Home Renovation Guide underwent an overhaul and recently relaunched. The Toronto based company covers the US as well. There are DIY tips, contractor searches and inspiration guides. Check it out, but not too closely. I want you to come back here!
In the editor’s own words:
“The Home Renovation Guide was originally created as a directory for qualified contractors, but in its new incarnation, the Home Renovation Guide is filled with tons of useful resources for the homeowner – everything from articles about home maintenance to personalized advice from experts to before and after galleries of home renovations (complete with full details). As an online publication, the Home Renovation Guide takes advantage of the immediacy of the web with sections like Hot Products for the latest and greatest, and the Home Improvement Blog that covers topics ranging from news in the renovation world to DIY projects happening at home. You may also notice a decidedly environmentally friendly slant, as we try to encourage the use of green products and concepts as much as possible.”
Reclaimed Wood By State: Green Eco Service
(Go to 6/17/08. Direct link not working)
LEEDing in Bushwick: BushwickBK
Video: How To Sweat Pipes: Shakhammer
Felt Is Over. Lighting Is In.: Renovation Therapy
Bringing Sunlight to Dark Rooms: True Gotham
This doesn’t look like one of those shoe box studios. It actually has some light and space to it. 425 sq ft of space. The pre-war apartment retains a bit of detail although it has been renovated.
This one IS a shoe box studio @ 250 sq ft. But what is it they say? Oh yeah, “Location, Location, Location”. Indeed, it’s right in midtown in a lovely building. But can you fit more than 1 person in here?
$299k: Morningside Heights 1 BR
This would be my choice (sight unseen, of course). A 500 sq ft 1BR pre-war with 10 foot ceilings near Riverside Park. Maybe I’m just a sucker for French doors, but it looks like something you wouldn’t outgrow 6 months from now.
It’s not too late to find that last minute weekend rental upstate! Or just take a day trip. Get out of the city! Enjoy! Life is short! Live a little! You get the point?
My husband took the day off work last Tuesday to spend time with his visiting family. We had it all figured out where we would take them. Go up the west side of the Hudson and hit Catskill Animal Sanctuary, then Opus 40. Swing down the east side to Millbrook Winery and Wing’s Castle. Stop for lunch at the Culinary Institute if we lasted that long. Someone (me) made the wise decision to check operating hours first. And guess what? Most of these places were closed on Tuesdays.
We thought we’d do a Brooklyn day, but our Astroland destination didn’t have summer weekday hours yet. You can’t go to Coney Island without riding the Cyclone. Brooklyn Museum was also closed.
The sister in law started bitching about America. The brother looked as if he was starting to get comfortable in the house. The 15 year old went upstairs to play computer games. We had to think fast. I said “Kayaking and swimming holes?!” And they went for it. Whew!
I would’ve thought renting 5 kayaks last minute would be a tough task. But Peak Performance in New Paltz came through for us. We drove up unexpected before they opened their doors and within 20 minutes they had us outfitted to go. There are a few places to put in, but we decided on the Rondout Creek in High Falls because we could go for a swim there as well.
It was a nice paddle, with some shady areas under trees. We turned around after about an hour because we left the sister in law on land with her 3 year old. She didn’t want to kayak, but she was itching for a swim. Just as we were about to enter the illegal swimming hole near the power plant we saw tons of people leaving. The cops were chasing them out. Strike two.
I’ll skip over the drive to our next destination and the hissy fits that ensued over our midday meal options.
We went to Split Rock at Minnewaska. There was a $9 fee per person to get in, but I think we were the only idiots who fell for that. Nobody else was wearing the bright yellow wristbands. Hey, it’s for a good cause! It supports the preserve! At least this is what we told the in-laws who were again bitching that you don’t have to pay to swim in Ireland. I don’t know what they were complaining about since we were the ones forking over the cash. After cries of “Is this all there is?” “It’s small for $9.” “The water is too cold.” a good time was had by all. I only wish I had brought the dogs like others had. At least they know how to enjoy themselves.
And finally Wednesday evening’s festivities got the thumbs up from everyone. The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival at Boscobel is not to be missed! Worth the drive or train ride up from the city! We go every year and are never disappointed. The performances are always top notch and unique. It’s never straight Shakespeare, always modernized, off center and very informal. I should say that this season’s “Cymbeline” was fairly straight Shakespeare, although it was well done. Past translations have included a western themed “As You Like It” and a space invaders “Mid Summer Night’s Dream”. I’m looking forward to seeing “The Twelfth Night” this summer.
As if a great performance under the stars isn’t enough, the highlight of Boscobel is the grounds. Central Park ain’t got nothing on this! Pack your picnic and enjoy your front row view of the Hudson before the show. And, um, leave the in-laws at home for a romantic evening.
Thanks to readers Kevin and Christina for sending us the video of their 1200 square foot Upper West Side apartment renovation. It’s taken them nearly a year to get to this point.A bit of the old cut and paste to finish off my cheater post:
The reason for the huge delay is the co-op board shot our plans down 2 times, and would not let us do what we wanted to do, which was add a 2nd bath. They won’t let us do “wet over dry” … we closed in Aug. ’07 and should be ready to move in after Labor Day. We have been renting in Harlem for a year (and now we love brownstone living, of course).
To answer your questions:
1. That stuff was only out there for about 20 mins. As I was filming the truck pulled up, and took it all away! The bags were mostly the old linoleum floor, the rolls were old wall to wall carpet.
2. Yes, we recycled a lot, we gave it all away. Some of the old kitchen cabinets went to someone in the building (they were in awful shape). The appliances went to the night watchmen (we don’t have doormen). He hauled it to his apt (stove, fridge, microwave, washer-dryer). There are still 3 old doors in the apt and they are going to bignyc.org soon.
We have tried wherever possible to save money by using recycled things. We are reusing the bedroom doors by stripping them; we are stripping the radiator covers too. We bought 1920s bath fixtures and a door from Demolition Depot on 125th Street (love that place). We bought a 1930s light fixture at auction (Doyle New York).
- Kevin and Chrissie
I see thatched roof cottages in Ireland all the time and always wonder why we don’t have more of them here. Is it a dying craft? Perhaps. But I did find one local guy who specializes in thatched roofs.
Master Thatcher Colin McGhee, from Essex, England started thatching at the age of 16. He’s been working in the US since 1991 and is based in Virginia (although his area code is 845).
European thatch dates back to the middle ages when the first villages were established. Here in the states, Native Americans were using thatch for generations before early settlers started to during the 60′s. 1560′s, that is.
Reed and straw are the two most common choices of thatching. Material has to be gathered, dried, bundled, and secured the roof in thick layers. It’s weather resistant, fire proof and easily repaired. The commonly used Norfolk reed has an R value of 40.
I’m not sure this is something I’d attempt myself on a house (maybe an outhouse or something) but there is a DIY section on McGhee’s site.
Hey, if a green roof dries out and dies, would it look like a thatched roof?
Things have been sort of half-ass here for the last month or two due to family meshugas. No sooner did I get back from Florida than the Irish invaded my house. Don’t ask how that’s going. At least I have a few days to myself as they took a side trip to Niagara.
It’s been tough getting any work done while entertaining the in-laws, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They leave at the end of June. Yes, it will have been a month since the first of them arrived! I’m only going to do once a month Brooklyn Flea for July and August. You know what that means? More time to work on the houses! Some DIY posts, salvage, materials, etc! I’ll be reclaiming my home!
Not participating in the flea every weekend also means I’ll have time to develop some new items and work on my online shop presence. But there I go again taking on too much. I have to remember two time consuming things coming up in August: My mom is coming to visit for 2 weeks and my tenants are leaving. And I don’t think mom will be much help getting the apartment ready to rent again.
Oy. It’s always something.
Low Impact Living is holding a contest for greenies. They will be rewarding $500 credit for products and services from their website.
Single family homeowners are eligible to enter. To do so, sign up for a Low Impact Living account and head over the the Environmental Impact Calculator. Deadline is July 15th and winners will be announced on July 28th.
The greenest home receives the $500 credit and a randomly selected runner up will get $250 credit. If you chose a service instead of product, LIL will pay the vendor directly.
Mayor Bloomberg and DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan recently announced Summer Streets, an experimental program that will temporarily open a 6.9 mile car-free route from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd Street. Major cross-town streets will remain open. Summer Streets will run from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on three consecutive Saturdays in August, the 9th, 16th and 23rd (my birthday).
I think this is an awesome plan! But I did wonder if it will hurt local businesses and create havoc. Not to worry. Sadik-Khan said this: “We’ve been making very careful preparations on our traffic front to make sure that we’re dealing with the access issues that residents have, with the delivery issues that businesses have and also to make sure that we’ve got appropriate access for emergency vehicles.”
Similar car-free corridors exist in London, Paris and Bogota. Several American cities have adopted temporary plans as well.
Via City Room
I’m a total sucker for stupid new pet products that I use for about a week. I might have to try the Cat Genie. For the low, low price of 300 bucks, I can own a litter box that flushes! But wait! There’s more. It cleans itself too! Do you know how much time I spend changing litter? Since I have 5 boxes in the house for 6 cats who pee on the floor anyway, does that mean I need 6 Genies? Sooo, what do you think? Dumb or ingenious idea?
Via Treehugger
Link if you can’t view video here.
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Thanks so much for the mention, Phyllis! We’re really excited about the site and can’t wait see it grow. I love your blog … keep up the great work.
Comment by Rebecca Zamon — June 23, 2008 @ 11:37 am