Sheetrocking too expensive and time consuming? Answer = Yes. One alternative is to build a wall with doors. Much more interesting than sheetrock and takes a minimal amount of skills.
Goodbye Pink Bathroom
Sometimes I see pre-renovation photos and I ask why the hell people would get rid of anything as awesome as a pink bathroom to put in new dreck. Well, now I know first hand.
It’s been a difficult few weeks trying to save my pink bathroom. At first, I was going to keep it fully intact. I just wanted to take down the ugly fiberglass shower enclosure and wall behind the tub and get rid of some weird floor “junk” behind the toilet. Once I ripped that down I saw that it was hiding rotted wood.
The tub is sitting on damaged joists. There is a massive hole in the floor under the toilet. When I took down the wall that was used to enclose the shower plumbing, the room looked so much bigger and brighter.
I thought I’d salvage any pink wall and floor tile that I could. Now it’s clear that it all needs to go so I can do it properly. The good news is that I can extend the room into an adjoining closet and have a larger bathroom.
Right now I intend to do everything possible to keep my pink tub and toilet, but if I don’t find proper matching tiles, then someone else can benefit from these fabulous items. Fingers crossed it’s me though.
Renovation Status
Ye Olde Sheetrock
You’re probably wondering what’s going on with the house (or not).
While away for vacation, the work continued but it was tough for the boyz to get much done without the decision maker and kicker of butts. To make up for some lost time, I hired a contractor to frame, sheetrock, mud and tape.
Now he’s kicking my butt, as well as the plumber and the electrician. This guy is fast!
The house was in worse shape than I had thought. Isn’t it always? Moldy sheetrock and rotted wood under windows and near leaky pipes. That’s being replaced but I have not taken down ALL of the walls as I didn’t want to start a full gut three weeks into the project. The damage does seem to be coming only from the areas mentioned, though.
Lesson learned? Yeah, next time I’ll start with a full gut from scratch unless it’s beautiful plaster. This was some old crappy thin sheetrock. The entire house is getting laminated. Laminate means to add a thin layer of sheetrock on top of existing plaster or rock.
Plumber is going slow and dragging me down with him because he’s a scatterbrain who sends me to Home Depot every 5 minutes. The two local hardware stores and Home Depot know me already. Plumber says I’m “mean” because I actually want him to work harder and more efficiently. Whatevs. He better get it done today or Hubby takes over this long weekend.
Haven’t gotten to do any of the fun stuff yet, like shopping for my salvage materials. I can’t seem to get away from the house. Hopefully next week, I’ll be free once the plumber and electrician have done their stuff and the other guys are just taping.
And that’s where I’m at. Gotta go. I’m picking up the plumber at 7am to take him with me to Home Depot. Ugh.
So Much for Landmarking
My block is calendared to be landmarked at some point soon. It’s not the lovliest stretch of Bed Stuy, but it does currently have solely historic structures. Yeah, the most beautiful house on the block is still boarded up after a fire about 3-4 years ago, but that’s everyone’s favorite.
I didn’t even notice the empty lot. Thought it was just part of the apartment building courtyard on Fulton. Well, they’re putting in a new building there. Because they still can. Because we’re not landmarked yet.
Would be nice if it complimented the older homes in the neighborhood? Would even be ok if it was a tasteful modern design, although that wouldn’t fit in. But what are the chances it’s gonna be a cheap Feder’s home? Or perhaps a huge luxury condo?
I’ll try to remain positive until I see this monstrosity new structure.
Stone House Compound
The Stables (our rental)
I’m baaaack! This reclaimed chick couldn’t have stayed at a more appropriate accommodation in County Mayo as an appreciater of reclaim-ed-ness. Who knew? Twas my brother in law who picked the cottage, not moi.
The 100 acre farm has been in the Keane family since the 1600’s. There are still cattle roaming about. As a vegetarian, this made me sad, but I will say that at least these guys looked as happy as they can be even though their lives will be short. 🙁
The idea of converting the barn, granary and stables into vacation rentals was the idea of this generation’s Momma Keane. These impressive “country folk” have an awesome sense of design and style. Or they just hired realllly good architects and builders.
On to my horrible iPhone pictures!
The Main House (not for rent)
The Barn
The Granary
Our Stone Fireplace with gorgeous beam
Sliding door that I want to show my carpenter (pay no attention)
Pitch Pine floors reclaimed from a nearby town
Antique tools and parts act as sculptures throughout the property.
Stone patio overlooking the cattle. They come to get treats just like dogs.
Vacay
Leaving on a jet plane to County Mayo, Ireland for a week. Well, I was gonna do some blogging from there. Really. Then I found out that the cottage we’re staying at doesn’t have wifi. That’s the Old Country for ye. Maybe there’s an internet cafe but you know what? Screw it. I’ve got the week off.
Looks like we’ll have typical Irish summer weather. Rain every day and high of 68 degrees. Too bad I packed all of my summer clothes before checking that.
I’ll take some iPhone pics because I’m not even bringing my camera.
Meanwhile, work continues at the Rockaway house. The crew is keep on keeping on.
See ya Monday the 27th!
Reclaimed Wood Walls
Behind the Walls
Hidden stash of 70’s/80’s porn
By Friday we had gotten the dumpster. I ordered a 30 yarder and they delivered a 20. The plan was to finish the entire demo by Saturday afternoon, but we decided to get rid of a bit more rotty sheetrock than planned so demo will continue this week.
Plumber Larry plumbed on Sunday. He knew his stuff and was able to repair all of the corroded pipes and then some in one long day. Hubby and I just acted as his gophers, running to Home Depot for materials. Two trips over the bridge back into Brooklyn on a hot summer Sunday with beach traffic.
Today is a day off for all except for the chimney guy, Manny LaSalle. Well, it’s not my day off but I’ll be doing some fun shopping for salvaged materials.
Anyway, here are some more finds.
Wall paneling behind wall paneling
This insulation looks like charcoal in person but it was actually some kind of cement. There were a couple of pieces of foam stuck in the wall. We think it was supposed to be concrete and foam insulation, but the foam was only in one spot.
Doesn’t look like this “insulation” was doing much. Why bother?
Kitchen wallpaper through the ages. Guess it was a child’s room at one point.
Found this 70’s linoleum under the carpet. It will be reused.
The Charles Manson Tate trials! Found under some kitchen lino. Also, papers from the 40’s during war time.
Stripped Naked
Dayim, there were more pics from Demo Week but I left my camera card in the house. The photo above was from day 2. By day 3, that pile tripled and we had more piles going in other rooms. The dumpster comes today. A 30 yarder.
No terrible surprises so far. Yeah, some rotted wood where I figured there would be. Some sheetrock needs to be replaced. I’m satisfied with the wood floors we uncovered. Knock wood, it’s going ok.
The 30 yarder will be filled with drop ceiling tiles, wall paneling and carpets. That’s the bulk of it. Lots of “covering” of the original materials that just need some TLC.
Yeah, not much to report today. Just wanted to let y’all know I’m still alive.
Day 1: Left Behind
Yesterday I just went over to the house with the dogs to clean up the bathrooms and kitchen, shop for essentials and figure out what I’m doing. I spent over an hour changing a lock and scratched my head quite a lot over the configuration of the house.
One of my favorite parts of a renovation is discovering things unearthed in the demo. Well, since I didn’t really start demo yet, here are some items the seller left behind.
No, not the dog and not the whiskey. The whiskey was a gift from the selling broker. I’m gonna need it.
And So It Begins (Again)
A couple of years ago when I pulled a major restoration just to get my house on the market, I said that was the last one. Well, time heals all sanity and the addiction has returned. Yesterday I closed on the latest project in Rockaway Beach, a small 2 family frame right off the bay.
So, here’s the deal with this blog. It will get more renovation and design oriented. I’ll try to do DIY videos instead of written posts.
HOWEVER! Can’t promise I’ll stick to a post per day. You may get some cheater posts like a single photo minus words or even some days when there aren’t any posts.
Whatevs. Stick with me, kid. It’ll be worth it to see the before and afters, even if it’s not on a daily basis.
Affordable NYC: Rockaway Beach
The Rockaway Peninsula consists of neighborhoods that range from skid row to exclusive. Since this is a post about “affordable housing” in the area, we’re not here to talk about Belle Harbor.
Rockaway Beach was once a summer destination for city dwellers. The bungalows that lined the shore were torn down to make way for public housing in the 50’s and 60’s. That’s about the time urban blight set in and it’s still very visible in areas of neighboring Arverne that have not yet been rebuilt.
But the fact is, Rockaway Beach has been rediscovered. And the new developments at Arverne by The Sea are a big F U to urban decay.
Once upon a time, Rockaway Beach was known as The Irish Riviera. Now it’s the Hipster Hamptons. There are still plenty of working class Irish American families whom have been rooted in the area for generations. Now it’s a diverse mix of old timers and new.
During the summer months, this is fast becoming THE place to be. The concessions open up on the boardwalk, hipsters flock here to surf, swim and be all hip-n-shit. Rockaway Taco has 2 hour lines. For a friggin taco. Winter months are fairly quiet. The dedicated surfers are out there all year, but you’ll notice less of a scene and more of a community in the cold weather.
Surely, if you are a beach person or a boater (the bay is on the other side of the peninsula), you can’t do much better on a budget than Rockaway Beach. This stretch of the peninsula is walking distance from shore to shore, so you have the best of the beach and the bay. But let’s talk about off season. People haven’t been surviving out there for generations on nothing!
Are there restaurants? Yes. Thai Rock and Bungalow Bar next door are on bayside and have outdoor seating in the warmer weather. They have live performances as well as food and drinks. There are plenty of established restaurants near 116th Street (a main shopping district) or across the bridge in Broad Channel.
What about bagels? Yeah. They even deliver.
Hot yoga? Of course!
Dog park? Fantastic dog park! Tested on my own dogs. They loved it!
Supermarkets? The Stop and Shop on Beach 72nd Street in Arverne is worth the 20 block (or so) trip.
Those are all pros. So, what are the cons?
Well, it’s a schlep. The A runs about 10 trains during rush hour. Other hours, you have to switch for the shuttle at Broad Channel to get out to Rockaway.
Hit or miss areas. Like any neighborhood in transition, some blocks are nicer than others. You do see people fixing up their homes across the street from an abandoned burnt out shell.
Safety? Look at the statistics and judge for yourself. Personally, I can’t comment on how safe I feel there yet because I haven’t spent enough time there. I don’t think I’d want to walk around near the Hammel Houses at 2am with my ear buds, but then I wouldn’t do that in most neighborhoods. Just to be clear, there are plenty of great families living in housing projects, not just the “bad elements”. The elevated train line does give the feeling of being isolated from the more pleasant beach side of town.
Schools? Don’t have kids. Again, check it out. I will say that the high school I pass along Beach Channel Drive looks nice with their tennis courts and all.
All in all, I think it’s a pretty great investment and a wonderful place to live. You can still pick up a small fixer upper for less than $300k but act now. I swear there were more listings in the $200k’s when I started looking and was less than impressed. My how things have changed so quickly.
Home Buying Checklist
Buying your first home can be a bit daunting. Heck, buying for the fifth time is still stressful! Here’s a list of steps to take to ensure that there are no freak out moments during your transaction.
1. Pre-qual and down payment. Before you even start your search, you should know your budget. How much cash do you have to put down? The full amount? Well, good for you! Can I borrow some? Talk to a bank or mortgage broker and find out how much they are willing to give you FIRST. Chances are, you will need to provide proof of funds with your offer.
2. Get a good buyer’s agent. Well, if you live in NYC, you know that ain’t gonna happen. You’re on your own. Good luck. Not saying there aren’t good agents out there, but not all brokers like to share their commission. Kapeesh? So, you may have the bestest, most hardest working agent in the world, but she can get cut out of the deal if you happen to find that for sale by owner who won’t work with brokers. Outside of the boroughs, get yourself a good agent and relax.
3. You found a house? Hoorah! Ok, here’s the deal. At the time of this writing, things are cray-cray in Brooklyn once again. Bubbles! Maybe they’ll burst or maybe they won’t, but open houses are getting about 100 people in attendance and there have been multiple offers over ask. So, if you’re interested in a super popular location, expect to fight for it. Present a decent enough offer. If they bite…
4. Get that inspection done ASAP. Doesn’t mean a thing if they’ve accepted your offer. They’re not on the hook until the contracts are signed. Oh, did I mention that you should have chosen your attorney by this time? Go back to somewhere between steps 2 and 3 and do that.
5. More negotiations. There was probably some fierce negotiating back when you were arguing over the price. Well, now that you know the house needs $80k worth of work over what you thought it did, it’s time to demand more. If your agreed upon price was as-is, don’t get greedy. If there’s nothing really wrong with the house and you just feel like haggling some more, don’t.
6. The lawyer. Depending on whether or not you have an agent, the lawyer usually doesn’t come into the picture until you come to an agreement. The seller’s attorney writes up the contract and sends it to your attorney. They change some things around just to strut their stuff. You sign. The sellers sign. Congratulations! You’re in contract!
7. Now you wait. The bank will be asking you for stuff. You’ll be looking at designs and getting names of contractors. Blah, blah, blah. All the while, you can stress out about bank appraisal, underwriting, title search.
* Jeopardy theme *
8. Mortgage Commitment. Remember that pre-qual letter you got? Yeah, it didn’t really mean anything. The commitment letter from the bank is gold. This is the baby you’re waiting for.
9. Title search. You’re getting close! This is something your attorney orders when he/she knows everything is kosher. After these steps, you’re clear to close! Your attorney should be trying to save you a few bucks by seeing if there’s a recent existing survey instead of having to order another one.
10. Closing Date. You’ll wait for 2-3 months twiddling your thumbs and then you have a few days to scramble the last minute things together. Nope, you can’t get a head start and do them way in advance.
– Insurance
– Utilities
– Bank Check. You’ll get the exact numbers from your attorney the day before if you’re lucky. In some cases, you might be running from the bank to the closing with not a minute to spare.
11. Congratulations! You bought a house! And now the stress really begins….
Packing for the Beach House!
It’s been some some since I spoke about the new project. That’s because it’s taken forever to get a closing date and there were times I thought it wasn’t going to happen. Well, I’m finally getting the keys on Monday afternoon!
Most ladies get excited when they pack their bikinis for their beach houses, but I was psyched to pull out my trusty work boots and painting clothes.
Wanna see my packing list for the first week of demo? Sure you do!
1. Sledgehammer
2. Sawzall
3. Crowbars
4. Tool Bucket (Hammers, Chisels, Bear Claw)
5. Screw Guns
6. Extension Cords
7. Work Light
8. Ladders
9. Shovels
10. Shop Vac
11. Safety Mask
12. Gloves
13. Goggles
14. Contractor Bags
15. Floor Protection
Alternative Sleeping Accommodation
Taxi cab hotel room in London. It’s just temporary for the Olympics but how cool would it be to have an entire “hotel” on a lot with bathroom facilities? Kind of like camping. Hmm….