. Also we found that even after sanding the wood, the stain and poly didn't adhere well all over.
I'm interested in covering the refinished subfloor with a floating cork floor and acoustic-dampening padding when the tenants eventually vacate. Alternately a new solid hardwood/plywood subfloor solution like PutnamDenizen describes seems good too.
BTW - If anyone else has a positive or negative experience with a cork flooring setup like I described, please share your comments.
Posted by: corolla at May 19, 2008 11:02 AM in response to Subfloors - Opinions...?
I have read that the etcher/acid is extremely toxic. I'm sure it could burn your skin. It's probably burning your lungs too from the sound of it.
That said, etched concrete looks pretty cool.
Posted by: corolla at May 21, 2008 11:20 AM in response to polished concrete floors
Heck, set aside the facts that there are windy conditions in NYC, and that you will need a permit. The "structural wall" with roof flashing that needs to be built around the entire perimeter for drainage seems a long way towards getting a regular deck made anyway.
Posted by: corolla at June 13, 2008 7:47 AM in response to Permit for Roof Deck
This article in the NYTimes discusses your issue:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/realestate/08COV.html?ref=realestate
It says that more buyers want a neutral color scheme instead of bright hues like you are considering. In a nutshell it cites a bunch of brokers that redecorated their apartments knowing what features look good on a sell sheet. Some deviate from conventional wisdom though.
Of course it's your place, but it might be useful to go neutral with the hard-to-replace items like counters and add color with wall paint, accessories and art.
Posted by: corolla at June 13, 2008 8:15 AM in response to Give me some idea about the color for my kithchen countertop
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
While we're on the topic, can anyone recommend someone who could refinish or replace the painted or otherwise damaged woodwork in my brownstone? Most of it was never painted, but some of the windows/sills were and I would like to restore them. I am not a talented DIY person so I will not take the risk of messing it up myself; I would much rather hire someone competent and experienced.
Posted by: geekspice at July 18, 2008 3:20 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Electric baseboards is a great idea for landlords because you pass all the heating costs to the tenant, so your heating bill will drop significantly.
One downside, particularly with small, cramp brownstone apartments, is where to put them. You will need to put one in every room except the kitchen, and, more problematic, the boards are typically 4' or 6' long, and they really only heat well if unobstructed (no furniture in front of them). So that's 4' to 6' of wall space that you and the tenants will need to keep bare in each room, and space is obvioulsy one thing brownstones don't have much of.
A second concern would be whether your wiring can handle it, because if the wires get too hot, then you have a fire risk on your hands.
A 3rd issue, not really your problem but, your tenants might not like that their electric bill is $100 higher, NYC tenants are not used to paying for their heat, and if this becomes too popular it will put some heating/oil companies out of business; so in more than one way there might be a ground swell against it.
If you ever get in major flooring work done, then floor heating systems might be a good idea. Heating guys will still suffer, but it would solve the space problem, wiring concerns, you can still have it done in a way that the tenant bares most of the costs, and it'll cost much less electricity.
Posted by: dpadean at July 18, 2008 3:31 PM in response to Questions on electric baseboard heating
As one who's painted most of the trim (admittedly replacement stuff) and now enjoy the added lightness of the room, I say dark wood is a crime, light wood may be ok but is better only if it's something exotic (and is prefect.)
Posted by: cmu at July 18, 2008 4:24 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
i definitely agree with CMU. all that dark wood makes it look as if you live in some dickensian coffin. nicely painted woodwork is beautiful: it lightens up a brownstone, making it look fresh and airy instead of overpowering and dark. you can do beautiful things with paint; who wants to live in a morgue? 'fundamentalist brownstoners'--those who don't believe anything 'original' can be changed--make no more sense than any kind of fundamentalist.
Posted by: chelseagirl at July 18, 2008 4:53 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Ultimately its your house and you have o be happy in it, but I so hate to see beautiful carving and millwork covered in paint.half the beauty is the flow and change of the grain and if its simply that you want lighter color, consider removing the varnish and maybe bleaching. Steve could probably best answer if that's a good option or not, and what kind of wood it works best on. and varnish can darken drastically over time, so sometimes the dark color you see may be a result of that.
My friend's house is a mix of woods with the divider and columns, and pier mirror frame a mahogany, but fireplaces are a medium oak and my living room fireplace is a light colored nearly grainless wood which I think might be maple??? Dark wood can limit your design choices sometimes, but it is so rich looking.
Good luck, whatever you decide but don't forget to post pictures!
Posted by: bxgrl at July 18, 2008 6:37 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Yeah, I think alot has to do with the type of wood, which you have not mentioned. Softwoods, like pine and poplar, were made to be painted. Hardwoods, like oak and mahogany, would be a crime to paint. (altho I'm agnostic on maple, it's a hardwood but a boring hardwood). By all means, strip the old varnish off hardwood and lighten it up, but painting it will be a crime, and will likely cost you money at resale.
Posted by: denton at July 18, 2008 7:48 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
When I first became aware of the amazing woodwork that can be in brownstones, I was definitely in the school of thought that said strip every stick of wood, and don't paint anything. I've since modified my position slightly.
One of the houses on our Crown Heights house tour last year had some of the most amazing fretwook and woodwork I've ever seen. The homeowner stripped and restored the very elaborate entryway, hall, front and middle parlours. The wood is a warm, golden oak. But in the back parlour, which is her dining room, she painted the woodwork white, and the walls were a very pretty blue. The white woodwork was a really nice contrast, and the blue paint made it pop. Her antique wood dining room set brought wood tones into the room, and it worked really nicely. I don't think it would have been as nice with another woodworked room.
Long story long, I think the most ornate woodwork, and best woods - mahagonny, cherry, golden oak, etc should not be painted, especially if already natural. But I have no problem with some well thought out variety. If you do paint pristine wood, (it still hurts!) please put a coat of water based varnish between the wood and the paint, to prevent your paint from soaking into the wood grain, thereby making a future stripping job even more difficult.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at July 19, 2008 11:41 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Southslope is right that painted woodwork WAS done in period homes, especially after 1900. Dark woodwork was highly unfashionable in Edwardian homes. I have a book by the first widely famous modern interior designer, who emerged in the Edwardian era, Elsie de Wolfe and she is absolutely SCATHING about dark woodwork and the Victorian look in general. After the Victorian era was finished people back then were thinking, okay moving on, let's lighten up a little.
However, despite my love of painted woodwork I would not paint stained woodwork that's detailed and special and in perfect condition.
You could do mixed painted and stained woodwork. We have that in our home, and I've seen it in professionally designed brownstone interiors too. It does not have to be all one or the other. There is no rule about that. You can absolutely mix them. Leave the carved wood stained, such as on the stair banisters or the fireplace, and things like moldings and baseboards you can paint.
Posted by: traditionalmod at July 20, 2008 11:54 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Do Not Paint Vintage Wood Paneling!
Posted by: James Patience at July 21, 2008 3:14 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?
Oh... I realized I didn't actually chime in on your question. I would simply eyeball the mix in a cup or small bucket. Add little bits of water and stir it up to the proper, peanut-buttery consistency. Hopefully you won't have to buy a huge bag of thinset for a little job like that; maybe you can borrow a bit from someone.
Posted by: corolla at August 7, 2008 4:38 PM in response to Premixed Thinset
Thanks for your helpful comments. Of course I'm on crack. Why else would I ask for help from the Brownstoner forums?
Posted by: corolla at November 27, 2007 2:24 PM in response to Month to Month Lease?