Contact info for Architect David Johnson
Shouldn’t take much to install it. Not sure what the relevance is between the window and the brick building… I would do it. Call me at 347-276-6528 Levi SoHoAppliances
levicapland
in Architecture 13 years and 11 months ago
2557
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2557 replies
mruby36 | 11 years and 10 months ago
Hi Greene, Now that’s clarity! The design you would need would be simple enough. Materials would consist of paint grade 3/4″ birch plywood, edged and or trimmed for the sides and shelves. The least expensive way to size the lower frames is to “back into it” by pricing out some standard size cabinet doors from Lowes for instance and then build the lower boxes accordingly, if that makes sense. You build the lower boxes to the max space you have, and size the face frame to suit the size of the door. This will generally come out less on cost than making custom doors. The upper shelves would be boxed and sized such that you don’t have a greater than 24″ span, give or take, for the shelves. I can’t tell the space from the picture but on the left looks like 2 to 3′? If so and want to do one span, you just have to get creative to support the center of the shelves because much greater than 24″ and you will get sagging over time, kind of like we do as we get older… So, at the risk of breaking protocol on this site by inserting a shameless plug… there are a few pictures on my site that are along the same lines as your above pictures, which add to your stable of ideas to work from. I’m in the directory under carpenters and woodworkers. You are welcome to reach out to me via the contact link on my site or in the directory and I would be happy to discuss other details or questions you may have, off-line so to speak. Hope that helps! Have a great night. Matt R
c_w | 11 years and 10 months ago
The columns will need footings so first there will be a process for that. There may be under pinning too depending on site conditions but you’ll probably need it for your own house if not for neighbors, since it’s structurally unsound. You may need other structural shoring for your house as well, again because it’s already in bad shape. Then the columns go up but it’s not clear what their relationship is to your party wall. What is going to be located in the extensions? There is infrastructure to consider, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling. All of that is not going to be isolated from the existing house. Basically the work is going to get messy and cannot take place in a separate realm. Aside from that, a house that is already structurally in bad shape and undergoing structural work should not be occupied for safety reasons. This is a complex job and not considered practical or standard construction. As construction becomes less standard, costs increase rapidly. I think, unless you find someone who has done exactly this kind of project, it will be very hard to get proper pricing without getting some drawings started.
wilso26941 | 11 years and 10 months ago
Are you saying your exterior walls and party walls cannot bear the load of the rooftop addition? If your answer is yes, then my answers are “very difficult” and “very horrible”. An independant rear addition is easier but if you put your elevator in the rear you will be taking up exterior wall real estate which in NYC is worth more than gold.
dazednconfused2 | 11 years and 10 months ago
We’re in the middle of doing somethng very similar right now. We have a project in which a 3-story wood frame row house (including wood stud party walls) is adding a three-story masonry addition in the rear plus a 4th story that extends from the masonry extension towards the front, so it’s partly on new and partly on old. We have steel posts going from the underside of the new fourth floor down to the cellar and resting on new footings. Steel beams span from the new steel posts to the new masonry. In our case we were gutting the rest of the house, so it was very easy to run the new steel down just inside of the party walls. I completely agree with Kyle in that you would be much better off if you could move out during most, if not all of the work. It will speed up the work which will save money on the construction cost, not mention avoid any damage to you or your stuff. Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP Urban Pioneering Architecture
SundialStudios | 11 years and 10 months ago
In a past project, we located a new steel structure within an existing rowhouse, but we where able to span this new assembly from the existing masonry party walls at each level. If your side walls are brick, you may be able to build them up and structure your 4th story similarly. Whatever the case, it will be expensive, and you most likely will not want to live there while construction is ongoing. Good luck, Kyle Page, AIA, LEED AP Sundial Studios Architecture & Design, PLLC
Greene44 | 11 years and 10 months ago
Hi Matt, Thanks for the response – helpful indeed! It would be going in the living room of an apartment we own. We’d like to do built in shelves on either side of the fireplace. We’d like something clean and simple (probably painted white) perhaps with cabinents below and shelves on the upper half – it could also be entirely shelves but just a thought. Here is a picture of the living room:
http://cdn.brownstoner.com/51c4659adb845-httpimg.streeteasy.comnycimage9911185199.jpg
Here are some samples of what we like, but of course on a much smaller scale :
Let me know what you think! Greene
SundialStudios | 11 years and 10 months ago
Schoolhouse Electric – http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com/lighting-and-hardware/fixtures.html – has a variety of simple fixtures that should compliment your building, and they wont break your bank. Hope this helps! Kyle Page AIA, LEED AP Sundial Studios Architecture & Design, PLLC
heightsguy | 11 years and 10 months ago
I just had windows installed. My handyman rented the break on 3rd ave by 16th street for $35 per day. You can buy a box of the aluminium at Ditmas Roof Supply on McDonald Ave.If you’re handy you could probably do it yourself.
stevecym | 11 years and 10 months ago
I hate to have to tell you this because you and I both know that the job is simple and easy and any old handyman should be able to do it. the problem is, the only people who own those brakes that bend the coil stock are window and siding people and if they are busy on full blown jobs, they will not want to do something like this. The sadder thing is, many of us have worked for contractors who have had these devices and know how to do it but can’t becuase after being paid to do that kind of work, we swore we would never do it again and hence do not own brakes. this is what I would do if I needed those bends: I would call a siding contractor and ask him if he would make them for a fee if I brought him an old one to work off of (you kept them, correct?). He will be able to make them in 8 or 10′ lenghts. You can cut them out and then install them (I know you are handy, you would not have torn the old ones off if you were not). Use tin snips to cut them. seal the edges and top with GE silicone. Do not seal the underside. I think you will have better luck getting a guy to charge you something nominal to make the bends so long as he does not have to put them up. (kind of like the guy who called me a couple of months ago and wanted a plank ripped into 4 pieces on my table saw; I offered to do it for free so long as I did not have to leave my house and do anything with the wood afterward – and the two bottles of wine he gave me made the deal nice and I would do the same for him again if he called again). Steve
coopfornow | 11 years and 10 months ago
There are rebates available from ConEd. Check their site. For small and large coop buildings. For energy efficient fixtures. There are a lot of choices out there… a little financial help won’t hurt!
brokelin | 11 years and 10 months ago
Don’t go too economical, go period – just because there are few details left is no reason not to honor the building with sconces that match the era of the house and whatever details are left. It will add to your building, and will increase the coop values – I found this out when I sold my coop – the stuff we had done (expensive) to maintain and improve our brownstone’s common areas were noticed by potential buyers who came to see my place. You’ll have to do some work into figuring out what style scone goes with the style of your brownstone (presumable the outside facade is still of the original period), but here’s a place to start looking: go to rejuvenation dot com, and search for sconces. There are many other sourses of period lighting out there, this is just my favorite place to start looking for lighting. You can take some words from there to google, and find other sources.
bobo | 11 years and 10 months ago
Sorry for the typos
mruby36 | 11 years and 10 months ago
Hi Greene, In the spirit of managing expectations, your question begs more questions. Some further detail relative to existing conditions, modern décor or old brownstone, brick or sheetrock walls, what sort of trim is needing to be matched or incorporated, do you favor the valance library look for the upper shelves or do you like the metal bracket support type thing? Adding to the list, whether you rent or own sort of dictates the caliber of material and method of attachment e.g., you can make something built in that’s also removable if need be down the road. Lastly, the range of materials, finishes and level of workmanship put the finishing touches on why tossing around a cost estimate is unwise. That said, should you narrow things down a bit, do a sketch or two, will get you closer to what you actually want and the ability to compare apples to apples. If you could post a bit about the existing décor, trim etc. and a bit more specific on the look, style and feel your going for, I’d be happy to come back and add to the discussion. Hope that helps?:) Matt R
aldenprent | 11 years and 10 months ago
What’s your exact budget? My advice is to not get anything cheap off of Amazon. Though, they do offer some quality stuff (for the price paid). If you can afford to, try getting your equipment from local security companies. They would also offer additional services that store bought equipment cannot.
cate | 11 years and 11 months ago
We got 15 double hung aluminum windows from Champion, cost $12,000\. Would have been less if we didn’t rebuild the frames on the ground floor. In November.
masterbuilder | 11 years and 11 months ago
A window vendor passed by one of my construction sites about six weeks ago and handed me his card. Subsequently two clients asked me for window leads, and I passed his name along. He has been very prompt, very clear on details and has met with me and my clients numerous times with samples (from Marvin) though he sells a lot of brands. Both clients decided to buy from him, and I am thankful to have a new relationship with his company. My company will be installing the windows starting next week. We are also negotiating with a European vendor whose window knowledge is vast. We would be happy to share our resources and discuss your project as well. email me at masterbuildernyc@gmail.com
brokelin | 11 years and 11 months ago
Is it just me? – because everytime I’ve lived somewhere with the all metal replacement windows, they open and close easily. (Not pretty at the edges, but they do the job.) And everytime I live somewhere with non-metal replacements (in the two homes that come to mind, brand new ones), which I presume is some sort of fiberglass, or it could be wood window frames with some sort of little metal side track set in what is either wood or fiberglass, they are really hard to open and close, taking a lot of pushing – I was just cursing the ones I currently live with yesterday.
mmilstein | 11 years and 11 months ago
We’re getting close. We’re going with Andrew Ferris Construction. We’ve checked them out seven ways to Sunday, and no one has a bad word to say. And we’re going with the Marvins. Why do you ask?
jbrew | 11 years and 11 months ago
Hi Milstein, are you still looking to have your windows done?