mpcmpc's Profile
Author's Posts
May 12, 2008
Painting a brick facade
I'd like to paint the speckled brick on the front and back of my house. Can anyone recommend a painting crew? Any ideas how much this should cost for a 3-story structure?
May 6, 2008
Landscaping in a landmark distrcit
How can I found out if I live in a Landmarked zone?
Do I need a permit to paint the ugly speckled brick of my home even though it was built in 1974?
Do I need a permit to swap my front concrete to bluestone?
Thanks all
Cabinet maker reccomendation?
I need a custom maple cabinet made for a bathroom. I have the plans from the architect. Can someone reccomend a good cabinet maker. We're in greenpoint. I know there's a bunch nearby...
custom nyfd security gate needed
I want to install a security gate on the inside of a garden apartment casement window. I'd like it to be NYFD compliant with an organic (custom) design to match the decor of the garden. Has anyone out there done a similar project? Can anyone recommend a vendor or welder?
Author's Comments
Thanks for the reply. You're vision was somewhat close - I was thinking more of vines. :)
I'm not sure that a regular metalworker would know how to implement the NYFD gate mechanism which must "lock" from the inside with a special lever and not a key or combo.
Posted by: mpcmpc at May 6, 2008 1:26 PM in response to custom nyfd security gate needed
Thanks a lot.
The Landmark status was blank.
Can I assume that I won't need any permits?
Posted by: mpcmpc at May 6, 2008 5:07 PM in response to Landscaping in a landmark distrcit
Dogs seem to love to chew zebra grass. It's a hardy grass that you could plant for them to munch on. It might serve as a decoy from the other plants.
Posted by: mpcmpc at May 12, 2008 10:38 AM in response to Dog-friendly Garden
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
mpcmpc... I'm not OP, but we have a patch of mold on our cellar wall - right near the boiler (always hot, very inefficient). It's in the center of the partition between us and our neighbors, though. Would that be the result of a leak in their place? Or just a moldy ol' brink spot? I have tried bleaching it repeatedly, but never seems to do much. If it isn't spreading, will scraping and painting as you suggest do the trick?
Thanks!
Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 1:50 PM in response to mold!
1:50 --
1:20 had some good advcie, but read it carefully. You have to locate and stop the source of moisture first. Until you know you've stopped the moisture, all of the scraping/cleaning/bleaching etc. won't solve the problem. You may need to cut open a small hole where the mold is and look behind the wall to see where the moisture is coming from.
Posted by: slopefarm at May 6, 2008 2:33 PM in response to mold!
Kenney's Iron works (the unusual spelling is correct) in Clinton Hill did a good job for us on a gate for our garden door. He's a character, but did good work and was pretty quick.
Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 3:18 PM in response to custom nyfd security gate needed
Be careful checking for black mold. Wear protective gear or call in a professional. That stuff can be really toxic.
Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 8:20 PM in response to mold!
Be careful using drylok cement in the foundation of an older house. If your home has a brick or stone foundation (instead of concrete block), do NOT use drylok, as it contains portland cement which is way too hard for these older, fragile materials. Over time, portland cement will cause the bricks to crumble. You have to use lime mortar (the original material used) to repair and maintain the integrity of old foundations.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 10:51 AM in response to mold!
You don't need a permit to paint your house. Redoing your concrete, not sure about that, ask an architect.
Posted by: bayridgegirl at May 7, 2008 4:04 PM in response to Landscaping in a landmark distrcit
mpcmpc, i don't recommend relying on the street signs or the buildings department website. go to www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/maps/historic_district.shtml and look at the map for your neighborhood. The last house number on each block is indicated on the map.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 4:05 PM in response to Landscaping in a landmark distrcit
Also don't confuse needing a permit with getting approval from LPC. No matter where you live, you will need permits for most renovations.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 8:36 PM in response to Landscaping in a landmark distrcit
Your problem is not mold, but rather moisture.
The key to dealing with moisture is to kill the source - often poor drainage outside the home. Make sure you have a good path to the sewers for your rain runnoff outside.
Fix any leaks in the foundation with a chisel and drylock cement. Look for leaks during the next big rain. This is classic how-to knowledge.
Clean the walls with a fungacide, and prime the basement walls with a antifungal paint. I forgot which produt we used, but they are easy to google.
Be sure to use wonderboard (not greenboard) for the bottom three feet of the new sheetrock walls to deal with any future floods. Key sockets high up as well.
Finally, install a dehumidifyer and tap into the plumbing to send out the water. You don't want to be dumping buckets all the time.
This can all be done by a regular contractor.
If this is to be a loving space - radient floor heating can help but it's not at all necessary. If you're boiler is in the basement that might generate plenty of warmth for the winter. You might not even need that many radiators.
Posted by: mpcmpc at May 6, 2008 1:20 PM in response to mold!