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S-Kunst t1_jabyoan wrote

Look at the back yard of the neighboring houses. They tell a lot about the neatness of the owner.

Many rush to hire Mr. Cheapy Repair to do brick work. Most pre 1900 row houses have lime mortar. It has a life span of about 130 yrs then starts crumbling. Not a problem but the mortar joints need to be re-pointed using lime mortar. Most quicky contractors use Portland cement mortar which is very hard and prevents moisture from passing through. Soft old bricks will then hold moisture and with winter freeze and thaw, the bricks will decay.

Insulate the attic first before windows. It is cheapest and the most important, then the under side of the first floor.

Parking is a problem esp for those not used to city living. No, the space in front of your house is not yours.

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mixolydienne t1_jacewfb wrote

Seconding the mortar warning, do not cheap out on repointing! One of our neighbors had a random handyman do some repointing, and it not only looked like crap, it leaked worse than before.

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Cat_Toucher t1_jacgmp6 wrote

You don't by any chance have a recommendation for a contractor that does repointing, do you? We are just starting to reach the crumbly stage with our mortar and want to find someone who will do it right

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S-Kunst t1_jadhf54 wrote

Sorry, no. I have been doing it myself. I have read a lot and practice on the basement walls. Its relaxing and I only do about a 36"square at a time.

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jupitaur9 t1_jack3pb wrote

Yes, parking is an issue if you don’t have a parking pad. Don’t expect to park in front of your house unless you’re willing to invest a lot of time into strategizing when you come and go. If you have more than one car in the family that’s a bigger thing.

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