Answer: For small jobs? According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, if you don't charge more than $200 you don't need a license. Plumbing and electrical is a different story. You'll have to check on plumbing, but according to the Code Section §27-3017, ALL electrical work needs to be done by, or under, a licensed master electrician. The exception is low voltage work.

Answer: If you are going to do normal repairs that involve repairing and replacing existing fixtures and switches etc., then no license is required, as long as you DO NOT go into or interfere with the trap in plumbing or the fuses in electrical. If you are doing it as a business or for money then you should check with the city if you need a contractors license. Furthermore you would need insurance. Maintenance repairs are excluded from the Codes as long as they are maintenance only and not NEW. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer:

Answer: To the best of my knowledge and after scanning both City and State Codes, there is no code requiring a doorbell. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Come to our meetings and these kinds of questions will be answered.

Answer: If your building doesn't have a general history of drainage problems, and your specific apartment has no glaring plumbing problems, you SHOULD be fine. That is, as long as you don't get caught doing something your lease agreement may specifically prohibit. Management is probably most concerned with the extra load that lots of washers - dish and otherwise - would bring to a building.

Answer: There are two areas that concern management when it comes to dishwashers and clothes washers. First is the drains. Keep in mind that the drains use gravity to remove water from your apartment. When it comes to washers, the water is pumped out, sending out a higher volume of water. At times, depending on how the drain system is configured, this water may go into your neighbor's sink or tub. Keep in mind the drains, when installed, were not calculated on having machine-moved water being dumped into the drainage system. Secondly, dishwashers usually use HOT WATER. The hot water generation system, when constructed, was not engineered and installed with calculations that included machine washer use. This creates extra demand on the hot water generation system. Now, one or two washers may not affect the system overall, but in time as more machines are installed you will see the problems occurring. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Put it this way: taking courses like the ones you mentioned can't hurt, and you should take what makes sense to you and what you can afford. Networking, however, is the best way to advance in this type of job - it's just as much (if not more) WHO you know as it is WHAT you know. So you need to network with other supers, who are often the first to know of a job opening up, either in their neighborhood or in their management company. The way to do that is to attend our monthly meetings, introduce yourself to the other supers in attendance as a super in the market for a step up, and listen and learn. Countless jobs have been gotten through this way of networking at our meetings. Not to mention that you will learn most of what you need to know to improve your skills as a super, from hands-on plumbing to communication skills, at our meetings - both in the regular monthly meetings and in our regularly scheduled workshops. Check out the jobs available, both on this site and in the local papers, and apply to those that are suitable to you. As a member of our association, you can also post your resume on our site - several members have obtained great jobs this way.

Answer:  Your landlord is typically responsible for repairs to pipes inside the walls (whether or not it's a leak in the drain pipe or a nonexistent overflow pipe), and a typical lease / rental agreement will spell out the details, at least in general terms. Consult with a lawyer well-versed in landlord / tenant law to be certain who is responsible for what in your case.

Answer: Black Seals are certifications in New Jersey where it is called Fireman's Black Seal. You would need to go to a community college in New Jersey. The two other seals offered in New Jersey are Engineer's Blue Seal and Engineer's Red Seal, black is the lowest, red is the highest. They are not city examinations but State examinations. Call Passaic County Tech Institute at 973 389 4101. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: WHICH certificate of fitness? Read the pertinent Frequently Asked Questions and the categorized questions on Licenses and Certificates of fitness, and visit the FDNY website for much more info.

Answer: The type of switch you are referring to is called a stack switch. Yes, they are no longer to code. If your stack switch works fine, then it's ok to leave it as is; if you have to replace it because its broken, then you have to put in a GFI stack switch, that's to code. Furthermore, new renovations call for a separate line and switch for the light and a separate GFI outlet. I recommend replacing the old stack switchers with the new GFI stack switches because they do save lives. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Not sure what you mean by opening and closing the valve on top of the boiler. You need to supply more information for me to give you a proper answer, such as outside temp, inches of vacuum at the time, settings on the motorized valve, etc.? PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: My suggestion is to concentrate on the particular riser and the radiators, traps, return line and riser return associated with it. Change all traps on radiators attached to riser. Check for vacuum AT THE TRAP on the riser. If none, look for areas in the riser or return where water could collect and block the vacuum. After you spend too much time on it, call in a professional who can look at the system with a fresh prospective.  Joe Lambert www.leonardpowers.com

Answer: The need or lack of need for certificates of fitness don't depend on how many floors your building consists of. It depends on  your building's mechanical equipment. For instance, if there is a sprinkler system in your building, or the boiler burns the heavy #6 oil, your super would need the respective certificates of fitness for those mechanicals. Most supers do NOT usually work weekends, but work a normal 40 hour week and some are on-call for emergencies the rest of the time. Supers often work many hours that you know nothing about, taking care of all sorts of emergencies, near emergencies and not even emergencies at all hours, any day and night of the week. All the supers I know are also human and need to get away regularly. Living at your place of work is often hard, and weekends away help tremendously to keep a good perspective and get rested up.

Answer: Your porter - if he is a union member - can go to the union school. Even if he had no intentions of becoming a super, he should go to the school as it is free to him and you never know, one day he may buy a house and put what he learned to good use. He can learn from our organization too, we are a not-for-profit and NON union organization interested in education for multifamily workers. Education is a continuing affair. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: We have plenty of upcoming classes (see our calendar) and so does the Union, as do some local institutions (see our Continuing Ed Page for links). But if your current porter has at least average intelligence and a cut above average communication skills, plus a willingness to learn all about managing a building and staff, he may be a better bet than many supers experienced in other buildings with years of experience, since he already has intimate knowledge of your building, the residents and the staff. Read what another super has to say about "super skills" on this page.

Answer: As far as I know it is not a New York State law that requires tenants to have their apartment carpeted. Remember a lease would only require 80% carpeting, so throw rugs that cover that percentage is accepted. I do not know your local laws, and as always this is my opinion and you should ask an attorney. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Your super probably doesn't have to explain anything like that to you. The managing agent, or whoever you signed your lease with, could answer your questions about this.

Answer: Only the managing agent, the building owner, or the board have the right to that information. I would ask one of them for verifications. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: The certificates of fitness needed vary depending on the mechanical equipment in your building. They are issued by the Fire Department. You can find a list of them on the FDNY website.

Answer: Noise and odor complaints are common in multi-family buildings. Just what can be done is a gray area. New York City has code that deals with noise pollution and quality of life issues. 311 is the number for complaints. The co-op or condo Offering Plan should also spell out quality of life and rights to quiet and enjoyment of your home. At times City agencies have their hands tied due to the noise level not exceeding the code. It's up to the board to begin proceedings against the owner or shareholder of the apartment. You may end up in civil court if their efforts are not sincere or useless. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Come to our monthly meetings and bring your boyfriend with you. The pizza alone is worth the trip. New York jobs probably pay more for comparable work, but the residents just may be more demanding also.

Answer: You need to refer to your co-op offering plan to see who is responsible for replacing your wires. My guess is you are. Changing wires depends on whether the wires are in BX cables or in conduit. If they are in conduit then you are in luck because it is relatively inexpensive to do as compared to BX cable. In conduit the wires are just pulled out and new wires are pulled in. With BX cable the entire cable has to be removed which means disturbing the plaster and paint. In conduit, very little plaster and paint are disturbed. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: There could be a number of causes for a downdraft in a gas fired hot water heater.  The first thing to do is to check the flue for proper pitch or any obstructions.  The second cause, which we have seen many times, is a negative air pressure in the room where the hot water heater is.  You MUST have fresh air make-up into any room that has a burner (boiler, hot water heater, even a fireplace).  Without  a source of air in the room there is a chance that the combustion air is being pulled down the chimney causing the downdraft. Joe Lambert, joe@leonardpowers.com  http://www.leonardpowers.com

Answer: If you're the super, and your doormen are doing something they shouldn't be doing or that you don't like, why not just put a stop to it? Or at the least find out how and why they're doing what they're doing? If you are their supervisor then you do have a certain amount of control over the type of thing you allude to. Look, if a doorman is putting in for time that he really didn't work, although there may not be a specific law against it, at the very least it's unethical and dishonest, and he can be fired for cheating the company he works for. But there is more than one way for one doorman to fill in for another. One way is for X to take Y's shift, and get paid cash for that shift by the doorman he's filling in for. That happens in many buildings all the time and there's probably nothing wrong with it as long as everyone understands what's going on and it's okayed by their supervisor.

Answer: You need to contact building/construction authorities in your area. We're based in New York City - laws on this type of thing vary greatly from municipality to municipality.

Answer: Also see the answer to Question #373.

Answer: I would try to contact the Mechanics Institute in Manhattan. If any one would know, they would. P.S. Let us know their reply so we can post it here. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: The space between the refrigerator and the countertop can be as little as you want it to be. This is because most new refrigerators have the condensing coil at the bottom. Just make sure there is about an inch between the back of the refrigerator and the back wall. To stop water, you can either have the backsplash of the counter continue to make a right angle corner next to the refrigerator, or you can buy a plastic strip to go against the refrigerator and counter. Or you can use due diligence and not splash water. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Assuming you don't have a union contract to protect you, you are then hired "at will". This means that you can be terminated at will also. Unless the landlord is discriminating against you, you don't have much of a leg to stand on. See a lawyer. Also, note that if you are paying rent and have a lease, then you have protection on eviction. No lease, then you have to vacate the apartment. Also note that if you are paying money for the lease, you possibly have a tax write-off because you are required by law to live there so the rent is a cost of employment. Ask your accountant about that. In addition, when it's a union contract there must be due cause to be terminated, thus due process to be followed. When you are employed at will, no such due process or due cause is required unless the landlord breaks the laws of the Fair Employment Act. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: In addition to the above, replace the parts to the main steam trap on the return riser in the basement. PGrech, gboc.net

More on this question

Answer: Main Parts: oil burner - gun type:

• Main body
• Transformer
• Electrodes (one or two)
• Cable from transformer to electrodes
• Air or draft tube,
• Fan or blower,
• Nozzle (one or two)
• Fuel pump, one or two stage type
• Metering pump
• Air damper
• Air damper linkage
• Air diffuser, fixed or adjustable,
• Manufacturers name tag,
• Burner drive coupling,
• Safety devices such as oil interlocks and inspection interlocks (number depends on type of burner and code)

Not in order, and to the best of my memory; notwithstanding there are many different types of burners, so either the names would change or other equipment may be present. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: People cannot go 24/7 with out some sort of break. The law states that the super must live in the building or within 200 feet or so. It does not state he must be at the property at all times or on a 24/7 schedule. Most supers go to a house that they may own or visit friends on weekends or on their days off. Unless your co-op is prepared to pay the super for the two days overtime to stay in the building, either find a substitute for his days off or just bear it. Most buildings don't have an issue with this. What would you do if your boss told you to work your days off without pay? Note: staying in the building on the days off even though are not spent working still constitutes overtime. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: In New York City boroughs, you don't. It's illegal to use plastic or PVC piping. And by the way, anytime the trap is involved, then by code you must have a licensed plumber do the work. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: No there is not. However, February Meetings in Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn are devoted to Number 6 Certificate of Fitness aka (P-99). The workshop will walk attendees through what you need to know and how to qualify to take the test. It's a workshop and members will get a certificate for attending. Non-members can attend but will receive no certificate. Attendees can join at the workshop. See how to become a member on our website. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: PVC is safe in the form of PVC pipe. You can drink water carried by it and it will last over 100 years. Europe is now using PVC piping. PVC is ONLY dangerous when it is burning - then it gives off a poisonous gas - but only when it's on fire. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: What might appear to you as a fire violation may not be one. It is not unusual that an old apartment still has fuses and only one outlet per room. If the fire hazard is in the fuse box, then once the violation is given out he is obliged to cure it. He is not required to give you more outlets. Also, assuming that the violation is in the fuse box, that can be replaced with circuit breakers in one day, so you would not have to vacate. PGrech, gboc.net

Answer: Best place to find a good super is from word of mouth. Second best is New York Times, and third is from our website. As for the interviewing process and making sure you get the best candidate, I have had good success in helping boards with this, from going over the resumes of candidates to being at the interviews with the board and/or manager. It's something I do well. PGrech, gboc.net