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In a New York apartment a renovation is won or lost before demolition. The stretch between the first idea and the first day of work is when the building approves, the city permits, the materials are ordered and the price is fixed. Skip a step there and the job stops later, with the kitchen already gone. This is the order to work in.
| Step | Who does it | What you end up with |
|---|---|---|
| Get the alteration agreement and house rules | You, from the managing agent | The building’s hours, insurance, deposit and deadlines |
| Fix the goals, the scope and the budget | You, with your contractor or designer | A written scope and a figure with a reserve |
| Have the drawings made | An architect or engineer | Plans the board and the city can review |
| Submit to the building | You and your contractor | A signed agreement and approval to proceed |
| Have the asbestos survey done | A city-certified investigator | A report, or a plan for abatement |
| File with the city | The architect or engineer, and the licensed trades | Permits for the filed work |
| Order what takes longest | Your contractor | Cabinets, tile and fixtures on hand |
| Set the schedule | Your contractor and the building | A start date, protection and delivery slots |
Start with the building
Most apartment buildings have rules for renovations, and in a co-op or condo they are written into an alteration agreement. The New York City Bar Association publishes a model agreement for co-ops that shows what is typical: work on weekdays between set hours, with noisy work held to a later start; insurance from every contractor naming the building and its managing agent; a security deposit; review of the plans by the building’s own architect or engineer at your cost; and a completion date, with a payment for each working day beyond it (City Bar model alteration agreement). Your building’s own agreement is the one that counts. Read it before you design. It decides what can be built and how long the working day is.
Know which work the city wants filed
Painting, plastering and new cabinets need no permit. Most kitchen and bathroom renovations do need an application, filed by a professional engineer or registered architect, and the Department of Buildings names rerouting gas pipes, adding electrical outlets and moving a load-bearing wall as examples (NYC Buildings). Building without it is illegal, and the same page says the most severe class of violation can carry a $25,000 fine.
Three more checks belong to older buildings. Owners are responsible for an asbestos survey by a city-certified investigator before work that could disturb it (NYC DEP). In a home built before 1978, any firm paid to disturb painted surfaces must be certified in lead-safe work (EPA). And in a landmark building or historic district, interior work that needs a Buildings permit also needs the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s (LPC).
Set goals, a budget and a reserve
Say what the renovation is for: more function, a new look, more value. That answer settles a hundred later choices. Then build the budget from every cost, not only the visible ones: materials, labor, design and filing fees, the building’s fees and a reserve for surprises.
Order early, and schedule around the orders
Choosing materials and finishes early is what keeps a job moving, since nothing delays a kitchen like a cabinet that has not arrived. In our own schedules the cabinets or the vanity are ordered during preparation, before demolition begins. Once work starts, an average kitchen takes us six to ten weeks and an average bathroom four to eight, depending on scope. The steps are in our kitchen remodel timeline and bathroom remodel timeline. The approvals come before that count begins, and how long they take is for the building and the city to say.
Agree how you will hear about the job
Decide who your contact is and how often you will hear from them. We assign a project manager who stays with the job from demolition to the final walk-through, and we report changes in an itemized list, including any change orders you approve.
Plan for what you cannot plan
Something will come up: a late delivery, a pipe where the drawings showed none. The reserve in the budget covers the cost. A few spare days in the schedule cover the time, and they matter where the building charges for running late.
How we handle this work is on our pages about apartment renovation in NYC and co-op renovation. For the design decisions inside the apartment, see tips for your apartment renovation.
Starting to plan an apartment renovation? Call us or send the request form, and we will go through the steps for your building.
Questions people ask
When should I start planning an apartment renovation?
As soon as you have the idea. Drawings, the building’s review and the city’s filings come before any work, and none of them can be hurried by the contractor. Ask the managing agent how long reviews usually take in your building.
What does a co-op board need before it approves a renovation?
Typically the signed alteration agreement, plans for its architect or engineer to review, the contractor’s license and insurance certificates naming the building, and a deposit. Your managing agent can give you the list for your building.
Do I need an asbestos survey for an apartment renovation?
Building owners are responsible for a survey by a city-certified asbestos investigator before work that could disturb asbestos. If none will be disturbed, the investigator files a report saying so. If some will, a licensed abatement contractor removes it first.