Advice For Flood Victims To Save Money Before Demolition

by admin

As the cleanup effort from Hurricane Sandy continues here in Staten Island, I’ve dispensed the same piece of advice to flood victims a number of times:

Plan your rebuild before you begin demolition.

Many victims under-estimate the cost of rebuilding, and demolish everything in their house when they don’t have to.  Take note of hard surface that can simply be cleaned. Bathrooms with tile floors don’t need to be removed, but when we arrive clients have already included them in the demolition without realizing this. Many of the surfaces in a bathroom can get wet without structural damage and can be salvaged.

Sub-floors are another item being needlessly demolished. When building a house, first you lay the foundation. Then you put sill and then joist the sub-floor. After that the walls are built, and so on. Aside from wasting money, removing a sub-floor can affect the structure of the home.

If you’re looking into a rebuild after a flood in the New York City area, contact us. We can take a look and assist in the planning to save you money and aggravation.

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Mold Remediation: Getting Rid of Mold After Flooding

by admin

Getting Rid of Mold requires knowledge of what mold is, where it exists, how to detect it, why it proliferates and the consequences of living with it. Then we can properly dispose of it so we can enjoy healthy indoor living. There are many myths related to mold some created by suppliers of mold products & contractors that want your money. When unsure of mold facts go to Centers for Disease control and prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/mold.

What is mold: Mold is an essential component to our ecosystem that provides decomposition of many organic substances necessary to plant, animal and human life. Mold multiplies by producing spores which circulate in the air. When the spore contacts a moist surface it clings to it and mold develops. In an indoor environment, airborne mold spores can cause health problems to the occupants. Air quality is a key factor to healthy living, and often when houses are sealed for temperature control, the lack of ventilation can cause a build up of humidity and serious air quality problems, especially if mold is present. [click to continue…]

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Save Money on Flood Repairs After Flood Damage

November 15, 2012

Getting your house in order after a hurricane isn’t an easy process, but it’s necessary to get your life back on track. Flood repairs and restorations aren’t cheap, however you can save money by cutting back on unnecessary repairs while you recover from natural disasters. Here’s a guide to saving money while working with your [...]

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Green, Yellow and Red Cards & Hurricane Electrical Safety Repair

November 15, 2012

Due to severe flooding from Hurricane Sandy, homes and businesses throughout New York City have suffered electrical water damage. Electrical panels, wires, outlets and appliances have all been affected, and as a result, these homes and businesses are without power. New York City’s Department of Buildings (DOB) has been working feverishly to inspect buildings ravaged [...]

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Home Electrical Safety After Hurricane Sandy

November 15, 2012

Hurricane Sandy has already come, rocked New York City, and left but the aftereffects of her wrath are an everyday experience for you right now. Cold, flooded out and possibly in the dark, you’re still trying to make sense of everything that happened – and get the lights on while you’re at it. Your survival [...]

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Green Roofing – Yes You Can!

June 13, 2011
Green Roofing

Many things have changed in the years, nay, centuries since modern tile siding and roofing became popular. There have been advances in so many areas of home and general building design and construction that looks to the past, outside of aesthetic reasons, have been left just there: in the past. But what if the past [...]

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Green Spring Cleaning

June 13, 2011
green spring cleaning

Have you ever heard of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)? You’re not alone in perhaps not knowing what that is, but they are chemicals found in many things we use from carpet cleaner to surface disinfectant to air fresheners to paint. In reality, this does more harm than good as the release of VOCs from using [...]

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Sick Building Syndrome – Is It a Joke?

April 14, 2011
sick building syndrome, SBS, indoor air pollution, poor ventilation, chemical contaminants, insect debris, air fresheners, carpets, vacuuming, bacteria, lungs, breathing, long-term effects, allergies, fibromyalgia, leaks

Before you ask yourself “what is sick building syndrome?”, I want you to take a personal inventory of what your is health like? Right now. If, after your personal health inventory, you acknowledge that you have been sick often, and you spend the majority of your time within the same building, then chances are it’s [...]

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Basements and Indoor Air Quality

April 14, 2011

The basement. Home to a myriad of things we put away for storage, college kids using it a “pad”, and as a not-so-secret “underground lab” for when we need to work on special projects that may or may not be picked up by big business. But it can also be a breeding ground of poor [...]

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Eliminate, Isolate, Ventilate: 3 Steps for Better Indoor Air Quality

April 7, 2011
breed illness, eliminate, ventilate, isolate, paint, carpet, textiles, pottery, cleaning products, chemicals, danger, radon gas, money, save money

As seasons change, so do the needs of family household. In the winter, for example, you’re more likely to turn the inside of your home into your children’s playground, as winter storms and frigid weather make outside play impossible. Letting your children play inside the house, while supervised, is alright to do. However, you have [...]

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