Home services in New York, NY

Getting to know New York City

The five boroughs hold more than 8 million people, and most of them live in apartments rather than single-family houses. Large prewar apartment buildings in Washington Heights and along the Grand Concourse often run steam heat from a single basement boiler. Queens neighborhoods like Flushing and Jackson Heights mix garden apartment complexes, attached brick houses and detached homes.

Staten Island has the most single-family housing of the five boroughs, much of it built after the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opened in 1964. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 flooded basements and electrical equipment across Lower Manhattan, Red Hook, the Rockaways and Staten Island's east shore. Local Law 97 sets carbon limits for most buildings over 25,000 square feet, which has pushed many co-ops and condos to look at heat pumps and boiler upgrades.

Many walk-ups have no elevator, so carrying a fridge or a water heater up four or five flights is a real part of the job. In co-ops and condos, the board or managing agent often has to approve a contractor before work starts.

Local utilities and rules

The Department of Environmental Protection delivers water from the Catskill, Delaware and Croton watersheds upstate. Wastewater goes to the Department of Environmental Protection, which runs the city's wastewater resource recovery facilities. Con Edison supplies electricity, and natural gas comes from Con Edison or National Grid, depending on the borough. Building permits are handled by the NYC Department of Buildings.