NYSERDA

What is NYSERDA you ask? Awesomeness I say.

It is a free home energy assessment - Assisted Home Performance with Energy Star, to be exact. 

Qualifying homes can apply for and receive a free assessment to determine where the home is losing and abusing energy. 

A super helpful professional from Brooklyn Green Home Solutions came over and spent several hours looking at all aspects of our house to determine what areas are negatively affecting the energy efficiency of our home. Could it be the windows that don't close or perhaps the door that isn't a door that I stuffed towels around to quiet the random squalls happening in the living room? Or perhaps the lack of insulation, EVERYWHERE?

The energy assessment even included a look at our boiler and furnace, catching a slow gas leak. Which I quickly took care of; I'll be sleeping more soundly tonight. 

Welcome to...The Danger ZONE! 

We will receive our full report including recommended projects in the next few days. After which, here's the coolest part, we receive 50% off of approved energy related improvements up to $5,000. Way to go Energy Star. Way to go blower door test. 

The Takedown

It was feeling pretty gloomy today so I decided to take down the bars and tacky faux stained glass keeping the light out of the building. 

 

I'm pretty sure this glass hasn't been cleaned in the past decade. All it took was a razor blade, Windex, and some serious elbow grease.

The exterior of the doors need some serious lovin' and there is a pane of glass that needs to be replaced, but this will do for the today.

Hello sunshine. 

Windows, All of Them

We've got some classy windows in this here house. 

BOOM! Feast your eyes on these pretties. They have custom moving blanket insulation to keep the outside from blowing in. They don't close, because they are windows, they bring the outside in and how can they do their job if they were closed, duh. How about those fierce shades we have on the left window. I'm just bummed they are a one of a kind and not on all the windows. I particularly like the door to the right with the trash bag and tape transom. And who could deny the added security of a padlocked gate over a first rate plywood slab bolted into the opening. Who else has such a one of a kind beauty? No one, I tell you! But alas, it is time to bid these beauties a fond adieu and pricing them out has given me a mild aneurysm. 

While I bid out the project to a few other window installers I'll be pondering prettier and less costly projects. I know that paint comes at the end of the renovation, but thinking about that part of the project is calming rather than frustrating. 

Here's what I have so far:

Kitchen tile with Restoration Hardware Right White on cabinetry. Restoration Hardware Silver Sage for kitchen, living and dining room. 

Restoration Hardware Glacier on top or Pale Silver on bottom for bathrooms. 

Restoration Hardware Bay Laurel on top orSea Green for master bedroom. Wood trim as shown.  

I've decided on the hall color, vestibule color, and the second bedroom will most likely be which ever green doesn't get painted in the master bedroom. The second floor unit will be painted in some neutral tried and true paint colors that I've used several times before.

But for now, I'm getting back on track and working on bidding out our window project.

Snow Day

Cancelled! All of the appointments for the house I had set up for today got snowed out. So I moved onto a project I can do from inside, mostly.

Our house is part of a National Historic District. That qualifies us for a tax credit on all work done to the building itself and on our unit, as an owner occupied unit. It has been a lot of reading and paperwork to wade through but I completed Part 1 of 3 for the New York State Office of Parks Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit. It did necessitate trudging into the back yard to get a photo of the property from the rear. It isn't the prettiest of angles; most ladies don't particularly enjoy having a photo taken of their back side.

She's got a long way to go but with the help of the tax credit, we can hopefully get her looking like she did when she was a taut teenager. I'll be working on Part 2 this evening, along with a heavy dose of "Star Trek: Voyager". There may not be enough coffee ...

Making Plans

Plans are being laid, wheels are spinning and nothing is moving as fast as I'd like. I can guarantee this will be an unending tune. In addition to the work that lays ahead for our two units in our house, my parent's have a place in Bed Stuy they just closed on that needs work as well. I'll be working on both in tandem. It should help us all out. Instead of my parent's getting bids from several contractors on their job and us getting several bids for ours, we'll coordinate and combine forces. Sharing human resources in a city the size of NY takes away some of the overwhelmed feeling I get now and again.

But for now, here's a peak at what we're up against. Care to take a walk through our unit?

Front Entry Door

Vestibule

Entry Hall, Kitchen ahead, Living to the left

Yes, fly traps are delicately hung from the ceiling. That fire extinguisher does send up some red flags in my mind as there was no kitchen range when I first moved in.

Kitchen

Kitchen

 All cabinet doors attached with new single hinge system, determining which will be the attachment point is my favorite new game; avoid opening. 

Living

The plywood door and security gate feature come at not extra charge. Also, there's extra ventilation from non closing and broken windows.

First Bedroom

Second Bedroom

Third Bedroom 

Third Bedroom

Bathroom

 Don't open the cabinets, just don't.

Bathroom

TAPE AS TILE! Plus, don't mind the black grout,  it is simply caulking applied as super secret efficient cleaning method - no need to remove, just trap it in.

Close up on the monstrosity that is TAPE AS TILE. I can't even begin to imagine what lies beneath.

Moving In

I walked up to our new home, keys in one hand, tub of cleaning supplies in the other, filled with determination and excitement. It was a balmy 9 degrees outside as I opened the first set of doors. Then the snags started to trickle in. As I stood in the vestibule trying all 9 keys, I thought to myself, "Gee that lock looks really new". Turns out, the only person who had a copy of the key was the upstairs tenant. It was really new. As I waited the 45min for the lock smith to arrive, I got a good look at my first set of projects to tackle. Honestly, the vestibule is the only room I clearly remember from any of my other times in the building. Turns out, it may be in the best shape. I was excited to see the paint flaking off with previously varnished woodwork aching to be revealed. The cute tile entry will take a little mending, but nothing too messy.

What I wasn't prepared for, other than my 4 hour cleaning that didn't seem to make a difference, was the lack of a kitchen range. I honestly can't recall if the damned thing was there during the walk through. I'm starting to think that I may be in shock.

On the up side, we were planning on purchasing new appliances for the 2nd floor apartment, so the new fridge, range and dishwasher that we threw down for will be put to good use. Eight Lowe's gift cards, free President's Day shipping, and a slightly lighter wallet later, I've got a brand spankin' new set of kitchen appliances. It will be great to use a fridge that doesn't have a bubble wrap Macgyver seal to keep the cold air in (thanks old apartment). 

One Year and Eight Months Later

We did it. One year and eight months later, we signed, rather I signed all the lines. Who knew my 5-year-old obsession with He-man would one day lead me to a 4 hour house closing in which I would get to exclaim, "I HAVE THE POWER!" (of Attorney, that is).

The legal struggle is no where near an end but of the two legal units, the first floor is completely empty and ready to move into. This is beyond wonderful as Sophie dog and I are currently living in an apartment without heat. That is a story worthy of it's own zip-code. To put it succinctly, our landlord passed away leaving no heirs or will. The other two owners of the property have been fighting in court. The not so capable or not so sane gentleman living in the basement (illegally without working plumbing I will add) has attempted to extort the current tenants for cash for heat. The boiler is working and all calls to NYC 311 building department have been fruitless. The police have shown up three times attempting to rectify the situation but have no ability to remove the Basement Troll from the premises nor keep him from turning the heat off in an attempt to freeze us out. I'm sure that a year from now I'll look back and laugh, possibly hysterically, at the situation. For now, I am anxious making the move alone which C works in Nashville and nervous to be in a new neighborhood.

Here's to a new adventure!

Up next, a meeting with an architect tomorrow morning to get this ball of wax rolling along.