The boroughs of New York City are filled with a rich history. Sometimes you look at the old homes and wish you knew the story of a particular structure. We often feel this way, and were beyond excited when given the opportunity to get involved with the first “This Old House” renovation in the New York City area as the This Old House Plumber. The show chose an iconic Brooklyn Brownstone to highlight, and they could not have chosen a better project for the area. The city is full of these old homes and the owners of this particular brownstone were anxious to transform it into the house of their dreams.
The only problem was this particular brownstone, like many others in the area, had fallen into disrepair. The previous owners had revised it from a family home into a boarding house, so it was broken up into several small studio apartments. In addition to the house needing a lot of updating, the garden was a mess as well. However, sometimes all these homes need is someone to come along and see the possibilities. Most of these homes still have the original woodwork, windows, molding, and other features that give it the character homeowners desire, it just takes a little vision and elbow grease to bring it back to its former glory.
In addition, updating some features and bringing in some contemporary elements made this home a beacon that started a transition in the older neighborhood. Aladdin Plumbing partnered with “This Old House” to update the plumbing and HVAC system. Randy and Erik Gitli gave this vintage home all the comforts of a new build. The Gitli’s had been fans of the show for a long time and were excited to be able to be involved in the transformation. What was a run-down subdivided brownstone became a family home again, and even included a couple of rental units to help with the mortgage payments.
As a new generation of homeowners are out searching for their diamond in the rough, it is important to know there are experts out there willing to help. These old homes can be restored to their beautiful origins with some help along the way. For more information, contact This Old House plumber, Aladdin Plumbing.