You should definitely consider Michael Streaman of MRS Inc (718-832-5958). He completed our 4-story reno early this year and we are very happy with the results. Friends who recommended him are also very pleased. He has 20+ yrs of experience with Brooklyn brownstones, great subcontractors, a very nice crew, works quickly and offers a lot of practical and smart design input. Good luck!

Posted by: ksquared at October 6, 2009 10:29 AM in response to Brownstone Contractor Needed

We used Petroleum Tank Cleaners (718-624-4842) last year to have our 2 tanks removed. It cost less than $1,500, took a few hours, the guys were very nice and the office provided an affidavit for the FDNY. It was a relatively painless process and we recommend them.

Posted by: ksquared at October 5, 2009 1:35 PM in response to OIL TANK REMOVAL/SEALING?

Windsor Terrace/Kensington offer easy street parking. Also, the neighborhood is quiet and safe, so may be very appealing to older folks.

Posted by: ksquared at May 1, 2009 9:55 PM in response to parking? how bad is it?

John Thomas is a master refinisher, who does exquisite work. He was featured on TOH's NY Project and can be reached at jmtstudios@aol.com.

Posted by: ksquared at April 3, 2009 7:57 PM in response to ISO Rec for Front Door Repair

We have a ground floor 1BR avail 4/1 in a just renovated brownstone on a prime Prospect Hgts. block. It has brand new everything--hardwood floors, kitchen with stainless appliances (including dishwasher and a great 5-burner stove), stackable washer/dryer, bathroom, ceiling fans. There are also beautiful original wood details--wainscotting and a decorative mantelpiece. The house also has completely new plumbing, electric and heating systems.
Close to restaurants and shopping on Washington and Vanderbilt Aves. Blocks from 2/3 and Q/B.
Please contact me for more info. kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com.
Thanks!

Posted by: ksquared at March 20, 2009 10:03 PM in response to neighborhood advice needed

We just had a few made by TomKat (www.tomkatfw.com) that we love. They are a husband/wife team and do nice work in a variety of styles (e.g.,mission, metal grilled, etc.). They also can work as heated window seats.

Posted by: ksquared at March 2, 2009 3:05 PM in response to Radiator covers

Kevin Perez is at 917-685-8752. Good Luck!

Posted by: ksquared at February 13, 2009 5:08 PM in response to Frieze restoration

Smokychimp, are you refering to the filing of building plans by an architect? If so, we have done that to get our approved building permits, etc... What are TR1's and PW1 forms? I have actually been discussing doing the C of O filing myself with our architect. We had an expeditor doing all the prior steps of our job (filing Alt 1 app) and this is our first renovation, so I am trying to get some information and help.Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at February 13, 2009 3:01 PM in response to C of O change without Expeditor

Kevin Perez did the on-site plaster work for the TOH house. He's awesome. Try to look him up or I'll post his number later when I can find it.

Posted by: ksquared at February 13, 2009 1:14 PM in response to Frieze restoration

The Forbo tiles are gone.
The Daltile hexagons are definitely for bathrooms. We are using them in all of ours.
Please try the link for a picture of the sconce and email me at kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com if you can't find it.

Thanks!

Posted by: ksquared at February 7, 2009 3:32 PM in response to BathTile and Sconce, Linoleum

If you lived in OPP, you would most likely be coming home from Manhattan via the 2/3 to GAP or the Q/B to 7th Ave. So, your walk home would be across Vanderbilt Ave, which has only a moderate volume of traffic--you would not be crossing the GAP main rotary, which I think Sam noted.

Posted by: ksquared at January 28, 2009 8:35 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Tim Curran of Safe Haven (718-745-6517) is thorough and knowledgeable. We and good friends were very happy with his services. Good luck!

Posted by: ksquared at January 19, 2009 4:58 PM in response to Brownstone inspector

Hi,
Can you send me photos and dimensions of the solid door?
thanks,Karen
kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com

Posted by: ksquared at November 20, 2008 10:33 AM in response to Doors for sale

Correction, ianddee@gmail.com. Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at September 26, 2008 9:17 PM in response to Clawfoot tub

We have a 5 ft clawfoot tub in Prospect Hgts. It's in good shape. Email me if you are interested --iandeedee@gmail.com.

Posted by: ksquared at September 26, 2008 8:01 PM in response to Clawfoot tub

pig three,
Can you email photos of your spindles (how many do you have?) and newel to kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com?
Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at September 9, 2008 9:20 PM in response to House of the Day: 293 Prospect Place

Hello,
I am interested in your radiator. Pls email me at kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at August 13, 2008 3:49 PM in response to Victorian Radiator for Sale

Hello,
I am very interested. Pls email me at kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com.
Thanks!

Posted by: ksquared at August 3, 2008 5:47 PM in response to 4" Select White Oak Unfinished Flooring for sale

Forgot to include my email--kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at August 1, 2008 7:40 PM in response to Bathtub available

Hi there,
I am very interested in your tub. How much is it? What are the dimensions? Thanks.

Posted by: ksquared at August 1, 2008 7:38 PM in response to Bathtub available

henrystreet, or any other home hunters:
We will be listing our 2BR/2BA Prospect Hgts condo very shortly. Planning to do the sale ourselves. If you are interested in details, please email me at kevinonbianchi@yahoo.com.

Thanks and good luck!

Posted by: ksquared at February 12, 2008 2:20 PM in response to Realtor search vs. no realtor?

Here's clarification for 9:21am:
I am proposing that the seller get the C of O changed out of SRO status to a 1 or 2-family, whichever is quickest and easiest (they started to work w/an architect and have some rough plans already), so that we can proceed with the deal.
Then, after I purchase I would do the final C of O change to 3 family. So, I will be handling one C of O change.

Posted by: ksquared at November 16, 2007 9:35 AM in response to Another SRO question

You can tell the Brooklyn rental market is dead when two out of six comments are folks trying to rent their apartments.

I've been following Brownstoner since the beginning and only very recently have folks started trying to rent apartments on this website.

It tells me that you should negotiate hard when you're looking at places to rent in Brooklyn.

Posted by: IronBalls at March 21, 2009 3:17 AM in response to neighborhood advice needed

If you both have to get to Union Square every day Williamsburg and Prospect Heights are the two places you should be aiming for. Williamsburg will feel a lot more like home if you're coming from the east village, you may want to look closer to the graham stop; the L is very overcrowded and by the time it gets to bedford you often have to wait for two or three trains to go by before you can get on.

Posted by: bunkerlabs at March 21, 2009 10:48 AM in response to neighborhood advice needed

You can also come out to Ditmas Park, near the Beverley, Cortelyou, and Newkirk stops on the Q. Union Square is about 30 minutes away.

Posted by: sixyearsandcounting at March 21, 2009 12:03 PM in response to neighborhood advice needed

Yeh, let's hear it from Prospect Heights. Not as hip as Williamsburg but an easy commute, much greener streets and near Prospect Park.

Posted by: 1929 at March 21, 2009 8:35 PM in response to neighborhood advice needed

Try artistic wood crafts. I have had much work done by them in my apartment, but I know from being at their shop that doors are their specialty. They are located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard -- a small business with high quality work
.
Email Omar at Artisticwoodcrafts@verizon.net or call him at 646-541-3409

Posted by: AnnieJ at April 5, 2009 6:26 PM in response to ISO Rec for Front Door Repair

Try artistic wood crafts. I have had much work done by them in my apartment, but I know from being at their shop that doors are their specialty. They are located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard -- a small business with high quality work
.
Email Omar at Artisticwoodcrafts@verizon.net or call him at 646-541-3409

Posted by: AnnieJ at April 5, 2009 6:27 PM in response to ISO Rec for Front Door Repair

The only times when you can find a spot with certainty in Park Slope is during alternate side parking hours. Unless you own a home with a garage, or rent garage space, your dad will never find something that resembles the ease of parking in a driveway on Long Island. 9th St. & 7th Ave. will be one of the harder places to find parking (busy commercial strip, 7th Ave. is metered). Once you live in PS for a while you'll get used to the rhythms of parking on your block and finding a space will be a little easier (assuming your father is willing to walk a few blocks, or sit in the car until a space opens). There are a few commercial garages in the neighborhood; not sure what they cost. Every once in a while, you can find an ad like this one on Craigslist (which, if for real, won't last long): http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/prk/1149622083.html

Posted by: vinca at May 1, 2009 10:03 PM in response to parking? how bad is it?

Is your dad working? Does he plan on regularly using his car for errands or is it for the occaissional trip out of town? My friend lives on that block and she is a SAHM with kids at school during the day.

She tells me she can only deal with the parking because she is at home to work with the alternate side parking hours. In fact, she plans her Fairway/Costco shopping days around those hours and makes sure she is back 30 min before it's OK to park on that side and leave the car there to unload her groceries.

Otherwise she won't use it for errands but for a trip out of town. When she was working, she just sucked it up and paid for the garage on 11th street. That was 6 years ago and I think she told me it was $400/month at the time.

Posted by: HmmWhichNeighborhood at May 2, 2009 9:51 PM in response to parking? how bad is it?

If you go further into the south slope, I think the parking gets easier. But it's never "easy" like it is to park in your own driveway. I'm on 9th street, and I've definitely done the "circle for 45 minutes looking for parking" thing. And the downside for you is in that area parking on the blocks between 5th and 6th are the best, which is a hike to 7th. Also, I hope he's got kind of a crappy car, because nice cars get broken into in the slope a lot.

I guarantee that if he's coming from the suburbs, street parking in the slope will NOT be acceptable.

You may get incredibly lucky, but I wouldn't expect a house with a spot to come on the market--it's not terribly common. My recommendation would be to spring for a spot in a local garage (I think there's one on 11th). It'll cost money, he'll have to walk a couple blocks to get it, but it's not too far to walk and it will always be there when he wants it.

That said, if he's elderly, he'll probably end up losing his license at some point. In that case, it's so much better to be in the city--he can walk (or scooter!) around the neighborhood, which is incredibly dense with stores and activities and all kinds of interesting things. He can go to wine tastings on 7th and 9th and then scooter home! You can't do that in the suburbs! Take the bus to BAM and see art and interesting shows, to the botanic gardens and see beautiful orchids. Walk to the bandshell and see really good bands. Heck, he can sit on the stoop and watch the adorable kiddies go by in their strollers. And being on 7th in the Slope will be fantastic--excellent buses, and a train stop right there.

Posted by: bkrules at May 3, 2009 11:58 AM in response to parking? how bad is it?

"Just wondering, how bad is Park Slope parking, particularly thinking of the 9th st, 7th ave area?"

Very bad.

"However, my dad is unbelievably(!) tied to his car and wants an area of PS with easy (or easier) parking. Does this exist? How long does it take to find a spot at night?"

No. You can be fortunate enough to come home and find someone pulling out but not likely. You can also drive in circles for up to an hour before you find something which is more likely. If you dad is at home during the day and can schedule his outings around alternate side parking days and times, he will more than likely always be able to find parking nearby. This method rules out spontaneous excursions by car though. Will your parents be comfortable riding public transportation? My elderly father still rides the buses but will no longer ride the trains. He also uses car services quite often to get to and from his doctors appointments. Car service is a great option for short trips on the days that your dad doesn't want to move his car and lose his parking spot.

Posted by: Chosen at May 3, 2009 12:41 PM in response to parking? how bad is it?