slopefarm's Profile
- 1985
- 2006
- Brooklyn
- Park Slope
- House
- Attorney
- Male
- 44
Author's Posts
May 2, 2008
Balancing privacy and light with shower window
We have a rear facing window looking out from the shower/tub in our 2nd floor bathroom. The building facing our backyard is a former warehouse converted to apartments that comes up to the rear property line, with, of course, lot line windows. We are looking for a good solution for the bathroom window that will let us get the right balance of light and privacy. We tried vinyl mini-blinds, but those have not held up well. We also tried frosting the window glass, but it looks so industrial. Any other ideas for how we might deal with the window?
April 10, 2008
June 1 rental -- are people looking yet
I am interested in the views of landlords, realtors and prospective tenants. Are people looking yet for June 1 rentals, or will the real hunt be on closer to May 1? I don't see a lot of 6/1 listings on Craigslist yet.
April 3, 2008
Little drips of paint
The last handyman who we hired to finish up all the little things the contractor didnt do before bailing out seemed to think he didnt need to use a dropcloth because he was only doing little bits of spot work. Now, of course, we have little drips of paint on our pine floors. I've tried both mineral spirits and paint/varnish remover on a rag, with little success (athough this method worked fine for the roof tar footprints). I dont want to scrape or sand for fear of damaging the floors. Anyone have a tried and true method for getting these little drips off the floor without scraping or scratching the floor or damaging the finish?
March 27, 2008
Ready to till my yard
We are finally ready to turn our yard from post-contractor barren wasteland to a rael garden. Has anyone had a good experience renting a tiller in Brooklyn? Where did you rent it (besides Home Depot)?
February 27, 2008
Leveling furniture on sloping floors
Our frame house is more than 130 years old. Naturally the floors slope a bit (in some cases, more than a bit). We have some pieces of furniture -- a sideboard, a few big chairs, a table -- that we want to level as much as we can. Has anyone come across a good product for this, perhaps small adjustable footings to tap into the bottom of table and chair legs? So far I have found these small white plastic shims, but they show too much and you have to place them again everytime you move the furniture. I haven't found anything else that is helpful. Anyone have this problem and how did you solve it?
December 17, 2007
Preventing heat loss
We have a 3.5 story house with a 1-story, 12 foot rear extension on the garden level. The extension is new masonry wall construction with insulation in the walls and roof.
This part of the house loses heat much faster than the rest of the house. We have a one-zone old fashioned steam heat system that is functioning well. Although the rooms in the extension heat up fine when the heat is on, matching the thermostat temperature, they cool off much faster, uncomforatbly so, while the rest of the house retains its temperature. Therefore, as it stands, the only way to keep these rooms warm is to overheat the rest of the house.
Short of ripping open the walls and putting in heavier duty insulation, any thoughts on ways to contain the heat in this part of the house?
December 6, 2007
What gives, Mr. B
I recently tried to post a comment on the South Slope HOTD. My comment was intercepted by a page indicating that it was going to be reviewed because the site reviews comments by first time commenters. I am not a first time commenter. I have commented many times under my moniker and, before that, many times as a guest.
Is this something new? Have you intensified your screening? Is this why the What has been so quiet lately and am I to suffer the same fate? My comments have always been pretty mild by comparison. Or did I just encounter a glitch?
September 10, 2007
How close is too close?
We have steam radiators throughout the house. In the dining room, we want to get a sideboard (we've been checking out teak Danish modern items on ebay and elsewhere). The question is, how close is too close for teh wood to get to the radiator before we are at risk of warping from heat or humidity? THe radiator is along the side wall about 24" away from the rear wall. We want to place the sideboard somewhere along the rear wall.
Any advice as to how close we can get? Is one foot away enough to avoid damage?
Author's Comments
Ok, actually, not so fast, and once I posted, I didn't see my message until I refreshed. Hope this is just connected to the start up and not a bug. Otherwise people won't know their posts are completed and we'll have even more double posting than before.
I'm not complaining, I know the hazards of starting up a new system (and I am not one of those people who think Brownstoner must serve me everything I want on a silver platter). Just pointing out a potential bug Mr. B might want to check into.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 10, 2007 11:57 AM in response to Is this thing on?
This came when I was in a 4-unit brownstone coop 10 yers ago. DOB violated us for having the ladder in an enclosure. There was no administrative code provision or regulation that anyone could find requiring that teh ladder not be in an enclosure. Finally, someone at DOB showed me an inspector's training manual that said ladders must be in an open, rather than enclosed area. I argued that they can't sustain a violation without a regulation, to no avail. Not worth hiring a lawyer or architect for a $300 violation. We removed the closet, had the inspection and cleared it.
All of that tells me that there is a rule requiring fixed ladders, but you may not find it anywhere. Also, the "rule" may vary depending upon occupancy -- that is, if you are 1-2 family, the rule may not apply.
Ultimately, I don't think anything anyone on this web site tells you will give you any comfort -- you are at the mercy of DOB. Find out directly from DOB what it thinks teh rule is, and if it is nto what you want it to be, ask for a citation to the rule you you can see it for yourself.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 13, 2007 11:04 AM in response to Interior Ladder-Optional??
How would you keep a thing like that honest? What kind of an offer by someone else would trigger the escalation? If someone else bids higher then backs out later, are you stuck with the escalated bid or does it go back down to the earlier bid? And who decides when the escalation kicks in? The broker??? If I were bidding, I wouldn't cede that much control, nor would I, in essence, disclose my bottom line up front. Too much incentive for trouble, IMHO.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 16, 2007 9:55 AM in response to Escalation Addendum to Purchase Offer?
Not sure what the escrow confusion is. Standard practice is to escrow proceeds (i.e., money going from buyer (or buyer's lender) to seller. If seller doesn't clear the violations, escrow comes back to buyer. Sounds from OP's post that that's what happened here. OP is just, justifiably, unhappy because escrow proved to be inusfficient icnentive to take care of things and now OP has a hassle.
Follow 11;45's advice. If you are not sure, consult with a local architect or expediter, shwo them the list, maybe walk through the house so that you can get advice as to whether there is anything on the list which won't pass inspection now. You don't need a fancy design-type architect, just someone who deals well and frequently with the nitty gritty at DOB.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 16, 2007 11:19 AM in response to clearing violations
I take no responsibility for this suggestion, or what may come of it, but you may want to try this:
Get up really early one morning and go to the office of Scott Schnall on Atlantic, near Clinton. I mean early, like before 7 am (7:20, the absolute latest, but that's pushing it). Show him your printout, tell him your problem, and ask him if he thinks you can do this yourself with DOB and what he would charge if he did it. Tell him everything within about 12 seconds because he is very impatient. He runs a manic, high volume DOB practice, and isn't dependant upon your business, so the incentives for him to sucker you in aren't too strong. If he tells you you need his services, you can always get a second opinion, but if he tells you you can do it yourself, you've just had yourself a free consultation from a guy to deals with DOB constantly. And you haven't wasted a day. And you may decide he is exactly what you need. He won't do more than he has to, so you won't get overbilled for unnecessary stuff -- that's just not how he makes his money. And his comments about what DOB will or won't do are trustworthy. Try it, you've got nothing to lose but some sleep. And drink some coffee first, before you leave home, because you really do need to talk fast once you get there.
A lot of local architects use his expediting services, but he is an architect, so you get a bit more guidance and perspective (at least in the 10 seconds he gives you) than you would from an expediter. As you can imagine, flippers and developers use him too.
Again, be forewarned, but it may be worth a try.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 16, 2007 1:56 PM in response to clearing violations
I'm with everyone else; old pine looks great in an old house. Look through the archives; there are some posts on different finishes. Consider a natural oil finish, as it is easier to cover up scratches. Poly finishes scratch in white lines.
You will need to sand, not just screen. Try sanding a small test area, then apply a clear finish, just to give you an idea of what it will look like.
Ripping up to put in a level subfloor will add a lot to your cost and you may lose som ewood. On the other hand, it will increase sound insulation, as well as get you a level floor.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 28, 2007 10:27 PM in response to Is This Wood Worth Re-Finishing?
1:25 is right: this is bracing. For those of you claiming a vendetta, if you had taken a second to inform yourself by clicking on the link to the earlier posting regarding this development, you would have seen that the building next door was destabilized and that a contractor had to be brought in to brace the building. And if you are still not sure, check out DOB's website for this project. Bracing can be done as a prophylactic measure, but according to the earlier article, that was not the case here.
Posted by: slopefarm at September 10, 2007 10:04 PM in response to Robert Scarano: Tag, You’re It!
D'oh! Why didn't I think of that? Now that OP figured out what a neat idea this would be, I guess it would be too late for me to find anything. The run down brownstone in Brooklyn is probably gone by now.
Hey, OP, let us know how it turns out.
Posted by: slopefarm at September 25, 2007 10:52 PM in response to BROWNSTONE RENOVATION PROCEDURE(S)
As decayed as the old asphalt yard was, it was heavily used on weekends by several softball leagues and the handball courts were always full. For several summers now, those public spaces have been off limits to teh public and put to use to further private profit as a staging area (and, hopefully, a safety buffer). I am down at what little of Terrapin is in use most Sunday mornings in the warm weather and the developer's pace has been truly glacial. Developers do not have an unmitigated right to use public property as staging areas. They get a license, which comes with conditions. It is incumbent upon them to meet those conditions. The public has every right to complain if a developer does not uphold his end of the bargain.
Posted by: slopefarm at September 26, 2007 11:48 AM in response to What's the ETA on Boymelgreen Park?
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
If your tenant is on ssi you have no case not even a pillowcase.
Posted by: Ysabelle at May 9, 2008 11:18 AM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
If your tenant is on ssi you have no case not even a pillowcase.
Posted by: Ysabelle at May 9, 2008 11:18 AM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
It is time to break open the pamela coleman smith tarot deck to solve the problem!
At least you get to look at good artwork.
Posted by: Ysabelle at May 9, 2008 11:28 AM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
OP: I didn't really want to debate the tax issue. I wanted to give you some advice. Don't worry, it won't happen again.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 12:34 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
Brooklynnative:
I am a real estate attorney who works in Brooklyn. You seem to have figured out a few things for yourself, but here are a few items from my experience:
1) The system (housing court in NYC) is rigged to the advantage of tenants, even more so for rent controlled/stabilized tenants. The system is a disaster. Housing court judges are astonishingly pro-tenant. Sometimes they can take pity on a landlord of a small-time owner-occupied building, but in your case you probably have over 6 units and you have rent controlled tenants. Judges will probably look at you like a slumlord no matter what the rality is.
2) Rent control imposes very specific legal requirements (eg. specific content of notices and the way notices are delivered) on any legal proceedings brought by LL & Ten. When not properly satisfied (with evidence), these requirements can bring a swift end to any proceeding you may bring in housing court. What I am trying to say is that the NYC housing court system is a minefield. It is worth the expense to find someone who is well versed with the code and can handle your case efficiently and effectively. The situation is so arcane that I don't handle rent control cases even though I do commercial and non-rent controlled residential evictions.
3) Do not engage in "self-help". If you are not sure what that means, you should not take any action which could even remotely be percieved as you retaliating against her. Your safest route is to refrain from all verbal communications. Communicate only by written letter.
4) get a good attorney. If you don't have somebody reliable, ask everybody, interview attorneys, get one. In your business, you need one. You want somebody who is going to fight tenant adjournments and be responsive to your inquiries (not a very easy thing to find unfortunately). Good luck.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 2:41 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
What NY State governing body dictates an owners right to refuse a tenants desire to have a washing machine that is causing "hardship" to all other occupants of a house?
Who is in control of the rules of the house - owner or tenant?
OK so forget about eviction, Tenant NO WASHING MACHINE! I'm not trying to get rid of you I am simply telling you no washer in the apartment that you rent from me.
You mean to tell me that this crazy lady has complete control over the owners simple request to stop using a washing machine. Isn't there a much bigger and uglier picture here?
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 3:07 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
If you decide to go the lawyer route, I recommend Susan Cornicello. She was referred to us by Naomi Gardner (mentioned elsewhere in this post). Susan specializes in landlord-tenant stuff. Naomi I believe is more of a real estate transaction lawyer. Susan helped us with an eviction. We found her very easy to work with. It sounds like you are a DIY-type guy, but we were very happy to have a professional handle our issue. Missteps can be costly.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 3:54 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
about ten years ago, i was asleep, dreaming of a waterfall. It was a very real dream and the water was very wet. My RC tenant had clogged her kitchen sink with vegatables and left the sink running. I had "metered" faucet installed (i.e. runs for a limited time only) and put in an oversized drain at my cost. Within the year she was in a nursing home and two years later the apartment was vacated.
grin and bear it because there aren't too many other options. when someone has a problem with RC tenants and pigeons and squirels, I'll be back.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 4:02 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
Honestly in your case I would advise a lawyer. If she screams at the judge in L/T, then I wouldn't worry about L/T. No judge likes to be screamed at, and the washing machine and satellite dish and the painters who wouldn't go back in there should be always in the first paragraph of any paper you file.
Is it fair? No. The sorriest part is, if she were genuinely disabled, instead of merely crazy and deeply narcissistic, it would be fair. The vast majority of disabled people try to minize the burden of their disabilities on everyone else. It's just there's no way for the law to distinguish between the truly disabled on SSI and the undeserving few who managed to get benefits -- until she screams at the judge, that is. So I would take her to landlord/tenant.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 5:56 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
Dear All,
OP here. We have decided to go into contract and take the risk. We've set aside a fund to bring things up to code as issues arise.
Thanks for everyone's advice.
Brownstoner rocks!
Posted by: feelyng at May 9, 2008 6:00 PM in response to Buying a home not up to code
I see your comments. Trying it out myself. Seems to be faster, too.
Posted by: slopefarm at August 10, 2007 11:52 AM in response to Is this thing on?