johnife's Profile
- John Ife
- 1985
- 2005
- Brooklyn
- Boerum Hill
- House
- Construction Estimator
- Male
- 60
Author's Posts
May 5, 2008
In-street sewer repair
I came home tonight and saw a puddle of what seems to be putrid water in a depression in the road about 8 feet out from the curb line in front of our house. It seems to be roughly in line with the sewer pipe exit point in our cellar. The water main entry point is right next to the sewer exit point though, so I guess the leak in the road could be water rather that sewerage but I doubt it because of the color and the fact that it's not bubbling up under pressure. No evidence of back-ups in our house, at least not yet.
Who would be responsible for this repair, us or the City? What's the procedure? Do I call 311 for the City to check it out first? If it falls onto my plate, does anyone have contractor recommendations? Any ideas of cost?
Thanks.
April 12, 2008
Save the Fish!
I got rid of some of my American Pond Fish babies last year but those that remain from the litter of 2007 have survived the winter and are still too numerous to be supported in my modest pool. If you have your own underpopulated pond, have a soft spot (as I do) for these "anti-koi" (they're kinda like normies rather than hipsters), and want to save them from a life negotiating the City sewers, please, please come and take them off my hands. There are about 10 - 15 for which (whom?) I need to find a new home. I'm located on State between Nevins and Third Avenue. Email me at johnife A T Panix D O T com.
April 8, 2008
Roofing / Solar Panels
I may be re-doing the roof on my 20' 0" x 45' 0" brownstone this year. If I do, I'll be looking to incorporate provisions for future installation of solar panels. Is there anybody out there who's done this, or who already has panels and retrofitted existing roofing to provide the panel supports? Do the supports comprise posts coming up from the joists, through the roofing, with pitch pockets or flashings at each post or is it done via steel beams spanning between the party wall parapets? If the former, did you have to reinforce the existing roof joists? Any advice and insight would be much appreciated as would recommendations for solar installers that are based on actual experience.
Thanks.
April 1, 2008
Dirt Floor
Who still has one in their brownstone cellar? Mine is still dirt and since, with a garden level rental apartment, the only access to the cellar without going through the tenant's unit is via the front or back hatch and I can't see really using it for anything except storage for myself and the tenant and as a workspace, I have the feeling that it will remain so for the duration of my ownership. The space is dry and eminently suitable for my purposes but I was wondering what people's feelings are on the detriment, if any, to the value of a brownstone with this set-up as compared to one where the cellar has been excavated and finished? Yeah, it would be cool to have a pool table or something down there, but how often would it be used if you're clambering down a hatch to get there?
March 21, 2008
Anyone still use oil-based paint?
This week I was using latex gloss paint on the woodwork in the room I'm re-decorating, When the can ran out I hunted in the tool room for another can of matching color and found one that I had bought about a year ago before I forsook my notion that, for woodwork, oil-based was superior to latex. Now, having seen the finish on my latest work, I think it was a mistake to give up that notion. Despite the longer drying time and messier brush clean-up, I reckon the smoother, almost mirror-like finish of oil-based makes the inconvenience more than worthwhile. "Save petroleum products for paint!", I say.
Painting quotes
I have, from time to time, seen people post here what seem to be outrageous prices they have been quoted or have paid for painting projects. Having taken this week off for holdover vacation (which had to be taken before the end of March) to redo one of the top-floor rooms in the house, and being only about 75% done despite 10 hour work days, I am intrigued as to whether those prices include the myriad prep tasks that are required. Do they include, for instance, cutting out and replacing areas of soft plaster, reaming out and patching cracks, painting not only walls but the woodwork too, including sanding down/filling original paint imperfections, cutting in different colors, etc., etc.? I gotta say that, if they do, based on my experience, those painters ain't overcharging.
March 12, 2008
Top reasons for leaving Brooklyn
Anyone else notice the incongruity on a site like Brownstoner of the banner ad for the Opal Ridge detached houses in Staten Island with the "leave Brooklyn" tag-line? Aren't y'all jonesin' to move to SI and invest your housing cost savings in a Disney vacation?
February 29, 2008
Age/DIY survey
...well it's not really a survey in the scientific sense, I guess, more a sort of "I wonder if my crackpot theory has any validity" kinda thing.
I've always had the feeling that the folks who do their own work on renovations or routine maintenance (at least, the work that doesn't need special skills, e.g. plastering) rather than just going out and hiring someone to do every little job tend to be older people, say 45 and above. I further speculate that the reason for this may be that childrens' play has changed over the past decades from games centered around independent interaction with and manipulation of physical objects (thus creating a confidence in manual dexterity skills) to much more "button-pushing" type of recreational activities. My theory postulates that we might actually be creating a society lacking in practicality, certainly in a manual sense and possibly, by extension, in the realm of grasping and/or imagining creative solutions to physical problems in general.
Any data you can contribute to confirm or shoot down at least the premise at the core of my theory? Can be as simple as, "Age xx, do most work myself"
February 20, 2008
Atlantic Avenue Valentines Day Auction
Anyone know if the contiguous lots on Atlantic opposite the House of Detention sold at the auction On Feb 14th?
January 21, 2008
Plaster question (long & complicated)
I'm currently painting my parlor ceiling (first time since we moved in over 10 years ago - yeah, we're slobs) and I've got a few questions regarding the decorative plaster.
Firstly, what's the "official" name for the kind of wreath in the corner of the ceiling shown in the picture? Is it called a medallion, like the decorative item that typically appears in the center of the ceiling, or does it have another name? For the purposes of my subsequent questions, I'll just call it a "wreath".
One of the wreaths had some cracks across it and I could push it in its center and feel that it had separated from the substrate. The same situation had occurred on one of the non-decorative areas of the ceiling and I had taken down what proved to be a skim coat over the basic plaster ceiling in that area and re-applied a new skim coat. I couldn't adopt such a cavalier attitude in the case of the wreath, however, for fear of the whole decorative emblem falling down. I cut out a square in the center of it and discovered that, while still comprising basically a skim coat over the plaster, it had some kind of fiber mixed in with it (horse hair?). I figured that one way to attach it back to the substrate was to cut a series of sections out of it, in the flat areas, work some vinyl spackle into the gap between the skim coat and the plaster substrate at the edges of the sections I cut out, and wedge up the entire wreath to the substrate until the spackle set and hardened and, hopefully adhered the wreath to the plaster again. Of course, the actual decorative portions of the wreath are still not actually stuck to the plaster, but I figure the bonding in the remaining areas, together with the fiber that seems to make the wreath more or less monolithic, will keep it up there. With just a couple more sections to cut out and adhere, it seems to be working pretty well. Am I on the right track with this method, or should I have done what I thought might be an alternative, namely cutting out the entire wreath at its edges, hoping it all stayed in one piece, and re-adhere it in-toto?
So, then I come to the back half of the parlor and find that I have a similar situation with another of the wreaths, except, this time, rather that a couple of distinct cracks in the skim coat, the entire flat portion in the center is sort of "crackled". This similar to what portions of the cove at the perimeter of the room looked like and I was very pleasantly surprised to see that, when I painted these areas of cove, it was like the paint was penetrating the surface and actually in and of itself adhering the skim coat to the plaster substrate. Essentially the "crackling" virtually disappeared. Is this feasible and, if so, would it be likely to have the same effect in the area of the second wreath, thus saving me the painstaking "cut out / pin back with spackle" routine?
Last question (I promise). One of the eight wreaths has been bodged (yeah, English word for which I know no US equivalent - look it up) beyond repair by previous owners. Has anyone used one of those artisans who reproduce and duplicate existing plaster details and, if so, could you offer recommendations and maybe some idea of what the cost was?
Sorry to be so long-winded, and thanks for any replies (except vitriolic ones!)
Author's Comments
The panels ain't real wood, they're metal with a faux wood paint (this according to one of the workers whom I asked as they were being installed). Thus longevity of the panels themselves should not be an issue. The overall exterior envelope sandwich, however, is, to me at least, somewhat suspect. The panels are acting as a rain screen. That is, they have gaps between them which, I'm pretty sure, will not be caulked. In "rain screen" envelopes, the barrier to moisture entering the building is typically an impervious (usually metal) skin that it situated a couple of inches inside the line of the facing panels. So far as I could see, when the exterior closure was being constructed, the barrier behind the panels was basically tar paper. If that is the case, and what with all the penetrations that must have been made through it for the attachment of the furring channels supporting the "wood" panels, I think the chances of a good driving rain finding its way into the building interior are pretty high.
Posted by: johnife at September 12, 2007 1:54 PM in response to 326 State Street: Eating Our Words
Lisa.
Have you no shame, you tawdry whore?
John Ife
Posted by: johnife at September 15, 2007 5:16 PM in response to ULTIMATE 2628SF CONDO LOFT!!!
guest at September 20, 2007 8:14 AM:
"...The pet scratched the kitchen cabinets into oblivion, burnt out the internal vacuum with all the dog hair, and smoked so much that the place smelled like an ashtray for 6 months afterwards."
The image of a dog vacuuming the floors with a cig hanging out of its mouth is forever emblazoned in my mind!
Posted by: johnife at September 20, 2007 9:18 AM in response to Advice on Subletting
I agree with guest at September 20, 2007 12:43 PM. I don't see how the cellar can be anything else but in excess of 50% below grade which, per NYC code, makes it a non-habitable space. The plan even seems to acknowledge that, to some degree, by calling the room next to the mechanical room "home occupation", a variation of "recreation room" I guess. If I'm right, there's no way you're allowed to have even one full bathroom down there, let alone two.
I applaud your decision to blog this development but I have to say the high regard I held you in for doing it is now somewhat muted by what seems to be an attempt to make an end run around (at least the intent of) the code with regard to basements.
Posted by: johnife at September 20, 2007 1:47 PM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 6
Figure around $250 to $275 excluding foundation and sitework costs (these elements usually remaining intact after all disasters but those involving bombs or alien laser cannons). That number would include finishes. I can't imagine why individual owners would be responsible for things like partition drywall, suspended drywall ceilings, wood flooring (all considered "finishes") but, if they really are, then you could reduce that number by $40 or so.
Posted by: johnife at September 21, 2007 1:40 PM in response to Square Foot Construction Costs
A liberal application of mineral spirits, vigorous use of a scrubbing brush, and rinsing off with a water hose. Repeat as necessary.
Posted by: johnife at September 26, 2007 11:39 AM in response to Getting grease out of bluestone
Were heat pumps not discussed as an option? If they were, what drawbacks resulted in their rejection?
Posted by: johnife at September 27, 2007 12:03 PM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 7
rf,
The building to which you refer, at 420 12th Street is called Ansonia Court not The Ansonia. I know because I used to live there and was a board member for a few years.
Posted by: johnife at September 27, 2007 2:13 PM in response to Condo of the Day: Ansonia Loft
Irrespective of the quality of the mall's architecture or of the stores, merchandise, quality, and service levels therein, can someone explain to me since when it became socially acceptable on a public forum to assign racial connotations to those qualities by defining them as "ghetto" or "not ghetto"? Shameful!
Posted by: johnife at September 28, 2007 12:28 PM in response to Atlantic Terminal Station Starting to Show its Face
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Both myself and my neighbors made big changes without permits. Our plans of the house were vague enough (bathroom not mapped out at all) that we and the GC figured come sale time (no time soon) we would be fine. When we got a dumpster it was there for a morning and then picked up quickly. This was in Red Hook. Neighbors selling their house now for a TON of money, so assuming no problems with the work in their case.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 1:36 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
Excuse me, 11:48, we bought our house "as is", with no CO in '01, which was very common, and probably continues so unless we have a major re crash. Even our well-regarded attorney told us not to worry about some violations on the books and fix it ourselves later (we never officialy did, we have an "unpainted hallway" and "hole in wall" on the books.)
We got a mortgage, and re-fi-ed in '03 with no problems.
Who are these people who can't finance, sell or otherwise have problems in Brooklyn? Any specific examples?
Btw, parking a dumpster requires a permit for parking a dumpster, not for anything else. The dumpster permitteers probably don't talk to the others.
Posted by: cmu at May 16, 2008 3:14 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
3:14 your tenants can legally withhold rent if you have rental apartments. They can easily find out that you have no c of o.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 3:37 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
3:14 if you think that mortgages are the same now as in '01 or '03 you are crazy. there is no way anyone will get a mortgage in the current climate without a correct c of o. we tried on a house recently and the bank wouldn't hear of it. the owner suggested taking out kitchens, etc, so that the house would look as if it were correct according to the c of o. lot of time and money nobody wanted to touch.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 3:42 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
I agree with everything that John Ife says except that the Dryvit POS on Third and Atlantic just behind Hank's does have people living in it.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 3:56 PM in response to Van Brody
I did the same thing you are thinking of a couple years ago. No permits.
And my life is just fine.
And it is b.s. about tenants not paying rent.
You can use a 4 family as 3...just not a 3 as a 4 family.
The rental apts have their cOFo.
If you look at houses for sale - you will find plenty of examples of 4 families used as 3.
As far as going thru the process of new CofO for 3 family ---- you would end up with high taxes because assessed at new full value with new CofO.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 3:58 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
The same debate is repeated. You don't normally need a c of o for an old building. However, once you change it from a 4 to a 3 for example, and file permits with dob, you will need to get a c of o.
I would suggest doing the work without one. I recently converted my 3 family to a 2. I used an architect and got the proper permits. 600k later, the dob inspector came and checked everything off in the house but then had many objections for the exterior. Things like a cracked step on my stoop. Now I'm spending 30k more. Once the permits are there, I have to follow thru until the C of O or I cannot refi. There is no guarantee that when the DOB comes back they will not have another list of objections.
If you get a permit to put up a few walls and the dob comes in, they will find things like not enough outlets on each wall.
As for tenants not paying rent if you don't have a c of o, people are confused. If you have a 4 family and you illegally add a 5th, then the tenant can withold rent. Very few brownstones have a c of o.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 4:50 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
I don't get it - you hire a good taper for new rock - there should be no reason to completely skim the whole surface. A taper is going to estimate the job by the number of boards used in the job pretty much.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 4:54 PM in response to Is skim coating necessary?
What a thread.
1. There are jobs I would do without a permit, but certainly not combining two floors, which involves a change of use and occupancy. The various risks involved don't go away with time - in the future the dob can make you put the whole thing back the way it was if they don't approve it after the fact; a future buyer may or may not want to see evidence that the work was done properly and inspected.
2. You do not have to change your c of o if you use a 4 fam as a 3. You can, but you don't have to. And changing it isn't going to lower your taxes, as you'll get reassessed.
3. If you think the 'cost' and hassle of getting the city involved is too much, you can't afford the job at this time.
4. If your insurer finds out that you did this kind of work without proper permits, and without telling them in advance that you are doing the work, they could drop you. No I'm not kidding. And if there is a claim against you of any kind resulting from the work, whether it is justified or not, you will be on your own.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 5:04 PM in response to do we need a building permit?
If you're combining old walls with new walls in the same room, you'll want to skim coat so that it's uniform. Otherwise it's painfully obvious that some walls are old and some are new.
If it's ALL new, you probably don't need the skim coat.
Posted by: guest at May 16, 2008 5:19 PM in response to Is skim coating necessary?
cm's answer is mostly correct (though I would strenuously disagree with his definition of building height as being the overriding factor in decision making) but leaves out some subtleties that are worth mentioning.
Up until about 3 to 4 years ago it was a no-brainer to go with cast-in-place concrete for residential buildings. Other than load-bearing masonry walls and concrete plank floors (a system that has a practical height limitation of an absolute maximum of 8 floors or so and which puts severe limitations in interior layout), a flat plate concrete structure is the only one that keeps the ratio between structural floor-to-floor height and ceiling height to a minimum. Because there are no beams and the ceiling finish can be applied in most areas (typically excepting kitchens, bathrooms and corridors, where ductwork and pipes run) directly to the bottom of the concrete slab, you can get a 9' 0" ceiling height out of a 9'8" structural height. With steel construction each floor has additional structural height by virtue of the presence of beams and the necessity to conceal the metaldeck (upon which the concrete floors are poured) and the steel fireproofing with a hung drywall ceiling. The concealment problem may not be an issue if wide concrete planks are used for the floors but obviating the joints between the planks is pretty damned difficult at anyone who has stared at the ceiling from a cheap motel bed will testify. Thus, with steel construction you're building an extra 1' 0" to 2' 0" of every vertical building element than you would be doing with a concrete job: exterior walls, interior partitions, plumbing risers and waste pipes, etc., etc.. Plus the cost of putting in a drywall ceiling is $10/SF versus the $2/SF or so for the direct-on-concrete Kadex finish.
All that logic changed, however, when about 3 or 4 years ago the cost per SF for concrete frames started rising from the $30 - $35 they had been coming in at for years to $40, then $50 and ultimately, today, $75 to $80/SF. Of course this increase is out of all proportion the escalation in the cost of labor and material and can be explained in two ways. One is the increase in residential construction volume during that period and the consequent ability of the limited number of concrete subcontractors to pick and choose jobs and increase profit margins. The other possible explanation is rather less savory and I'd probably end up with concrete boots in the East River if I expounded on it.
So, now it's suddenly a horse race cost-wise between the two systems. Concrete still has two distinct advantages not directly related to construction cost, however. One is that, because of the lesser structural floor-to-floor height you can fit more floors in tall building that is limited by zoning regulations to a maximum height. If there's a 300 ft height limitation you can fit in 31 floors with concrete but only 26 or so with steel. The other of these two advantages is that a concrete frame can be started much sooner; you don't have to deal with the delay in getting a mill order in and with the time it takes for shop drawing preparation and approval and for steel fabrication. As we all know, time is money....and I've spent much to much time on this lengthy explanation.
Posted by: johnife at August 30, 2007 10:01 PM in response to Merits of steel frame construction vs. poured concrete