Renovating on the Cheap

The Putnam Reno: Welcome to the Jungle

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:23:00 +0000

Oh Boy: Stoop Drama at Putnam

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 21:43:00 +0000

Start Date: September 9, 2006

End Date: October, 18, 2006

When we first bought this house on Putnam Avenue the owner sat on the stoop everyday for over a week. It's like he didn't want to leave. We tried to avoid any drama but eventually we had to confront the former owner. We asked him when he intended on vacating the premises. By the end of the week he was gone.

Caption: The former owner sitting on the stoop.

When we were done dealing with the drama with the former owner, I had to tackle the aging front door. At this point, I already had experience with refinishing doors, from my experience at Sterling Street.

Add caption

Caption: The front door at Putnam is fully restored to look as it did in 1899.

August 2005: Going Down Memory Lane

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:08:00 +0000

August 1, 2005: This is my first experience with having a brownstone stripped. The job was started on August 1, 2005 and ended on December 9, 2006.

My neighbor and I received pretty large grants from NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to strip our houses.

Caption: This is the 1934 Tax Photo of the house on Sterling Street.
It looks as it did in 1899, when the house was built.

Caption: The house was painted in the 1980's.

Caption: This is a 2006 photo of the house on Sterling Street.
Its been restored to look as it did in 1899.

Still on Four: Seriously, Knock the Wall Down

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 16:21:00 +0000

Here is a picture of the wall facing south.

Caption: See the wall that I had removed above.

Caption: This is the room with the wall removed.

Here is the final product without the wall.

Halsey 4th Floor Reno: That Masked Stripper Strikes Again

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 15:23:00 +0000

When you are a stripper, people tell you that you can work magic with your hands. Especially when stripping off layers paint and caressing the curves on a piece of carved wood.

In this post, I will tackle the fourth floor fireplace and mantel.

As you can see the mantel and mirror are not original to the house. I purchased it for 80 bucks from Eddie's antiques on the corner of Green and Grand Avenues in Clinton Hill.

Oh, I also the mantel did not come with a mirror in the center; it was purchased from Bernie's glass on Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant.

After putting up the mantel, two of my friends noticed that fireplace was missing something, so we added a piece of pine, to complete the mantel.

Halsey 4th Floor Reno: Straightening Out the Window Frames

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:34:00 +0000

Doggie Doodie Bag Dispensers in Bed Stuy

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:55:00 +0000

Prepping for the Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 15:59:00 +0000

It's that time again. Winter is coming and I have to put some protection on the front door. Since the front of the house is south facing, the door needs at least two coats of Cabot's Gloss Spar Varnish, "maximum sun and water defense."

Cabot offers extreme-weather protection and delivers a marine-quality finish. I used to buy Cabot's marine finish but Lowe's doesn't carry it anymore. I guess they replaced it with the "Gloss Spar Varnish."

Let's get down to business!

Step 1: Prepare tools, utensils, and cover the floor

Gloves, blue painter's tape, sand paper, MinWax Red Sedona stain and 1 gallon of Cabot varnish

Step 2: Apply the blue to protect the glass and other areas you don't want to get dirty.

Step 3: Lightly sand the door (use a fine grit sand paper), this will allow the stain to better adhere to the wood.

Step 5: Apply the stain using a white rag. Preferably a white t-shirt.

Step 6: Give the stain about 5 hours to dry.

Kitchen - Tight Squeeze!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:57:00 +0000

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW

Estimated Cost: $5800 (including appliances and electrical)

Time: Done over 6 years

From This to That: Evolution of a Garden Level Apartment

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:14:00 +0000

This garden level kitchen apartment project evolved from a busted a$$, cracked head infested kitchen; to decent kitchen with solid wood cabinets; then finally to a luxurious master bedroom suite with a fireplace. It only took 6 years.

The chimney for the fireplace was hidden behind the sheetrock in the kitchen. I removed the wall because I was tired of hearing mice scuttling and squealing behind the walls.

Damage: Estimated at $8500 plus back pain

The Best Stripper in Brooklyn

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 19:03:00 +0000

My family and friends don't believe that I am the best stripper in Brooklyn. I've been stripping for 13 years.

Tools: Wire Brush, paint brushes, 3 gallons of Klean Strip Stripper, assorted scrappers and steel wool
Man Hours: 3 Full days
Total Cost: $110

Step I:

Step II:

Step III:

Finished:

Concrete Jungle to Landscaped Oasis

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:45:00 +0000

I finally got tired of tracking dirt from the backyard into the house. While some may think that a concreted backyard is hassle free, mine isn't.
I finally scraped enough money together to purchase artificial turf. Even though doesn't look exactly like real grass it's pretty darn close.

Materials

Home Depot - 5 of Tundra 6 ft. x 7 ft. 6 in. Classic Artificial Turf: $695
Lowes - 6 bags of Rock City 0.4-cu ft Marble: $23.82
Estimated Total Cost: $718.82

Final Result:

This is how I originally found the backyard:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Those Windows Were Busted

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:38:00 +0000

Nasty Cellar Reno

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 03:05:00 +0000

I'm back from a two year long hiatus. I've been busy with my 9 to 5, night job, and the birth of my first child. Although I haven't been writing I've still been Renovating on the Cheap.

The cellar at Halsey Street was the ugliest, nastiest, mustiest cellar I've ever seen. It was cut up into four rooms. We think the previous owner probably had people living down there.

I spent two years planning how I could make this cellar usable. Prior to the demo I couldn't stand going down there. Everytime I did, I felt like puking.

The previous owners made it into some kind of a drug den or boom boom room. They added cinder block walls which divided the cellar into four rooms. This included a bathroom and a boiler room. One of the rooms was carpeted.

The cellar was dark and there were exposed wires and bx cables hanging from the ceiling. The walls were covered with sheetrock, which took away a few feet from the width.

Once we removed all the cinder block partitions, the fire proof door at the bottom of the stairs; the cellar looked much better. It still looked dingy and small.

To make the cellar look more spacious we painted the walls bright white and the sewer lines a glossy black.

We desposed of over 250 bags of rubble while doing this job.

Plan:
-Demolish the cinder block walls.
-Remove sheetrock from walls
-Remove illegal bathroom
-Paint walls, sewer and gas lines
-Sheetrock and plaster ceilings
-Remove exposed electrical wires and bring them up to code.

Tools Used:
-Hammer
-Crow bar
-Drill
-Saw Zaw

Materials:
-5 Gallon drum of primer
-5 Gallon drum of white paint
-Two gallons of black paint

Time: One week

Fabulous Refab

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:56:00 +0000

It had been bothering me for a while that the stained glass windows on this house could only be seen from the outside. The previous owners wanted to put a circular curtain rod in, and they decided to cover the windows with sheetrock, and bring the windows down. Terrible. I couldn't quite figure out whether the windows were intact on the side that was inside the house, but I had to try. Hey, you never know.

Unfortunately, by knocking down the wall, I created two new jobs for myself. One, I had to strip the wood mouldings and two, I had to rebuild the mouldings that were missing. I kept thinking, How the hell would I go about doing this? The easiest thing to do would have been to replace the original mouldings with stuff from Home Depot. But I decided to go to Dykes Lumber and refabricate the missing mouldings. Since lumber yards no longer make these mouldings, we had to replicate them as best as possible using 3 or 4 different mouldings.
The finished product? Priceless.

Sterling Street Stoop Sale: Saturday July 19th

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:51:00 +0000

The Sterling Street-100 Block Association is having a multiple home stoop sale this Saturday, July 19th from 10AM to 3PM.

The stoop sale will be on Sterling Street between Bedford and Rogers Avenues in Prospect-Lefferts Garden. Proceeds will go towards funding their first annual block party.

Visit their stoop sale and see what treasures you may find. Furniture, Clothing, books, bric-a-bracs, etc. Hope you all can make it.

Please click here or on picture to view flyer.

New Condos Come to PLG

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:13:00 +0000

Formerly an abandoned building, 411 Rogers Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Garden has been turned into a six-unit condo building. When I spoke to Alyssa Morris, a Corcoran agent, she said that only three of the six units were available for showing.

For $375, 000 (common charge: $269), you can get Unit 2, a two bedroom, one bathroom duplex with access to your half of the manicured private garden. Unit 4, a two bedroom, is going for $350,000 (common charge: $227). Unit 6, a 2 bedroom, is going for $365,000 (common charge: $269) and includes access to the roof deck.

According to Corcoran's website, "There are six new residential homes set up as duplexes with private gardens for entertaining and outdoor leisure, as well as 2-bedroom floor-through apartments-- some with private roof decks for those ring-side firework views."

When I visited 411 Rogers Avenue last weekend, I saw two duplex apartments that share the backyard. The first level of the duplexes is in the cellar, which is small and kind of cramped. The other four apartments are relaid single units. Also, don't get your hopes up about the roof deck. The roof deck is just an asphalt roof that is not fit to walk on. From the roof you have a nice view of a huge tree in my backyard; so much for seeing fireworks. But with the right plants, and some railings for those evenings you have a couple too many beers with your friends, it could be a cool chill-out space.

Still, in today's market, these units are reasonably priced. The common charges are almost too good to be true. I’d definitely negotiate them down on the asking price of the condo, because there are a few things that will need work.

In general, I thought the rehab was a bit shoddy and they really didn't put too much money into the bathroom or kitchen materials. There was another downside too--the duplexes have one bathroom. Anyway, I'm sure that to someone looking to buy the pros will outweigh the cons. The building is in a great location--just a block and a half from the 2 and 5 trains, and two blocks from Prospect Park and the Botanical Gardens.

Related articles:
1) Condo Conversion on Rogers Ave.
2) Corcoran's listing for 411 Rogers Ave.

Repair Rather Than Replace

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:41:00 +0000

In an article called Little Ways to Save Big on a Remodel, This Old House Magazine writer Alexandra Bandon gave 10 tips to save money on a remodel. These are the 10 principles I've been guided by during my 5 years of DIY renovations. One can save thousands of dollars if these tips are followed safely. Read more-->

1. Repair Rather Than Replace
2. Roll Up Your Sleeves
3. Limit Demolition
4. Rob Peter to Pay Paul
5. Use Luxuries Selectively
6. Adjust To Your Circumstances
7. Add Detail With Paint
8. Stick With Stock
9. Be Open To Open Shelves And Doors
10. Reuse Existing Materials

PLG Bathroom: Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Since we were already doing work in our bathroom in Prospect-Lefferts Garden, we decided to change the tiles, sink, showerhead and add a new vanity.

1.) 5 Durock 5/16 3x5 Cement Board: $10.77 each
Tiles: $100
2.) AquaSource White Windsor Pedestal Lavatory: $87.73
3.) AquaSource White Windsor Pedestal Base: $46.02
4.) Showerhead: $16.98
5.) Vanity: $99

PLG Bathroom: The Work Never Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:42:00 +0000

Three years ago I put a window in this cramped Prospect-Lefferts Garden bathroom. The bathroom had an ugly grey vent, with open storage space below. The vent was replaced with a small window; I kept the storage space, but added mirrored sliding doors.

Originally, in that space, there was a window about 45" X 32" wide. The original owners must have removed it, to create storage space in a house with only 3 closets on the first floor. After a long discussion about what to do with this storage, we decided to eliminate it and put a window back in that space. A window would allow for better circulation of air and light into the bathroom. We purchased the window from Windows We Are for $160.

Adding the right size mouldings around the window frame is just as important as the window itself. On this frame we used a 4" wide moulding which gives it a classic original look.

Halsey Street Reno: Parlor Floor Hallway

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:26:00 +0000

The entrance hallway of this Bed-Stuy house was terrible. After removing the tiles, cement and wire mesh, the original wood floor was exposed. Although it was in bad condition, I decided to restore it instead of laying new Bruce flooring, which can run about $50 to $80 a carton.

The floor needed to be patched and replaced in some areas before it could be sanded. After sanding, we added two coats of semi-gloss Polyurethane.

1. Removing tiles, cement and wire mesh (done by my cousins and I): $3.50 (3 Formula 50 Vitamin Waters)

2. Sanding, restoration, polyurethane (done by Mickey): $150

Quick Links

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:23:00 +0000

Visit to the New Macon Library (Bed-Stuy Blog)
Enough With the Marauding Teenagers! (Brownstoner)
Staying in the Apartment for an Extra Month (NY Times)

Smoke Joint Owner Expands Into Bed Stuy

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Craig Samuel owner of the Lil' Pig and Smoke Joint in Ft. Greene is preparing to open a restaurant in Bedford Stuyvesant. The Smoke Joint was voted the number one barbecue in New York by NY Magazine.

In an interview with Monique Greenwood (the Mayor of Bed Stuy) Mr. Samuel says his new venture will be called Peaches Market. The new restaurant will open in the space once occupied by Petite Basam on Macdonough Street and Lewis Avenue. It will provide an "urban farmhouse" experience. Peaches Market will serve contemporaryAmerican food with a Southern tinge.

Mr. Samuel who lives in Bedford Stuyvesant, "wants to see the neighborhood become what it could be." Click here to watch the interview and for more information -->

The Walls Come Tumbling Down

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:27:00 +0000

Should We Get Tree Guards?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Renovation) — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Tree Guards or No Tree Guards That Is the Question

Yesterday at our block association meeting we were trying to decide whether we should fill out the application for tree guards being offered by the city for free.

The cons highlighted by a couple of our members, is the fact that people will use the area inside the tree guard as a trash can and it will be harder to sweep around the tree. They also stated that the city sometimes cuts too much of the curb (sometimes unevenlly). I highlighted the fact that there is an advantage to having a tree guard, it will keep people from letting there dogs $h!t around the base of the tree.

While walking around downtown Brooklyn, I snapped a few shots, and noticed how nice the tree guards look in Brooklyn Heights. I think I'm going to fill out that application.

There's more information on the Neighborhood Beautification Fund Application. The deadline is June 6, 2008... and you can only include trees located on residential blocks as of May 15, 2008.