Gut Renovation in Carroll Gardens

Renovation project, Townhouse, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
This is the short form. I hope to post the complete project details, soon.
An outline of our plan, in broad strokes, was as follows:
• Dig the cellar floor down 15-16 inches, insulate under, and then pour new concrete slab.
• Demo the garden-level floor, and the floor of the extension, and reframe with C-joists (steel)
• Demo all existing inner walls (leaving the outer Parlor entry and stairway intact)
• Demo two existing bathrooms and kitchen
• Remove non-functioning fireplaces
• Move Parlor fireplace and make functional
• Install new kitchen and powder room at parlor level
• Build new Master Bath, Guest Bath, Master Bedroom, Guestroom
• Install elevator (TKAccess Volante)
• Install Solar Electric system (SunPower E18/305 lay flat panels), about 5KW
• Install separate Central AC/heating on all (4) floors (Carrier Performance Series 18SEER w/FanCoil)
• Install radiant heating on Garden and Parlor levels (Weil McLain Ultra 3 boiler &Ultra 3 HW tank)
• Install sprinklers for all egress, removing fire escapes
• Install new roofing over existing (Kemper System)
• Install new stairs (parlor to garden, garden to cellar)
• Use LED fixtures for all downlights (Cree LR4)
The overall project was completed in about one year, gutting three floors (cellar, garden level, and parlor), including digging out the cellar for an added 1 foot clearance. Everything went to plan, save for the elevator (some long delays), solar (landmark issues and FDNY requirements leading to delays), and the new 2” water main (DEP, DOT and Buildings permitting delays). We are very happy with the results, particularly with the commitment of our contractor and architect, as noted below.
I’ve built before, and completed a major renovation on our previous house in 2002. I’ve had contractors before, some whom I thought were pretty good. None of them, not one, has ever come close to Creative Renovations in terms of their commitment to doing the job right or making it right when the inevitable problem arises. A couple of examples stand out for me, one of which occurred just a few days ago. One of our many pocket doors was sticking, a bit, and I put it on the punch list. One of Creative’s carpenters came, looked at the door, and he told me that he might have to take it out, meaning taking down part of the wall and trim in which it “pockets.” A bit later, he told me he was going to the hardware store to get a long, thin chisel. An hour later, he was just finishing chiseling out the guide channel at the bottom of the door. He’d taken the time and gotten the tool because he didn’t want to remove the new sheetrock and trim, because, he said, “It would never look perfect again.” When we were upstairs for many months, whenever we appeared with our weekly shopping, there was someone there to help, or at least offer. Over this past winter, after the heaviest snowstorm, someone from Creative came early in the morning and shoveled out our front, including the sidewalk, and then left. No one worked that day (and yes they called to tell us), but the snow was taken care of. I mentioned the sub-contractors that I chose and paid, that were not part of the Creative Team. The only issues that arose regarding work in progress came about from my sub-contractors. At one point, the entire job was being delayed by one of them, and then again by another. Creative sub’s couldn’t have been nicer, and on those occasions that the water heater didn’t work, or some circuit didn’t work, they were there, usually within hours. I once called to tell the job supervisor that the water was not hot (my wife can tolerate many things, but not denial of her morning bath), and was told the plumbers would be there the next morning. Ten minutes later, they were on the job. The electrician/owner of Creative’s sub spent hours with me one day, sorting out the various CAT5E, RG6 cables and Telco lines in my structured wiring panel, and he patiently waded through all the details of my Z-Wave lighting controls. A few days before our block party, neighbors came to ask me about moving the dreaded container that had decorated the street for some long time. I hesitated to ask Sam if it could be moved, knowing that it has recently been replaced with a near-empty one. When I saw Sam the next day, I asked anyway, and I offered to pay for any charges. Sam opened his phone, called his office, and arranged to move the container on Friday and bring it back on Monday. When I again offered to pay, Sam just smiled. If a man can be judged by his friends, a contractor can be judged by his staff and his subs, as well as his own actions. Sam Ahmad is a great guy to have on your side in a project, and that‘s exactly how it feels. Highly recommended, without hesitation.
Michael Gray (Michael Gray Architects) has also been a friend throughout this project, and has gone above and beyond many times, has listened without laughing to my hair-brained schemes, and been a tireless advocate for getting things right, and dealing with issues that arise that are inevitable in a project of this scope. His experience with Brownstone renovation, his design expertise, his advice throughout and his commitment to showing up and working through whatever needed fine tuning, all have been exemplary. Highly recommended, without hesitation.
I’d be happy to share further in the details of the project (some interesting issues around the solar PV system) and will post more images, once taken and organized.
Jeff Miles
jmmiles@nyc.rr.com