Case studies from private homes

Repairs, rebuilds and installations like these are carried out by NYC Brownstone General Contracting, our family's separately insured affiliate.

A collage of cut-out photographs of finished work on pale paper: two air-conditioning condensers on a steel rack, a new roof membrane at a brick parapet, a stone wall fountain framed by ivy and an oiled ipe deck with planters.

Air conditioning condensers on a townhouse roof at dusk, with neighboring rooftops beyond.

A new line set for a 16-zone VRF system

What we found: A 16-zone VRF system in a seven-story townhouse had stopped working. Leak testing traced a refrigerant leak to the line set from the roof to the basement, behind high-end finishes on every floor.
What we did: Rather than open walls and ceilings to hunt for the leak, a fresh-air duct running from the roof to the basement was found, and a new line set was run through it.
The result: The system was back online within three days. Not one finished wall was touched.

A newly waterproofed flat roof with fresh flashing along a brick parapet.

A failed roof membrane replaced in five days

What we found: Water was entering through the roof. Bubbles in the membrane were cut open, revealing that a previous contractor had laid the wrong membrane over the existing asphalt roof. It had never adhered.
What we did: The entire faulty membrane was removed. New membrane, new flashing and waterproofing were installed throughout.
The result: Five days later, the house had a new roof that worked as it should.

A stone wall fountain in a brownstone's back garden, surrounded by ivy and boxwood.

A hidden leak behind a stone fountain repaired

What we found: A custom stone water feature in a backyard garden was leaking from behind its stonework, where nobody could reach the connection.
What we did: The stonework was taken apart piece by piece, the water connection behind it was repaired, and the stone was rebuilt exactly as it had been.
The result: The fountain runs without a leak, and there is no sign anyone was ever there.

An air handler for central air conditioning in a townhouse closet, with insulated refrigerant lines, a condensate pump and a refrigerant gauge set on the wall.

Several HVAC systems restored to proper cooling

What we found: Several HVAC systems in one house, each running on a different refrigerant, were not cooling the way they should.
What we did: The systems were restored one by one. A hard-start capacitor was installed on equipment that needed help starting.
The result: Every system was tested and confirmed to be cooling properly before the work ended.

An oiled hardwood deck on a townhouse terrace, with planters and ivy-covered brick beyond.

A custom Ipe deck built in a tight space

What we found: An outdoor space with very little room to work needed a new deck.
What we did: A custom Ipe deck was built in sections to fit around the space and finished with Ipe oil.
The result: The client's furniture and plants were put back where they belonged.

A farmhouse kitchen sink with a brass bridge faucet and marble counters.

A leaking kitchen sink and faucet repaired

What we found: A kitchen sink and faucet assembly was leaking at its connections and draining badly.
What we did: The sink and faucet assembly were repaired, along with the drainage and every leaking connection.
The result: The assembly was water-tested repeatedly until it was confirmed to be sound.

A brownstone stoop in autumn, with leaves on the steps and a cast-iron railing.

Request a walkthrough of your house

We walk through the house with you and look at its condition and its systems. The office then writes the checklist and the agreement, priced from what the walkthrough found.

A checklist written for your house
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Request a walkthrough Call the office, 914-564-1325