Because my architect and I did not see eye to eye we had to part ways, which meant he had to pull his application with the DOB. That would have been fine if my new architect kept to his schedule. But he didn’t and I didn’t get new plans submitted to the DOB before the old architect withdrew his.
Because I didn’t have an active application at the DOB I got a big fat STOP WORK ORDER, which apart from grinding everything to a halt is annoying because everyone presumes it is because of something wrong I did on the job site.
But after much name calling, threats and extra money gauging, my architect finally got the new plans submitted and approved and I finally got a new work permit.
Things are up and swinging again. I have a great crew of about 8 guys banging, digging and hauling.
This week we jackhammered the concrete in the back yard and carted it to the dumpster in the street. We also made good progress in the cellar where we are digging down three feet to make a nice spacious nine foot living space. Lots of fancy underpinning going on down there.
Meanwhile we are sistering all the joists on the top floor with beams I reclaimed from the construction site across the street (me and the carpenters on that job have an agreement that they take the joists out carefully instead of cutting them in half and throwing them in the dumpster like normal).
The roof needs to be nice and strong to hold the green roof.
On the insulation front I just ordered 12,000 square feet of recycled insulation from the InsulationDepot.com. I don’t need anywhere near that but a truck costs the same no matter how much you fill it so I filled it. What I don’t use I’ll sell to other like minded green builders in Brooklyn.
Times are tough right now: I get unemployed workers coming to the site each day with sad stories of being hungry and with kids etc. It is a great time to be an employer, if you can make any money yourself that is.