Show us your vintage home!

[Edm1]

Thanks, FF. Yeah, there's definitely going to be some negotiation going on with this. Thankfully, that's the only major issue we have to worry about - no need to buy new windows or anything on that scale, so that is a blessing!

The seller on ours threw in a home warranty. In 2 years we have gotten a new hot water heater, sewage ejector and ac unit on this warranty. I doubt the company will want us to renew....

 

[Fading Fast]

1928 NYC Co-op Apartment Restoration Update:

In case you've been wondering why no recent posts, there was an electoral fire in the basement of our building on Monday. Most importantly, no one was hurt and, as usual, the NYC fire department was awesome.

However, there was extensive damage to the building's electrical systems, elevators and basement, plus smoke damage throughout the building as the smoke went up the elevator shafts and stairwells. While damage mitigation and repair work is in progress, our contractor was just allowed back in, so we've been delayed.

To emphasize, the incredible good news is that no one was hurt. On a much-less-important scale, there was minimal smoke damage to our apartment. However, we had many things stored in the basement's storage facilities - some related to the renovation - that are damaged, so we'll have to see how that works out.

While frustrating, my girlfriend and I are just grateful that everyone got out okay and thankful for such a wonderful fire department made up of incredible professionals who are also extremely nice gentlemen.

These are some pictures from the event

Smoke billowing out the apartment building's front door


The following are all shots from the basement the day after:

 

[dh66]

Ugh! I'm so sorry to hear about that FF. How demoralizing I know that must feel, but you certainly have the right attitude about it. It's going to cost some folks some money, but more of that can be made. Thank goodness it didn't cost any folks their lives. Those are not a renewable resource.

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[Fading Fast]

Ugh! I'm so sorry to hear about that FF. How demoralizing I know that must feel, but you certainly have the right attitude about it. It's going to cost some folks some money, but more of that can be made. Thank goodness it didn't cost any folks their lives. Those are not a renewable resource.

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Thank you - we've had our moments of frustration, but then one of us reminds the other of what could have happened and how lucky all of us who live in the building were.

 

[Stearmen]

Sorry to hear that! Let's hope the damage is minimal in your place, and cost little to fix!

 

[Fading Fast]

Sorry to hear that! Let's hope the damage is minimal in your place, and cost little to fix!

thank you

 

[Bamaboots]

FF, wow. This is where I need a "don't like" button. I can only echo what's been said about there being no casualties and the admiration I have for your attitude. I wis you luck.

 

[Fading Fast]

FF, wow. This is where I need a "don't like" button. I can only echo what's been said about there being no casualties and the admiration I have for your attitude. I wis you luck.

Thank you for your kind words buddy. At 51, and having seen and experienced some of the really bad stuff life throws at people, a fire where no one was hurt and the bulk of the damage was contained in the basement (although, discouragingly, we did have some really nice items for the restoration stored down there) is truly not that bad, just inconvenient and, of course and as always, expensive.

 

[kampkatz]

I hope that your insurance company does not try to short change you on your settlement. If you don't feel that you are being treated fairly let your insurance agent know that you would appreciate any advice/help. If it it seems that you are getting good service you should avoid using a public adjuster. Best of luck to you.

 

[Fading Fast]

I hope that your insurance company does not try to short change you on your settlement. If you don't feel that you are being treated fairly let your insurance agent know that you would appreciate any advice/help. If it it seems that you are getting good service you should avoid using a public adjuster. Best of luck to you.

Thank you so much for your advice / guidance. It's early in the process, so too soon to have an opinion on the insurance company. They've been responsive so far, but until we can see and assess the damage / loss in the basement we don't know what we are looking at. They are currently doing asbestos mitigation from the basement before they'll let anyone in. Yup, 1928 buildings have plenty of asbestos that surfaces in a fire.

 

[Fading Fast]

1928 NYC Co-op Apartment Restoration Update:

There is a massive crew in the basement working on the "common" areas - to repair and clean up from the fire - until that work is done, we can't get in to see the damage to the stuff we had stored down there - sigh. But, again, it could have been much work, so we know we are lucky.

Away from that, the contractor's guys were able to get back in to our apartment last week - limited in what they can do and bring in and out - but they had the equipment and tile already in the apartment that they needed to start tiling the kitchen, so I thought I'd post some update pictures.

This is a salvaged medicine cabinet that we got from another apartment in the building that is also renovating (but they don't want any of the "old stuff" that we love), so we have an original-to-the-building medicine cabinet that is an exact duplicate of the one that was originally in our bathroom. We're really happy to have it and really happy that the cabinet gets to live on in the building.


These two are the first shots (I think) that I've shown of the tile work that's started in the kitchen




And this is a small walnut cabinet top we put in so that all the counter tops weren't marble and too matchy-matchy as it was very common, based on our research, for there to be several different counter surfaces in one kitchen back in the '20s. Today's aesthetic is very harmonious - one look throughout - which is great if that's what you're going for, it just doesn't fit the period look we are trying to capture. We are going to sand the edges down and put a wax finish on to give it more of an aged look.

 

[Bamaboots]

FF, happy to hear your back to progressing, no matter how minimal. You guys are after my own heart with the walnut and gas range. Hope you're able to assess your basement soon. Good luck.

 

[Stearmen]

I forgot to take pictures, but finally got the upstairs hallway plastered. I told the guy, he got the job, because he was the only one of a half dozen I called, to call back and come out to do a quote!

 

[Fading Fast]

I forgot to take pictures, but finally got the upstairs hallway plastered. I told the guy, he got the job, because he was the only one of a half dozen I called, to call back and come out to do a quote!

My girlfriend and I talk about this phenomenon all the time - the businesses that don't return your call - is business just that good? In our renovation project, we've encountered heating and air-conditioning companies that don't seem to want your business (despite advertising that NYC retail installation is their business). We've also tried to buy things from retail stores that sell to the public - faucets, towel bars, a couch - only to find that we have to pursue them. We have to call or email several times; we have to move to the next step by saying things like, "okay, so how do I buy this and how can you deliver." To be sure, some business are aggressive about getting your business, but we've encountered a surprising number whom seem not to care if they get your business at all.

 

[Fading Fast]

1928 NYC Co-op Apartment Restoration Update:

Owing to the fire and, now, the building's repair and restoration efforts, work in our apartment has been limited (and we still don't know the extent of damage to our stuff in the basement), but the guys were able to make some progress in the kitchen last week as more tile was put up and some of the cabinet doors were partially installed. Hence, the few updated pictures below.

 

[dh66]

My girlfriend and I talk about this phenomenon all the time - the businesses that don't return your call - is business just that good? In our renovation project, we've encountered heating and air-conditioning companies that don't seem to want your business (despite advertising that NYC retail installation is their business). We've also tried to buy things from retail stores that sell to the public - faucets, towel bars, a couch - only to find that we have to pursue them. We have to call or email several times; we have to move to the next step by saying things like, "okay, so how do I buy this and how can you deliver." To be sure, some business are aggressive about getting your business, but we've encountered a surprising number whom seem not to care if they get your business at all.

Maybe it's not that they don't care, it's just that at the moment you called they are swamped. Having been a contractor, I can assure you that everyday is a balancing act. It always seems to be feast or famine. You get busy, and more and more people start looking for your service til it gets to a point you're swamped, and options are ignore work (bad option) or hire help, only to have to let them go later when things slow down (bad option).There's NOTHING I'd rather not do than tell someone his livelihood is cut off because I can't find enough for him to do. It's incredibly hard being a small time contractor.

That said......the kitchen is coming along nicely. It looks fantastic. Hope all is going as well as possible with the insurance/fire damage situation.

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[Fading Fast]

Maybe it's not that they don't care, it's just that at the moment you called they are swamped. Having been a contractor, I can assure you that everyday is a balancing act. It always seems to be feast or famine. You get busy, and more and more people start looking for your service til it gets to a point you're swamped, and options are ignore work (bad option) or hire help, only to have to let them go later when things slow down (bad option).There's NOTHING I'd rather not do than tell someone his livelihood is cut off because I can't find enough for him to do. It's incredibly hard being a small time contractor.

That said......the kitchen is coming along nicely. It looks fantastic. Hope all is going as well as possible with the insurance/fire damage situation.

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Thank you so much - to be honest, the insurance-fire situation is in stasis as we can't get down to assess the damage until the building gives the okay that it is safe. I completely understand and agree with your points about the challenges a small contractor has, but some of our examples are of walking into a retail store, wanting to buy a type of faucet, asking a few questions and, then, being told by the salesperson that he / she will call us with later that day. We make it very clear that we want to buy, but still, in several cases we never hear from them. But having had friends who were contractors and even watching our contractor work - I agree, everyday is tough balancing act that, in our guy's case, if his wife wasn't also his ridiculously good office manager, he couldn't do it as well as he does.

 

[dh66]

There's no excuse for that kind of treatment from a retail business. If they don't have it and need to get it they should be very communicative with the buyer about what's going on. Retail is a whole different animal to contracting work. Although, with any kind of business, communication with clients is pretty much vital.

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[Stearmen]

Did this today! That's my friend not me. As you can see, the tree has seen better days, according to my neighbors, it has been dead on the one side for over a decade, so it wasn't coming back. The good news is, you can now see the house from the street. The bad news, you can now see the house from the street! The tree lurking on the side of the house is next. It is really, just an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Fading Fast]

1928 NYC Co-op Apartment Restoration Update:

I haven't had much to update because after the big fire, we had (I kid you not) a very small fire (some debris from the first fire caught on fire), but, thankfully, no one was hurt and it was quickly extinguished. But it has cost us more time. I believe the expression is "I have to laugh or I'd cry."

That said, we did gets some more work done on the bathroom (just one stubborn plumbing issue and a few cosmetic things to go and its done). So I snapped these to show you some of the beautiful work the guys have done. I'll try to get better shots of the entire bathroom (hard to do owing to it crazy angles) when it is fully done.

The arch to the shower, the light's globe is an original 1920s "skyscraper" globe


Repro medicine cabinet light


Original nickel switch-plate (we did push buttons throughout the apartment)


The main bathroom floor, the base of the arch and the shower floor


Tiled-in towel bar with original 1928 glass towel bar


Restored - as best as was humanly possible - original wall-mounted bathroom radiator


And the pre-restored radiator from the day we looked at buying the apartment