One of the housing trends I see now and in the future is smaller houses. The large American house is no longer a smart way to live. It made sense when building was cheap, energy was cheap, and labor was cheap. But now only labor remains cheap. It costs a lot more to build and […]
Smaller House Trend – Everything About a Small House Read More »
A renovation usually stems from the need to make a place nicer or a more useful space. It also might include increasing your space. And while you are at it you use healthier materials. Is Renovation Increasing the Value of the House? But a house renovation should also be seen from a point of view.
House Renovation to Increasing the Value Read More »
There are a lot of radiant heat companies out there. The abundance can be confusing. We have found that certain stores offer the best of certain products. Here is an example for an order form from one of our vendors:
Ordering Radiant Heat Materials Read More »
Green Building is like life: it is all about energy. How you control it, who has it, where it is flowing, and where it isn’t flowing. You control the energy and you have a great house (possibly a great life too). Insulation Part of Green Building So obviously insulation plays a huge part ini green
Eco Friendly Insulation Has Arrived for Green Building! Read More »
The Department of Buildings wants me to show the state of the sidewalk before and after the job so that they can determine if I have to redo it. To do this I had to get an architect’s survey which costs $3000. To redo the sidewalk would cost me $1000. So I’m forced to spend
DOB Retards – the sidewalk fiasco Read More »
At the beginning of this job I had to buy my salvaged wood from Fine Lumber in Williamsburg. But now that the local job sites know about my project I get most of my wood from them. Here you see a nice selection of old cut prime wood. That’s my daughter.
I have relationships with the contractors in the neighborhood. These oak floors were perfectly fine but the owner wanted to replace them with cherry wood floors. Instead of put them in the dump I got them. The lower floors of a brownstone are dark so I like light floors to maximize the light.
Recycled Wood Floor Read More »
These studs were on their way to the dump until I intercepted the contractor and he let me take them.. I’m using them in the cellar where they will be in touch with the ground and where in the past there have been termite problems (thus no wood studs).
Recycled Steel Studs Read More »
On the 2nd street project we are doing a lot of underpinning and laying a concrete slab in the cellar. This requires a lot of concrete. Cement uses up a lot of energy to produce and creates a lot of CO2 Substituting up to 50% of the cement with fly ash is considered a more
What is Fly Ash? Why Its Called Fly Ash isn’t flying Read More »
It is so important to use healthy green house cleaning products in the house. The very same Wizz-Bang commercial products that can “kill germs” can also kill all the good germs in you. The following text was originally from ABC’s web site. There are many ingredients in your own kitchen or bathroom cupboard that could
How to Green House Cleaning Read More »
