vivante's Profile
- vivante
- 2000
- 2009
- Brooklyn
- East Williamsburg
- House
Author's Posts
August 4, 2009
Adding a New Floor?
Adding a new floor to a brick house (20 X40)? Here’s the deal: we bought a 3-unit, 3-floor brick house and are wondering if it would be (financially) wise to add up a new floor for extra income ( we would rent 2 units instead of 1) and have the upper duplex for ourselves. Each rental goes for $1300 on the market (in East Williamsburg). One contractor I’ve contacted told me it would cost me around 150K to add the floor (which mean I would have to make a loan for it...). Is the estimate realistic? Would it add significant value to my house? Am I ready to deal with DOB hassle? Does it really worth it?On the other hand I like the idea of a new customized floorplan for our 3 bedrooms- maybe a shower?- and a nice glass/ slate external structure (in my dreams) added to a rather boring looking house…
Thank you for helping me getting through this dilemma! Elido
Author's Comments
I have a garden...and cherish it a lot! so do my cats sometimes bringing back a mouse more saddly a bird. (happened twice this year)
Only annoyance are the mosquitoes preventing us in the summer from really enjoying the patio.
Once a racoon showed up...
Posted by: vivante at August 6, 2009 12:00 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Don't worry about mice & bugs. Our kitchen is on the ground floor facing rear year. Once a year or so we may see some little ants, but that's about it. About a year ago we had a racoon in our backyard, so you might want to keep that back door closed!
Posted by: probopop at August 6, 2009 12:55 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
Thank you everyone.
GHB - I agree. It's a simple (and reasonable) question, no need to be nasty. I did appreciate CMU's comment, which gives the thread a nice touch of Brooklyn authenticity..."tellya what, pal...I gotta garden apartment...how 'bout youz don't move in there?"
goldie - my personal worry is house centipedes. I agree they are harmless but so, so gross. I use to get them a lot at an old apartment a few years back, but have been relatively bug-free in park slope for several years. Oh well, guess I will have to deal.
Thanks again for the responses...if anyone has more suggestions, please post!
Posted by: Count Chocula at August 6, 2009 1:32 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
I saw a centipede a few weeks ago and now I live in terror I will step on one barefoot in the dark. Are they really harmless? Google says some are, some aren't.
Posted by: mopar at August 6, 2009 2:25 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
What's with all the centipede hate? I see them all the time in my upstate house and just send them back outside.
Bessie, I think you should take the cat in. Gemini, try harder and then take a couple of feral cats in. Count, get a cat. Everyone's problems solved!
Posted by: rh at August 6, 2009 3:00 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
im assuming we're talking bout the same house centipedes, very whispy legs that break off easily, grey/silver, look prehistoric/spiky, and move real fast and grow quite large (several inches)?
after we moved in and found a few, it scared the s..t out of my wife (and still does), so i figured out what they were, read up on them, and it turns out a) theyre harmless to humans but can give a tiny bite if you provoke them b) theyre actually beneficial in that they eat other bugs and c) theyre attracted by water, so keep your place clean, and there's apparently no easy way to get rid of them. so we live with the idea of looking up from bed in the middle of the night to see one fall on our face.
Posted by: goldie at August 6, 2009 3:59 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
Oh great, now I get to worry about one falling on my face! Thanks Goldie! (Just kidding.) I told my landlady to get rid of the putrid pool of water & pigeon poop that collects in the air shaft and breeds all kinds of insects. But would she listen? No. Thank god we're moving soon.
Posted by: mopar at August 6, 2009 4:53 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
Gemini
If you want a cat, I am trying to find a home for one or two of mine. I have a total of five. I know. I took them in from outside and had they spayed. All I can tell you is they are great to have around a garden. I have never had a rodent problem seeing for myself that they catch the "mices" before they come inside.
Posted by: HurricaneKate at August 6, 2009 5:38 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
vivante,
Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jim
Posted by: JimHill at August 6, 2009 5:41 PM in response to Adding a New Floor?
If you have a cat, rodents won't even come around. : ) The other apartments in our brownstone have mouse sightings occasionally, but with our even strictly indoor, declawed feline we've never, ever had one.
Posted by: jland at August 9, 2009 9:51 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
I vote for the cat. I have cats, a garden and no pests. If a fly enters he is dead within 15 minutes. The garden is the best perk available in an apt. Sit out on a summer evening and watch the fireflies.
Posted by: hancockone at August 10, 2009 4:22 PM in response to Garden Apartments & Pests
Thanks for the input. Whether we go for an extra floor or not I will contact you anyway, Jim, for further advice/estimate on the reconfiguration/remodeling of the house.
Posted by: vivante at August 6, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Adding a New Floor?