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Published at 1:09pm
Published at 12:53pm
Video
The experts
Denise Ducray
Denise Ducray Design, Inc.
Peter Kiernan
Roto-Rooter Plumbing and Drain Service
Samuel Soto
First Rate Exterminators
The one-bedroom
Location: Chelsea
Far West Side in the 20s
Rent: $2,900/month
This rustic loft has a textured ceiling and caramel-colored wood floors. The bedroom and living room are large, but the kitchen is claustrophobic. A very small extra room could function as an office or great storage space.
Denise Ducray
Ducray thinks this place has potential: “A good scrubbing and paint job will easily freshen the space, but the bare-bones overhead lighting casts a harsh glare over the room.” She suggests finding an affordable chandelier for central focus, and dimmable lights or halogen bulbs instead of plain lightbulbs, to brighten the apartment even when the sun is low. Accent lamps on side tables add cozy ambience. “And leave the ceiling white, since using color will make it feel lower than it really is,” says Ducray. “Also, since there is limited counter space in the kitchen, get a butcher block that can double as a dining table.”
Peter Kiernan
Kiernan advised us to head straight to the bathroom and turn on the faucet to check for decent water pressure. Then he saw an exposed gas pipe near the wall and deemed it troubling. “If someone accidentally breaks the pipe you’ll have a gas leak, and that is a definite hazard,” he warns. “The pipe should be embedded in the wall.”
Samuel Soto
Soto says the first-floor restaurant and dark lobby told him there were bugs as soon as he stepped through this building’s door. “The wooden floors are nice, except they have gaps where bedbugs can hide. The best thing to do is caulk the spaces. Remember: If a space is wide enough to slide a business card through, a bedbug can live there.”
Look for mousetraps and roach bait around the apartment, because it’s evidence that there’s been a problem in the past. If you find any, see if the landlord will arrange extermination before you move in. Also, he continues, “look for loose fixtures and outlet covers that aren’t braced against the wall. You want a tight seal, because openings make it easy for bugs, mice and even rats to enter your apartment. If possible, pull out the stove or refrigerator to scan for mouse droppings. Be especially wary of residences located above a restaurant or food-service establishment.”
