this person was mentioned positively on the bococa mailing list.has anyone used her?
Jess works on water/waste/heating/fixtures/systems. Her number is 917.207.2403.

Posted by: gowanusgus at November 13, 2009 12:57 PM in response to Installing Faucet - No Brainer?

what about for low ceilings? the pendant lights don't work because they hang down and make the room seem even smaller; the wall scones are also low enough to hurt someone walking by. Is there a lighting solution here?

Posted by: gowanusgus at October 29, 2009 2:49 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

Two follows ups:

1) our tenants live on the top floor and have a separate boiler for heating - would roof insultation help us on the bottom two floors or just the top unit?

2) we have an extention that is freezing - any good ideas for wall insulation without having to open up the walls?

Posted by: gowanusgus at October 21, 2009 6:02 PM in response to Weatherizing My Brownstone

yes, its useless without user reviews....

Posted by: gowanusgus at October 7, 2009 1:58 PM in response to Brownstoner Directory Launches

i looked at this house last year before buying another...the kitchen got new cabinets, the living room painted and new fireplace, another staircase that connected 1st and 2nd floor removed, kitchen removed on third floor (to make it into one family), new backyard patio...seems like a pretty good amount of renovation took place.

Posted by: gowanusgus at September 24, 2009 4:46 PM in response to 18 1st Street - Accepted Offer

I bought my house there last year!
We never smell the canal, we have never gotten any flooding (even with all the rain in the past year.) Those blocks slant uphill from the canal so i think so long as you're a bit higher than the canal area, you're in good shape (i'm not aware of my neighbors having flooding problems.) There is a risk of major area flooding in case of a hurricane, which would have adverse health effects (since the gowanus water is so yucky) but that's why we're hoping the superfund process and city improvements get started.
we are a little bit stressed about superfund OR toll brothers construction making the area a construction zone for the next 3-9 years. right now, these are super quiet blocks always with parking spaces on street. but both things could have a short term impact on property values. we're going to be here awhile (we hope) so trying not to let these looming things affect our enjoyment of the area now.
good luck!

Posted by: gowanusgus at September 15, 2009 5:20 PM in response to Living Near the Gowanus

Mr. B,

What is your LTV? I am refinancing with Chase too and can't seem to get better than 7/8th of a point with similar building to yours. My banker there insists I have the best possible rate and was surprised your points were so low. I am also a premier platinum customer.

Thx for sharing! gowanusgus at gmail.com!

Posted by: gowanusgus at May 15, 2009 11:43 AM in response to Refinancing: How Sweet It Is

For the case for superfund, go here:
http://www.superfundgowanus.org/

And a meeting with the community, elected officials and the EPA will take place May 26th, 6:30 at the PS 32 auditorium (b/w union and president.)
http://www.brooklyncb6.org/calendar/#26

Posted by: gowanusgus at May 14, 2009 9:52 PM in response to meeting to discuss SUPERFUND!

thanks all - its definitely a two family so the issue isn't whether its a 1 or a 2 family but whether its beneficial to have a C or O or NOT have one (grandfathered.)

Sam, are you saying if I change it from what it was (nothing) to a formal 2 family C or O they'll get suspicious?

Posted by: gowanusgus at May 14, 2009 1:26 PM in response to C of O Issue

third endorsement...great company

Posted by: gowanusgus at May 13, 2009 5:18 PM in response to Recommending Great Electrician

get a Bilco insulated hatch, which I did to replace the rickety plywood hatch with gaps I had in my roof.

Recommend to the underside of your roof with Rockwool (Roxul.com), the big advantage besides being recycled is that this stuff doesn't burn...fiberglass and cellulose burn like crazy or have to be treated with a nasty chemical.

Of course it is better to install batts instead of having it blown in because blown in will always settle over time. But of course this would require a lot of the plaster/sheetrock to come down.

You can also blow in insulation behind you plaster and lath if the plaster is not applied directly to the brick on your facade.

Posted by: Emperium at October 21, 2009 9:37 PM in response to Weatherizing My Brownstone

Watch out for the blown in insulation it does settle
Definitely look into roof insulation and take advantage of the Energy Tax Credits the gov't is offering (Form 5695).

Posted by: LNBlog at October 22, 2009 5:24 PM in response to Weatherizing My Brownstone

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Posted by: batticdoor at October 22, 2009 9:28 PM in response to Weatherizing My Brownstone

Recessed lighting is inappropriate in an old house. It will be extremely unpopular with buyers. It is also going out of fashion very quickly. It is the equivalent of shag carpet.

Where it is appropriate is in a loft. That's where it started.

Your wife is right.

But no one says you are stuck with one ceiling light in every room. For example, you can have pendant lights over the kitchen table, wall sconces in the bath and a variety of other rooms, double lights over the sinks, floor lamps and lamps on tables, etc. Best to keep the permanent fixtures simple and classic.

Posted by: mopar at October 29, 2009 4:52 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

We put it in the kitchen, task areas, combined with some old schoolhouse pendants over the island. Love it.

We put some (less than recommended) in the master bedroom, because it was just too large to light with lamps, plus it's not an overly architecturally detailed room. At first we cringed but now we agree it was the right thing to do.

In the living room we resisted and boy are we glad we did. It would have been criminal to see all those cans up in that beautifully smooth plaster. That said, we are struggling to get the right indirect lighting going there--but we'll get it eventually.

Buy good fixtures. 4" maximum. Low voltage is nice in kitchens, otherwise line voltage is fine--though it does get a bit hot.

Posted by: guywithahouse at October 29, 2009 5:08 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

"Wall scones are a classic feature and again if not too many, work well."

the raisins get hot though in wall scones

"Recessed lighting is inappropriate in an old house"

generalizations are generally true, especially when it comes to taste

Posted by: raphael9 at October 29, 2009 6:09 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

I vote with no recessed in parlors, dining rooms, bedrooms for a house with detail - i.e. not a gut, but OK in kitchen, hall, bathroom.

Posted by: mimi at October 29, 2009 6:15 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

Okay so here is what WE decided on together. In the bedrooms there will be both recessed and a center fixture on ceiling. Both will be controlled on different switches, and all will have the ability to dim. Hall will have it also, as well as kitchen. Our parlor and dining room will NOT have it. The basement since it's only about 8 feet high will have the recessed lighting. The bedroom will also have night lamps on both corner tables. Even though I said that bedrooms will have recessed lighting there is a very slight chance that me may toss out that idea since we will have table lamps.

Posted by: Attention2detail at October 29, 2009 7:26 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting, hunh? You sure you wouldn't prefer track lights? To go with your granite countertops and stainless steel appliances?

mmmm... taste-y....

Posted by: bfarwell at October 29, 2009 11:55 PM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

Would be very nervous about recessed lighting and updating--it's the kind of thing that will go out of fashion, and which turns off a segment of buyers. And it's expensive.

In general, I'd think going with classic fixtures--wall sconces, ceiling lights, etc--is the smart bet. Using fixtures that are modern (ie, don't turn the gaslights back on) but consistent with the turn of the century "look" of the house is probably the safest thing to do. There's a danger of doing something that screams "2000" and then trying to sell in 2020, when something else is fashionable.

That said, if you're staying a long time, do what YOU like. It's your home.

Posted by: bkrules at October 30, 2009 11:12 AM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting