Not for Purists - Opinion Wanted
We are renovating our 3rd floor apartment for rental purposes. There is little detail left besides 2 fireplaces. We exposed one entire wall of brick, and removed much of one room’s drop ceiling. We are thinking of exposing beams in all rooms to achieve a “loft-like” look. Question: do you think that the loft look…
We are renovating our 3rd floor apartment for rental purposes. There is little detail left besides 2 fireplaces. We exposed one entire wall of brick, and removed much of one room’s drop ceiling. We are thinking of exposing beams in all rooms to achieve a “loft-like” look. Question: do you think that the loft look has more rental appeal than a regular brownstone apartment? This is a floor through apartment with the kitchen and living space combined. Thanks for your comments.
I’d want a dishwasher first, w/d second if I had to prioritize what I’d want as a renter. Exposed beams would be at the very bottom of my priority list.
Taste is subjective, but if you want to provide a truly functioning space you can’t overlook the previous suggestions concerning energy efficiency and noise. In new construction you would have to provide some type of offset insulation in order to be allowed by code to expose the beams. This is usually done by layers of foam-board under the exterior rubber roof. Also when you remove the plaster from the walls remember that you will have to deal with the spacing behind the window mouldings…very drafty now that the plaster is gone. Also the base board moldings and any electrical wiring will have to be dealt with.
If you decide to go ahead with your idea, exposed brick does not always need to be repointed. It depends on how well the original brick layers did their job. You can wire brush the surface and then seal the brick. Try using a non gloss waterproofing masonry sealer.
Anon 1;35 confuses hard work with work that is hard to do. It doesn’t take any skill to chop plaster off a wall. That is why contractors use the lowest unskilled grunts to do it. It is dirty and it sucks to have to cart it down 5 flights of stairs. It’s considered demo work. Plastering and painting take skill.
It has been my experience, 12 years doing coop/ condo renovations, that exposed brick means “cheap renovation” for the most part. I have worked on private homes where an industrial aesthetic was the end goal, but in all those cases the space had a history of commercial manufacturing sometime in its past history. Want to spruce up that brick? How about hanging $70,000 kitchen cabinets against them. Then no one will be looking at the brick.
As for tradition, industrial “lofts” don’t always have exposed brick. Many have traditional plaster walls and all types of ceilings. Pressed metal and tongue and groove wood planking to name two types. The ones with brick exposed are almost certainly painted. Why restrict yourself to brick red as a color scheme. Painting brick, when lighted the right way, can provide interesting texture.
As an end note, dishwashers require a dedicated 15 amp breaker. You can’t just hitch it to some other existing line. If you are renovating you might think about bringing the circuit breaker box up to the apartment.
Although I like the look of lofts, I don’t understand the appeal of mimicking the style in a brownstone. Likewise, I wouldn’t like to see an old industrial building try to be remade into a prewar style apartment with moldings, etc.
Whether to “loft” (no walls) the apt or not — depends on the size of the apt. If its one floor of a brownstone, “loft” sounds more like realtorspeak for “studio”.
I agree re: heat and noise issues. Also agree re: if you want more rent, put in nicer appliances and a small (stacked) washer-dryer.
Ironically, I have exposed brick in our prewar apt and the plasterer is coming to cover it up today!!! Problems with exposed brick include: loose/crumbling mortar, dust if unsealed, noise, and also you can’t easily hang pictures, run telephone wire, etc.
If the plaster is intact, keep it. Otherwise you’re just creating a lot of problems.
When we renovated our brownstone, we had to take down the ceilings which exposed the beams. I have to say, it looked pretty cool. Our architect recommended not leaving them exposed for all the reaons mentioned here. We put a regular ceiling back on but were able to raise it almost a foot from where it had been before.
exposing the beams is a fire hazard as well
Well, that was awkward syntax above. What I meant to say was that I’d like to be able to make my rental apartments up to my personal standards, if I was still a renter. Upgraded electrical and plumbing systems, decent appliances, nice floors, etc. To me, period detail adds to the flavor, and anyone who hates (or loves) the stuff is going to just add that to their general impression of whether or not they like the apartment.
I wouldn’t expose the rafters, either. Mostly for heat issues, and also because they were never meant to be exposed and opening them up can open up a can of renovation and repair issues that will really delay your ability to rent it out soon. You never know where the builders cut corners, or fudged something that they thought would never come to light. The previous poster who said exposing brick is hard, messy work is also correct, I know from personal experience.
As to the aesthetics of your apartment – whatever you do, just make it as sturdy and easy maintenance and clean as possible. You’re never going to please everyone, so don’t even try. Personally, I don’t agree with the “they are only tenants” mentality that many people have. I have tried to make my rentals nice enough that I would rent them, as much as is economically possible. I remember being a tenant, and I appreciated period detail, as well as a good price, and a nice clean comfortable space. After all, these “only tenants” are living in your house and paying part of your mortgage. A better apartment can attract a better tenant.
I think exposed brick can look great if it’s clean and repointed if necessary. Painting it white can also look nice and add a sense of spaciousness.
I’ve had great tenants in my floor-through and in my experience the selling points are a new kitchen with a dishwasher (an 18-inch one), a nice bathroom, hardwood floors, and a stackable washer/dryer.
The house has been re-plumbed and re-wired so the appliances pose no wear and tear issues.