Made the News

http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/the-other-brooklyn-flea

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2011/07/the-long-hard-road-to-buying-a-downtown-fixer-upper/?stream=true


Those of you who have been following this blog from the beginning know the long, hard road I have traveled in buying and renovating this house. Now the word is out.

Shopping at Costco for Solar

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11621856&search=solar&Mo=22&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&

I've always found Costco a safe bet when buying electronics. The prices and quality aren't always the absolute best, but you get a fair deal and a reliable product. So, if I need something and don't want to spend years researching it, I'll go to Costco and am usually satisfied. This is why, given my limited knowledge about solar panels, I'm looking at Costco's offerings. The above link is for Costco's most basic kit. I like that it can be expanded, if need be. My guess is that the prices of these panels will come down in a few years, so I'd rather get something relatively small and expandable now, and then add on, when the prices come down.

Fine from the Department of Sanitation

I spent the better part of this morning at the Environmental Control Board, arguing that the fine I received for "debris" on my sidewalk was a mistake. The supposed "debris" was building material being moved into the house. I paid a lot of money for that "debris." As I sat there waiting to be called, I thought of all the people who don't have time to fight these types of tickets, and just cut checks to get the city off their backs. Hopefully the work permits were sufficient evidence to get the fine erased. I'll know by mail in a few weeks.

Electrical and (Hopefully Soon) Plumbing

These walls are waiting for electrical wires and pipes. The electrical work is beginning, but the plumber has had to wait due to a glitch with the City's computer system. Each of the three apartments will have its own meter. This will hopefully discourage wasting electricity. Each apartment will also have its own boiler, to encourage each of the the apartments to be as frugal with the heat as possible.

5 Roofs Later, a Newer Greener Roof

This is a picture of the debris from the layers and layers of roofing from the top of the house. You'd think with all of that tar there wouldn't be any leaks. Not so, unfortunately.

At least the weather has finally gotten better and the new, greener roof can go up. I am contemplating a lighter version of a green roof, one with very light vegetation, but the present contractor will not be the person to put it up. For now, the cheapest, best option is a heavily insulated roof with a light colored coating.

Low-E, Argon-Filled Windows, and Reused Iron Doors

The new, environmentally friendly windows are now installed on the front of the house. I very much wanted dark window frames, and think these look pretty decent. A wrought iron window guard will go over the garden-level window. My father had the wrought iron for the doors sitting around his workshop, so they are "repurposed." They will be painted dark brown to match the windows.

The Stoop is Coming Along

Work on the front of the house is coming along. As you can see, the base of the stoop is in place. I was very torn about whether to switch the direction of the stoop so that it would face forward down to the street. The decision to keep it as is was the the result of much deliberation regarding the students who tend to congregate on the stoops on the street, and concerns about privacy and security. While not ideal in terms of aesthetics, I think that this stoop will be less of a hassle to keep clean, and will look reasonably nice once the railings and fence are in place.