Basement remodeling can be easy if you take your time and make sure the job comes out right. But if your plans include adding a wet bar to the basement, you’ve got a few things to think about. basementremodelingservice.com host Chris shares some tips to help you along the way while deciding on your new wet bar.
Tag Archives: Need
Need Help With Remodeling A Basement?
Posted by admin
on May 30, 2010
No comments
I’m thinking of renting a friends basement. It needs a lot of work though, I’m a very organized, neat freak person and the basement is a train wreck. The bathroom doesn’t work, there’s a couple doors missing, everything needs painting, tiled, and carpeted. It needs also needs new cabniets. Plus the BIGGEST problem is, we seen a snake down there a couple weeks ago, and I have no idea how to get it out. So all in all, what i need to know is how much/how long do you think it will take to get this place ready to live in?? Should I ask her if I can get months free for fixing it up?? How do i get rid of the snake? PLEASE HELP ME..I’m going crazy.
I need to file a complaint about unethical building inspector/Buildings Dept. for Town of Hempstead(Nassau,NY)?
Posted by admin
on April 24, 2010
No comments
I do not know where to go from here or who to contact but basically I am looking for a way to file a complaint against the Buildings Dept./Building Inspectors for the “Town of Hempstead Buildings Dept” in Long Island, NY.
To try to make a VERY LONG STORY as short as possible here is a summary: NINE MONTHS AGO I called and made a complaint to the buildings dept. about an illegal basement apartment which was GREATLY AFFECTING MY LIFE (I lived on another supposedly LEGAL floor of this house, the landlord was a SLUMLORD and had this illegal basement apartment he was renting to HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE PEOPLE, I was paying almost $2000 a month rent to live on a supposedly LEGAL FIRST FLOOR (unaware of the illegal basement when I moved in) and this illegal basement rental caused MANY PROBLEMS in my life (they had their electric and gas illegally hooked up to my meters-which was investigated by LIPA and Keyspan and finally resolved after a few months), there were NUMEROUS plumbing problems due to TOO MANY bathrooms and people hooked up to the same plumbing (when they used their plumbing sometimes water would come out of my shower or faucet, their dryer exhaust would blow into my clean clothes in my dryer-EVERYTHING WAS RIGGED UP AND HOOKED UP ILLEGALLY), I had NO ACCESS TO MY ELECTRIC PANEL and would HAVE MANY ELECTRIC PROBLEMS-even have them mess with my hot water heater settings and electric panel and I would not be able to correct the situation due to no access to their illegal basement rental.
Since the landlord was a COMPLETE SLUMLORD and my life was miserable due to this illegal rental, I had no choice but to report it to the buildings inspector, hoping they would force him to shut down this illegal rental. Over the course of the next several months, I followed up SEVERAL TIMES asking on the progress of this report and when they were coming to RESOLVE THIS ISSUE and give the landlord a citation/violation and it took FOUR MONTHS from my original complant before the building inspector even came out to the house. When she did, of course the basement tenants did not answer the door so she left a violation notice on the door saying she needed access to the basement but she ASSURED ME THIS WAS AN ILLEGAL RENTAL and she knew that people lived down there (there was a mailbox for APARTMENT THREE right at their side door-which she said should have been MY SIDE DOOR for my first floor apartment) and now they had their own electric and gas meters (three meters on a supposedly two family house). Anyway, a few more months passed and I kept following up and then finally she came out again and posted a VIOLATION NOTICE ON THE DOOR. Long story short is that I wound up going to court with my landlord when I stopped paying rent after so many months of living in misery, thinking I WOULD WIN, but in the long run, I ENDED UP HAVING TO MOVE OUT because the whole place was most liklely illegal (according to the lawyers in court) and the landlord refused to remedy the situation, THE ILLEGAL RENTERS STILL LIVE THERE and during a recent argument with the landlord when moving out and my saying that he will PAY EVENTUALLY FOR BEING A SLUMLORD AND HAVING AN ILLEGAL APARTMENT, he said “I have a CO (certificate of occupancy) for the basement and the building inspectors are “in my pocket”-whatever that means-he obviously has FRIENDS in the buildings department, BUT HE DOES NOT HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, I researched it and it is only a legal two family if the owner occupies the home (mother/daughter) which he DOES NOT. I lost TONS OF MONEY living in this place, I had paid a realtors fee when I moved in, I spent thousands on rent and lived in misery the whole time, now I recently moved and it bothers me GREATLY that the basment tenants still live there, the landlord does not seem to have had to comply or pay any fines or make this place LEGAL and every time I call the buildings dept. I basically get the run around-NINE MONTHS since my original complaint and I want to now file a complant against the buildings dept for NOT DOING THEIR JOB, this is ridiculous and I want actions to be taken against the landlord and the friends he has in the buildings dept. Who do I file a complaint with? I also have TONS OF PAPERWORK regarding all my complaints, phone calls, letters from LIPA, KEYSPAN, buildings Dept. court documents, etc. to prove all of this, it is unfair that he will not rent out my first floor apartment to someone else who is unsuspecting and they will pick up where I left off, living in MISERY and being conned by this SLUMLORD. This needs to be put to an end, WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? I refuse to give up after all I have went through and I want actions taken IMMEDIATELY, I feel like calling my local news channel-human interest story because this IS OUTRAGEOUS.
Need Advice for my Living Situation?
Posted by admin
on February 21, 2010
No comments
I am currently working in a job on Long Island that I love . I have a problem with my living situation, I am tring to start saving money to get a better apartment, and I have made some stupid financial decisions in the past such as financing a car i can’t afford. I can either pay a few hundred dollars a month, which I can’t really afford to pay, to live in a cramped basement on Long Island, where I have been living for the past two years, and not have any privacy or a private bathroom, the only plus is it’s 10 minutes from work. Or I can live rent free at my grandmother’s spacious townhouse, which is in North Westchester , which is about 2 hours from work. I am very confused and need advice. I want to be able to get an apartment, that I can bring my girlfriend back to, since I met her we always go to her apartment because I don’t want her to see how small and disgusting mine is and I am embaressed. PLEASE HELP ME???
Do I need a permit to build a utility room in my basment in Suffolk county, NY?
Posted by admin
on February 9, 2010
No comments
When Do You Need a Handyman?
Posted by admin
on January 19, 2010
No comments
Big city living is typically hectic and with a lot of stuffs to juggle, our homes most of the time is left among the last things-to-do. Your New York home is often left at the mercy of time’s wear and tear until such time damages are spotted. For the majority of homeowners; noisy pipes, fences askew, roof leaks, damp spots on some areas, electrical grounds and other immediate needs are what prompt them to call for a handyman. But the need for a handyman not only arises in times of emergency repairs and if you are a smart homeowner, you should know better than to tumble into this pitfall. Your home is among the greatest investments you could ever have in a lifetime. It is so much more than a “roof above your head” as it is a haven for the tired busy-bodies and souls, a venue for family gatherings, a place for entertainment, something to wow your guests and so much more. By the time you decide to resell, your home could bring in a good amount of fortune for you and your family to enjoy. This makes every task you undertake to keep your home in good condition and more beautiful and functional crucial. And every time you undertake these projects, whether maintenance or to add appeal, your local handyman could help you. Whether you are in Long Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island; a local handyman is close by to cater to whatever repair, maintenance or home improvement needs you have. The professional can be working under a company or running a business on his own, but either way, he can cater to a set of jobs under which he is qualified with and this may include some or all of the following: plumbing, flooring, wall painting and staining, insulation, landscaping, drywall and plastering, kitchen remodeling, home additions, carpentry and cabinetry, patios, putting up or fixing fences, walks and driveways, chimney and furnaces, air conditioning and heating, custom home building, decks, foundations, basement remodeling, home security, and others. Whether you have a major or minor job at hand, a handyman can work his way through the remodeling or home repair needed. His expertise is not limited to fast fixes but can be availed of for longer running home improvement projects. To ensure quality work, make sure that you call on a licensed professional. Emergencies are not excuses to get careless and call just anybody which may happen to be a fake. You can verify a handyman’s license status with just a phone call to the state licensing or the local Better Business Bureau. It would also benefit both you and the handyman you will hire if you organize things first before he comes by. Enlist the areas in your home needing repair or some sprucing and do this in order of priorities. By doing so, less time is wasted and your handyman could use the list for his guide. And when the job done was satisfactory, never forget to keep his contact details to have someone reliable to immediately contact for future needs.
Eugene Makeev uses his skills and expertise to help home owners in Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island avoid the common pitfalls by matching their small repair projects New York needs with prescreened handyman NYC.
Visit us for more on small repair projects New York.
Basement remodeling, I need to know how to seal up limestone walls and ideas for the basement?
Posted by admin
on January 8, 2010
1 comment
I recently bought a house built in the mid 1800s, in the basement it is all limestone: the walls, ceiling and stairs. I really want to keep the old look in the basement but I also live in Kansas and we have a lot of tornados so it needs to be safe. I just need to know how to seal it up and make it as strong as possible. Also the floors are dirt I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for the floors to go with the old look.
Small Basement Remodeling: Things You Need To Know For A Successful Project
Posted by admin
on December 8, 2009
No comments
Whether you are living in Long Island, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or just anywhere in the Big Apple, one thing that you share with most New York homeowners is having to live with limited space. Often, many homeowners look beyond what is available and end up unnecessarily breaking the bank. Though home additions can add value to your home and enhance quality of living, why resort to this when you still can achieve both for less the cost? The key to efficient use of space is maximizing what is readily there, thus making a small basement remodeling project a smart home improvement move to undertake. Even if your basement is huge or small in terms of total area, success of the project inevitably lies in properly following several essential steps. • Before anything else, you should already have established what finish you want to result out of your small basement remodeling project. • A well-defined plan will be a crucial tool that could spell the difference in both the functionality and attractiveness of the newly spruced up space. • For optimal usability and comfort, repair and waterproofing issues should first be solved. And to further ensure that the project finish lasts for the longest possible time, implement preventive measures to avoid future problems with moisture which means providing proper insulation, ventilation, and others. Working on finishing the basement, with all its typical characteristics, is already challenging. Add limited space to that and your project is taken into a higher level of difficulty. Though the task may seem tricky, you just have to stick with universal dos and don’ts in small basement remodeling to bring out the most functional and beautiful finish and overall result. • Do maximize use of natural and artificial lighting. This can be done through installing fixtures offering radiant lighting and widening or changing windows. • Do not choose dark colors for your walls as it will only make the small basement remodeling finish seem smaller than it already is. • Do provide innovative storage solutions that are not only compact but also provide efficient organization. • Do not choose bulky furniture and fixtures, choose taller models which not only provide a touch of sleekness but also help to avoid crowding the room. Quality craftsmanship, together with the type of project, is a crucial factor that adds considerable value to your home and can determine the amount of return on the investment you’ll be getting at resale time. This and other reasons, makes hiring a qualified New York contractor the best course of action. Why local? Availing the contracting services of Long Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, or those based in your areas would be beneficial in terms of communication and faster action in case of emergencies related to the project. With a hired local contractor, the project will take just a fraction of the time and effort you allot for DIY. By the time you see and enjoy the result of your small basement remodeling project, and in the long run, the skills and expertise of your local contractor will prove to be more valuable than the money it costed.
Eugene Makeev uses his skills and expertise to help home owners in Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island avoid the common pitfalls by matching their basement remodeling needs with prescreened New York Basement Contractors.
Feel free to use our basement remodeling expense estimator.