penandink's Profile
- 2000
- 2003?
- Brooklyn
- Sunset Park
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Author's Posts
May 20, 2009
Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
There's an enormous, dying ailanthus ("weed tree") growing a couple of doors down from me. It has dropped two giant limbs on my yard in the last few years, mashing fences and plants. What I'm now really afraid of is that the next branch may mash me, or worse, my 18-month-old daughter.
The tree is on the property line between my next door neighbor (who also wants it down) and the back of a commercial property facing on the avenue. As far as I can tell, it's on the commercial side, but we're on a hill, and it's literally growing out of the retaining wall of my neighbor's property (on the other side of her fence).
I mention all this because my neighbor, who is quite elderly and fairly decrepit, claims she sued the owner of the commercial property a number of years ago to remove the tree, but lost. He claimed it was her tree.
At this point, I just want the thing taken down. It really is quite dangerous. I know the city won't intervene and do it, it's the owner's responsibility. But I've got a couple of questions, and wondered if anyone knows the answers.
1. How do I find out if there was in fact a case, and who won?
2. Is there any way to lodge my complaint about the tree legally, so that if something happens, I'm on record?
3. Does that even matter?
I'm even willing to pay for part of this to get it done, but if it's the commercial landlord's tree, he should obviously bear the burden of it. If not, I'll hit up my neighbor and see if we can split the cost. Urgh.
thanks.
March 25, 2008
Entry door sets
Our double entry doors have beautiful antique pulls, but no latch. That is, the only thing holding them shut is the deadbolt. We're planning to change the pulls for some kind of reproduction set, but are having trouble finding anything nice for double doors. There would have to be a deadbolt and latch on one side, and matching dummy handles on the other. The problem isn't the bolt/latch side, of course, it's the matching handle on the other side. Apparently, most people in this world don't have double entry doors!
Anyone have a lead on great door hardware?
Corner cabinets for sale
We have a pair of vintage (from the 1940s) round corner cabinets for sale. These would look great in a traditional dining room (our isn't so traditional).
Asking $1200 for the two. Please see our Craigslist posting for more details, more pictures.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/fur/618277474.html
February 28, 2008
Stripping brick facade
The back of our house is brick that's been thorosealed. I've read all the comments saying thoroseal is awful,and brick needs to breathe, etc, but it seems mostly OK in our case, so far. However, when we moved in, we pulled down an extension/shack attached to the first floor. The portion of the brick facade inside that shack area was painted, many times. Definitely with lead paint at some point. When we exposed it, our workman thorosealed over the paint, and it's since been chipping off that area. We now have a baby, and want to make the back deck area safe for playing, so want to get that wall stripped, and not have all the paint run into the garden. Any recommendations for clean and tidy facade guys? I've seen several noted here--any experiences of this type with:
1. Malek
2. Metro
3. CBI Breeze
4. Roy D Construction
5. Saga
6. Aziz
7. Cecil King
--would be appreciated. As would other recommendations.
(all found in comments somewhere)
thanks!
February 19, 2008
water bill craziness
Just wondering if anyone has any advice about our situation:
We've owned our Sunset Park limestone for five and a half years, and have consistently used in the range of 1800-2200 cubic feet of water (about $100) per quarter, with an occasional spike to 3000 or so. Last summer, however, we suddenly got a bill for 5400 cf ($250). then in the October bill, we got billed for 36,000 cf ($1800)!!
We had the DEP send someone out to look at the meter and inspect the house, and he was seriously the dumbest person I've met in a really long time, but he did find a silent internal leak in one toilet. I'm willing to believe that the summer's high bill was caused by that leak + watering the garden or whatever, but there's no way it accounts for the 36,000 cf bill.
The proof for this is that we fixed the toilet when he was here, in the middle of the next billing period, and our latest bill was slightly high (3500 cf, $180), reflecting the extra usage in the first half of the quarter. Not anywhere close to explaining the 36,000 cf.
To give you an idea of how much 36,000 cf is, I did a little calculation: if we made our entire 45 x 20 backyard into a 6-foot-deep swimming pool, we could have filled it 6.66 times with that much water. It's simply impossible.
we've also had the free water usage survey the DEP offers: no leaks. And all the meter readings are actual, not estimated.
We are appealing this bill, but I just don't have any way to explain what happened. Has anyone had a situation anything like this?
thanks.
Author's Comments
Is your gate/fence a nice old one? If so, I'd pay to have it removed so I could have it! If it's modern, you're on your own, though...
Posted by: penandink at July 7, 2009 11:07 AM in response to Iron Gate Removal
Interesting comments, thanks. I had a feeling searching for the court records would be more trouble than it's worth. I think I'll call insurance just to feel things out, and meanwhile get a quote on removing the tree.
As to the comment about resprouting, I do know that. There are actually several adolescent ailanthus surrounding the giant one, but they're less likely to drop life-endangering limbs on me, so I'm not going to pay for their removal (plus they cool the air and block the view of the back of the avenue properties). Any suckers that sprout from this stump won't be in a position to hurt anyone for another 20-30 years. As to full removal, obviously, my neighbor should have that done, since her property is being damaged (the retaining wall, and who knows, her foundation), but that's not my business or concern.
thanks, all.
Posted by: penandink at May 20, 2009 12:59 PM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
Is "condensate" water? Could you run it outside to a rainbarrel and use it to water your garden?
Posted by: penandink at April 16, 2009 2:05 PM in response to Ductless A/C Systems vs. Central
This usually happens not due to house movement, but plaster coming loose. We took our moldings off (the ones along the bottom edge), fixed up the plaster, then nailed up filler strips--flat pieces that were planed to match up with the thickness of the plaster overhang, then put the moldings back on covering the filler strips and the plaster edge. Looks great. You can tint the new wood with artist oils to match the old wood.
Posted by: penandink at April 10, 2009 6:43 PM in response to Opinions/Suggestions...PLEASE!!!
Sunset Park! We've got open arms for a great place to hang out!
Posted by: penandink at August 6, 2008 6:03 PM in response to Where Should the Brooklyn Brewery Set Up Shop?
Maybe it's hard to see in the photo, but the storefront is beautiful--classic art deco look, gorgeous old stainless doors, great sign. the bar inside could be brought back to mid-century class easily. And we really need a good bar in this nabe, for reals. I only hope the buyer realizes this and tries to keep the facade and open a good bar. I fear chain bank or cheesy Mexican restaurant, though.
Posted by: penandink at July 31, 2008 10:58 AM in response to Sunset Park's Rainbow Cafe Building Officially For Sale
thanks for the comments. I do have a watering system, but it's drip irrigation, and was shut off by the time in question.
The toilet leak--the only thing the DEP found--was not a running toilet (I'm highly aware of that) but an internal leak, where the float was set wrong, so water was just running straight down the tube--silently. I had no idea it could do that! Anyway, as I said, that toilet leak couldn't have explained the water bill, since it wasn't fixed until half way through the next billing period, which was high, but what I'd call normal-high.
There's no way the meter can malfunction?
Posted by: penandink at February 19, 2008 5:53 PM in response to water bill craziness
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Ductless units are much more efficient than conventional ducted systems. The Fujitsu systems go up to a SEER rating of 26 which I believe is the highest you can get ducted or not. There are many great brands out there, but as mentioned above, the installer is just as important as the brand. There are several recessed units available now so you won't see the airhandler mounted on the wall.
Posted by: Todd S at April 16, 2009 10:16 PM in response to Ductless A/C Systems vs. Central
hey wyckoff - yes, they are flush to the wall. walls are white, grill is white and you can't see the A/C (painted inside of box black). we did a gut reno with creative renovation. don't really know re the space.
Posted by: justmoved at April 17, 2009 4:03 PM in response to Ductless A/C Systems vs. Central
We have a large tree in our yard that we're having pruned for safety and aesthetics.
An estimate to remove it was 6K. Big tree = big bucks.
Posted by: cottontop at May 20, 2009 5:10 PM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
so the dilema is that you want the tree taken down but you want someone else to pay for it. Is that the issue? If so, I have no advise, that is a tough challenge. If not, then just take it down. what's the problem? If you lived in a residential neighborhood, I would write a note to your neighbor saying: "the tree is leaning on my property I am afraid it will fall over so I am taking it down on Thursday". If your neighbor is a business that doesn't care, don't even send the note. just do it for pete's sake, it's just a tree.
Posted by: mcKenzie at May 20, 2009 8:35 PM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
I got a gigantic diseased Norway maple taken down -- it was leaning over from my yard into a neighbors and one leader was practically resting on their roof. I wound up getting this monster down (was about 50 feet high with a trunk of 5 feet in diameter). I got estimates ranging from 2500 + 1,000 for the stump removal (Urban Arborists) to 12,000 from Bartlett tree service which wanted to take it down by CRANE! I went with Urban Arborist, who are (as the name suggests) liscensed arborists and serious professional tree people. There are a lot of fly by night types to avoid. Another service, much cheaper than Urban Arborists who I have gotten to know is Family Tree Service. Very professional and more organized than Urban Arborists (Urban Arborist operates like a giant clown show regarding scheduling- extremely aggravating) and much cheaper.
Trust me. Don't waste your time with all this checking around. Call your insurance company (which probably won't pay). Just schedule it and do it. Or else you will drive yourself nuts and possibly get hurt. You might try contacting the owner, but if this goes like most of these things, the owner will be a jerk (what responsible person would let this situation happen) but see what you can get out of them. See what you can get from your neighbor. Just get it done.
Posted by: donatella at May 20, 2009 9:43 PM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
If there was a lawsuit a long time ago, the owner may have changed. That would mean you could start the process over again.
If you call the city to report a dangerous tree, they would have to decide who to ticket. That would help you decide as well.
Tree law is shockingly complicated. It's even on the bar exam every year.
Posted by: slick at May 21, 2009 2:36 AM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
I also had a few communication glitches with Urban Arborists, but the boss is a tree scientist (literally wrote the book on oaks) and his underguys are smarter than you think. Haven't used Family tree company, but if I had a disease situation as a possibility and not just a removal, I'd go with Urban Arborists (we have a potentially house-devouring weed maple, 4 stories high, whose health is of HUGE concern to us, and Urban checks and prunes it every few years).
Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at May 21, 2009 11:41 AM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
We had a four story ailantus tree cut down 2 years ago for $1800. You should get a certificate insurance from the tree company for the job.
Posted by: FixtheCanal at May 21, 2009 12:18 PM in response to Dangerous Giant Tree Removal
I'm the one who sent Brownstoner the photos--as Mopar pointed out, the realtor was seriously without a clue as to what he's got, and I'm worried. I, too, live on the block. Houses within a block or two of here have *recently* sold for 850,000 to 950,000, and that's on less attractive blocks, and even wood frame houses.
I wish the "real" price of a gem like this was $500,000--I have a lot of friends I'd like to get into a house on my block who can't afford it. But no such luck.
In terms of the house's condition, it's got good plaster, small repairs necessary, but not total re-dos. Even plaster moldings are intact. It's got every pocket door in the house still there. Most woodwork has never been painted, and would be a cinch to get cleaned up (probably it's shellacked, thus simple alcohol will strip it). Butler's pantry, and even period furniture is for sale if you want to keep the place a museum! No one has lived there for 6 years, and for 50 years it's been the same, one family. The old lady's wedding picture is hanging on the wall, still!
Rick's right that it would need new breakers, probably some more electric service. But it functioned like this for 100 years, and could last a while longer if a buyer didn't have the cash to upgrade immediately. (and didn't need aircon) In that case, all you'd need are a few coats of paint, and some new kitchen appliances.
I don't mean to make it sound scary--it's a bit dark since the electric's been cut off, so I had to use a flash to shoot pictures. Once the electric's on (and BTW all the original light fixtures are also there), and the clutter is cleared out, it would quickly look like a really pretty home.
Hope someone who loves old things find this place, fast! The realtor told me he had one or more offers already in the "high 60s", and they planned to hand the offers to the owners like, now. Which means time is short if anyone plans to take a look.
Posted by: penandink at August 27, 2009 10:03 AM in response to House of the Day: 552 47th Street