• Structure Builders

  66 N. Henry St., Brooklyn; 917-418-8705

  The essential qualifications for a deck builder are being smart, fast, and able to work well with architects. Polish-born and -trained Janusz Malinowski, who has more than eighteen years of experience in welding and metalwork, scores points on all fronts. After five years in business, he’s gained a following among those in the townhouse- restoration business for his lovingly constructed steel decks, spiral staircases, and fire escapes—as well as his vast knowledge of the city’s arcane rules. Equally arcane is his industry’s pay-by-the-pound pricing system; figure a twenty-foot-square private balcony, including railing, will cost between $12,000 and $15,000.

From the 2007 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine