The new owner of our building is changing our old pipes for new copper pipes. On the 32nd page of the THP it states that there will be a 10% rent increase to pay for the renovation work (new pipes, and pipes alone, new fixtures are not included).
We filed an appeal and 6 of us showed up with concerns. But the THP was approved.
The contractor, Israel, stopped by as he posted notices and answered questions. He told us his crew would be opening 10 x 11 size holes in the wall to place and strap the new pipes. He held up the notice form to illustrate the size.
The form was a bit disconcerting as it stated,
"Streamline will NOT be held responsible for any loss items, missing pets, damaged furniture or electronics due to being moved by us to perform our work duties."
A crew from Streamline showed up at 8:30. They started in the front of the building working in four apartments at once. After several days, they got to us.
This is our experience.
Day One: At 8:30 a crew shows up. The first worker covered the floors and brought in supplies.
Here is a look at the pipes they used for the main bathroom.
The pipes are all the same width, the width of a dime, I measured.
The crew started in the second bedroom. They opened the walls. The holes were giant, at least 10 times the size the contractor had described. The crew used power equipment and as they worked a strange chemical smell permeated the air and set off the detector several times.
They then moved on to the main bathroom.
At noon they stopped for an hour lunch break. At this point I still had access the the masterbath and the kitchen.
After lunch the crew worked in the master bedroom.
At 3:30 they started cleaning up and covered the holes in construction paper.
They told me they would be back in the morning to finish the masterbath and the kitchen. They did a pretty good job cleaning, still there is a noticeable layer of drywall dust on everything. Which we now know the plaster contains 2% chrysotile asbestos.
Day 2:
The crew returned for a second day and ripped out the walls under the kitchen sink and the wall under the masterbath sink and behind the toilet.
When they left, one of the men told me an inspector would visit to approve the work.
Day Three:
While part of the crew finished the rest of the apartments another group began to dig out the dirt in the courtyard.
For the next week the crew worked in the courtyard. They dug trenches and laid pipe. Water was shut off on Friday, August 9, Monday August 12, and Tuesday August 13.
On August 13 (Day 18 or 19?)
The crew returned. One guy took a hammer and smashed out a chunks of the tile in both bathroom showers. We now know the tile contains lead and he took no precautions, but instead made a mess. Another guy came in and went to work hooking up the fixtures to the new pipes. In pairs of two and three, they worked all day. This part seemed more difficult. They struggled. They were messy. They did not clean up very well. There were plaster and tile bits all over the floors, and when they left, they did not seal the walls but left them open.
In the main bathroom the plumbers left part of the old fixture and added a new shower head next to it.
Black grudge is smear across the kitchen tiles. The kitchen water pressure is 3xs what it was and the old kitchen sink faucet cannot handle the new pressure. It drips when it is not on and sprays and leaks when it is. When I told June, she sent one of the plumbers back to look at it and he just told me it was old and not part of the contract and was a problem for management to deal with. I called June back and she asked for some photos.
August 15 Day of Inspection
It has been 20 some-odd days since the crew began by knocking out the walls.
We have been notified that an inspector will be onsite between 8 and 4 to pass or fail the plumber's work which is somewhat funny since most of the apartments have leaking faucets in the bath or kitchen. June and the plumber were arguing about it just yesterday. She yelled at him, "So why are all the faucets leaking now?"
To which he replied something about them all being old and in need of replacing.
At 10:20 June posted that the inspector would actually be here between 2 and 4. We wait. He arrives at 4:41 and begins a quick walk through. When he gets to my neighbors she says to him, "Do you know there is asbestos in the walls?"
The inspector turns to the plumber and asks, "Is there asbestos?"
The plumber replies, "No."
My neighbor says, "There is. I have a report. Would you like to see it?"
The inspector looks at her and says, "No." Then he passes her apartment and goes on to the next.
When the crew gets to my apartment. They pull off all the paper and cardboard I taped to walls and the inspector takes about 15 seconds walking through. He doesn't acknowledge the leaking kitchen faucet or the full bowl I've stuck under it to catch the water. The crew leaves with him and I am left to deal with the gaping holes again.
Thursday, August 22
Drywall work hopefully happening today. After the first day, the crew dwindled down to 2 workers. Instead of finishing in the order they began, the first day they worked in apartments 1, 2, 11, and 12. There is no plan. Now when a worker appears, he is assigned willy-nilly. There are no notices of entry. There are no notices of any kind. We just take what we can get and hope to get the work completed.
I was lucky, at 9 am a guy knocked. He was here all day. He left the door open and at one point my dog ran out. He completed the job alone. I am told painting will begin Monday.
We filed an appeal and 6 of us showed up with concerns. But the THP was approved.
The contractor, Israel, stopped by as he posted notices and answered questions. He told us his crew would be opening 10 x 11 size holes in the wall to place and strap the new pipes. He held up the notice form to illustrate the size.
The form was a bit disconcerting as it stated,
"Streamline will NOT be held responsible for any loss items, missing pets, damaged furniture or electronics due to being moved by us to perform our work duties."
A crew from Streamline showed up at 8:30. They started in the front of the building working in four apartments at once. After several days, they got to us.
This is our experience.
Day One: At 8:30 a crew shows up. The first worker covered the floors and brought in supplies.
The pipes are all the same width, the width of a dime, I measured.
The crew started in the second bedroom. They opened the walls. The holes were giant, at least 10 times the size the contractor had described. The crew used power equipment and as they worked a strange chemical smell permeated the air and set off the detector several times.
(note the new pipe over the electric box)
They then moved on to the main bathroom.
At noon they stopped for an hour lunch break. At this point I still had access the the masterbath and the kitchen.
After lunch the crew worked in the master bedroom.
Day 2:
The crew returned for a second day and ripped out the walls under the kitchen sink and the wall under the masterbath sink and behind the toilet.
When they left, one of the men told me an inspector would visit to approve the work.
Day Three:
While part of the crew finished the rest of the apartments another group began to dig out the dirt in the courtyard.
For the next week the crew worked in the courtyard. They dug trenches and laid pipe. Water was shut off on Friday, August 9, Monday August 12, and Tuesday August 13.
On August 13 (Day 18 or 19?)
The crew returned. One guy took a hammer and smashed out a chunks of the tile in both bathroom showers. We now know the tile contains lead and he took no precautions, but instead made a mess. Another guy came in and went to work hooking up the fixtures to the new pipes. In pairs of two and three, they worked all day. This part seemed more difficult. They struggled. They were messy. They did not clean up very well. There were plaster and tile bits all over the floors, and when they left, they did not seal the walls but left them open.
They installed a hotel-style single lever fixture in both showers and new shower heads. There is black grunge left on all of the tile surfaces. When I took the first shower the pressure was poor and the bottoms of my feet became sticky like I'd stepped in some kind of solvent.
Black grudge is smear across the kitchen tiles. The kitchen water pressure is 3xs what it was and the old kitchen sink faucet cannot handle the new pressure. It drips when it is not on and sprays and leaks when it is. When I told June, she sent one of the plumbers back to look at it and he just told me it was old and not part of the contract and was a problem for management to deal with. I called June back and she asked for some photos.
August 15 Day of Inspection
It has been 20 some-odd days since the crew began by knocking out the walls.
We have been notified that an inspector will be onsite between 8 and 4 to pass or fail the plumber's work which is somewhat funny since most of the apartments have leaking faucets in the bath or kitchen. June and the plumber were arguing about it just yesterday. She yelled at him, "So why are all the faucets leaking now?"To which he replied something about them all being old and in need of replacing.
At 10:20 June posted that the inspector would actually be here between 2 and 4. We wait. He arrives at 4:41 and begins a quick walk through. When he gets to my neighbors she says to him, "Do you know there is asbestos in the walls?"
The inspector turns to the plumber and asks, "Is there asbestos?"
The plumber replies, "No."
My neighbor says, "There is. I have a report. Would you like to see it?"
The inspector looks at her and says, "No." Then he passes her apartment and goes on to the next.
When the crew gets to my apartment. They pull off all the paper and cardboard I taped to walls and the inspector takes about 15 seconds walking through. He doesn't acknowledge the leaking kitchen faucet or the full bowl I've stuck under it to catch the water. The crew leaves with him and I am left to deal with the gaping holes again.
Thursday, August 22
Drywall work hopefully happening today. After the first day, the crew dwindled down to 2 workers. Instead of finishing in the order they began, the first day they worked in apartments 1, 2, 11, and 12. There is no plan. Now when a worker appears, he is assigned willy-nilly. There are no notices of entry. There are no notices of any kind. We just take what we can get and hope to get the work completed.
I was lucky, at 9 am a guy knocked. He was here all day. He left the door open and at one point my dog ran out. He completed the job alone. I am told painting will begin Monday.
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