Home repair and renovation in Queens

Handy Hut is based at 168-15 Highland Avenue in Jamaica, so Queens is where most of our crews start and end the day. We know the borough's houses from the inside: the brick semi-detached rows of Hollis and Queens Village, the frame two-families of Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, the Tudors of Jamaica Estates, and the prewar co-ops of Jackson Heights and Forest Hills.

Most Queens jobs are practical ones. A basement that takes on water after every heavy storm. A kitchen last updated decades ago in a house that now holds two generations. An upstairs apartment that needs work between tenants. We handle renovation, repairs and ongoing maintenance, our crews speak English, Spanish, Bengali, Hindi and Urdu, and every estimate is free.

Queens houses and what usually needs fixing

Much of Queens was built out between the 1920s and 1960s as one- and two-family houses on narrow lots. Detached frame houses with vinyl or old shingle siding sit next to brick semi-detached pairs that share a party wall and a driveway. In southeast Queens, including Jamaica, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens and Laurelton, a two-family house with the owner on one floor and a tenant on the other is the usual arrangement.

Those houses age in predictable ways. Shared driveways crack and settle toward the foundation. Brick fronts need repointing where mortar has washed out under the window sills. Cast-iron drain lines and galvanized supply pipes clog with scale, so water pressure drops on the top floor. Electrical service sized for a few lamps and a refrigerator now carries air conditioners, space heaters and a home office.

Garden co-ops in Jackson Heights and the elevator buildings along Queens Boulevard bring a different set of rules. Interior work there usually needs the managing agent's approval first, and often an alteration agreement and a certificate of insurance before a crew can start. We ask for the building's requirements at the estimate so the schedule reflects them.

Basements, flooding and basement apartments

Parts of southeast Queens have a high water table, and many blocks around Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans and Cambria Heights see groundwater in basements during wet seasons. Heavy cloudbursts add a second problem when the sewer backs up through floor drains. The fix depends on which one you have: groundwater calls for drainage, a sump pit and sealing, while sewer backup calls for a backwater valve on the house line.

We do basement waterproofing, interior drainage and sump pumps, foundation crack repair, regrading along the foundation, and gutter and leader work that sends roof water away from the house instead of into the window wells. A backwater valve ties into the house sewer line, so we tell you up front whether your job needs a permit.

Many Queens basements were turned into apartments without approval. The city has been working on ways to legalize some basement units, but ceiling height, a second way out, window size, fire separation and flood risk all matter, and the rules have been changing. Before converting or renting a basement, check with the Department of Buildings or an architect. We can finish a basement for family use or repair an existing legal unit.

Older homes in Jamaica Estates, Forest Hills Gardens and Kew Gardens

The Tudor and Colonial houses of Jamaica Estates, Forest Hills Gardens, Kew Gardens and Douglaston have stucco, half-timbering, slate or clay tile roofs, leaded windows and plaster walls. Repairs on these houses go better when the crew matches what is there instead of covering it with drywall and vinyl. We repair plaster, patch stucco, repoint brick and stone, and refinish original oak floors.

Forest Hills Gardens is a private community with its own design rules, and several Queens neighborhoods have city historic districts, including parts of Jackson Heights, Douglaston, Ridgewood, Sunnyside Gardens and Addisleigh Park in St. Albans. If your house is in one, check the exterior rules before changing windows, doors, roofing or masonry. Once you have approved plans, we work from them.

Two-family homes and Queens landlords

A Queens two-family is often a homeowner's retirement plan and their biggest maintenance job at the same time. When the tenant upstairs calls about a leak, a dead outlet or no hot water, someone has to show up. Our home maintenance plans give you one number for your tenants, emergency repairs, turnovers between tenants, inspections and seasonal maintenance, with photos from every visit.

Renting out part of a house still brings city obligations. Tenants can call 311, and HPD inspectors can write violations for conditions like leaks, mold, broken fixtures or missing heat. We help owners clear open violations: we fix the conditions, photograph the repairs, and give you what you need to certify the correction. If you don't live near the house, or just don't want the calls, that takes a lot off your plate.

Neighborhoods we serve in Queens

Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Hollis, St. Albans, Queens Village, Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Kew Gardens, Briarwood, Fresh Meadows, Flushing, Bayside, Douglaston, Forest Hills, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Astoria, Ridgewood

Kitchen & bathroom renovation in Queens — Full and partial remodels for Queens houses and co-op apartments, including the second kitchen and bath in a two-family home.

Basement waterproofing & plumbing in Queens — Sump pumps, interior drainage, backwater valves and repiping for wet basements in southeast Queens and beyond.

Masonry & sidewalk repair in Queens — Brick repointing, stoop and step rebuilding, and sidewalk and driveway repair for Queens row and semi-detached houses.

Painting & flooring in Queens — Interior and exterior painting and floor installation or refinishing, from oak floors in Forest Hills to rental units in Jamaica.

Landlord maintenance plans in Queens — One number for your tenants, emergency repairs, turnovers and help clearing HPD violations, with photos after every visit.

Free estimate in Queens — Call or text 929-400-9900 to book a free estimate at your Queens home; we are based on Highland Avenue in Jamaica.

Do you work in all of Queens?

Yes. We are based at 168-15 Highland Avenue in Jamaica and work across Queens, from Astoria and Long Island City to Rosedale, Bayside and the Rockaways. Southeast Queens neighborhoods such as Hollis, St. Albans and Queens Village are closest to our base, and we serve the other four boroughs too. Call or text 929-400-9900 to set up a free estimate.

Why does my Queens basement flood, and can you fix it?

Usually it comes down to one of three causes: high groundwater, roof water pooling against the foundation, or sewer backup through a floor drain during heavy rain. Each has a different fix: drainage and a sump pump, gutter and grading work, or a backwater valve. We look at where and when the water comes in before recommending anything, and the estimate is free.

Can you legalize my basement apartment?

No contractor can make a basement legal on their own. That decision sits with the Department of Buildings and depends on ceiling height, exits, windows, fire separation and flood risk, and the city's rules for basement units have been changing. Talk to DOB or an architect first. Once there is an approved plan, we can do the construction, or we can finish the space for family use.

Who is responsible for fixing the sidewalk in front of my house?

The property owner is. In New York City, NYC DOT can inspect the sidewalk next to your property and issue a violation, and the owner pays for the repair. If a city street tree's roots lifted the slabs, contact the city first, since it has run a repair program for some one- to three-family homes. Otherwise we can replace damaged sidewalk flags and driveway sections.

Do you have crew members who speak my language?

Our crews speak English, Spanish, Bengali, Hindi and Urdu, which covers many of the families we meet in Jamaica, Jackson Heights, Richmond Hill and Ozone Park. Tell us your preferred language when you call or text 929-400-9900, and we will do our best to send someone who can walk through the estimate with you, and with your tenants, in that language.