New York City Renovation

New York City Renovation projects shall be carefully examined and planned to avoid delyas and need to redo the work performed to obtain required sign-offs. 

WHEN AN ARCHITECT IS NEEDED:

Even a small task could trigger a need for the Architect to be involved, some of the instances are: 

- any new partition installation 

- removal of 45 SF of existing partition, including non-load bearing partitions

- more than 5 plumbing fixture replacement installation 

BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS 

The complexity of a project depends on the building characteristics. It shall be defined whether the building is an individual landmark or belongs to a historic district, or none of the two. Building construction class limits which elements could be removed in an apartment; the most common building classes in NYC are Class 1 - Fireproof Structure or Class 3-Non-Fireproof Structure. If a building was converted from a warehouse for instance to a residential use in the past, it shall be confirmed that an apartment where a renovation is taking place is recorded on COO (Certificate of Occupancy) as intended use. Lastly, if a building was built before April 1, 1987, an asbestos sampling shall be performed. 

NEW FLOOR PLAN LAYOUT 

When considering proposed floor plan layout, load-bearing elements shall be defined, as well as building risers (gas, hot and cold water, and sanitary waste). Location of exterior windows needs to be accounted for that each dwelling room (dining room, kitchen, living room and bedrooms) are provided with natural light and air. Requirements on the minimum allowed room sizes shall be provided. If a new bathroom is proposed, specific waterproofing shall be specified and technical details included. 

THE BUILDING BOARD, LPC AND DOB REVIEW 

Once the drawing set is complete, an architect, Owner and General Contractor (GC) shall submit an application to a Co-Op/Condo Board review. Once approved, the Architect shall submit to LPC (Landmark Preservation Commission) and DOB (Department of Buildings) for review. If any comments from either of the review teams, the Architect shall adjust the drawings and resubmit till the approvals are obtained. We pride ourselves on high rate approvals on the initial submissions. 

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS 

Depending on the project's needs an Architect shall retain MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) and Structural engineers consultants. It is the Architect's responsibility to coordinate with the consultants to prepare a comprehensive drawings set for the entire scope of work. 

PROJECT COST 

GC shall work closely with the Architect to estimate the construction cost from early phases of design, and update the estimates periodically as the design progresses. The Owner shall be notified timely of any expenses projected that exceed the budget. 

CONTRACTUAL MATTER 

General Contractor (GC) shall sign a contract directly with the Owner. The Architect (a registered architect) shall sign a contract directly with the Owner. This structure shall be followed for liability reasons. Per NYSED (New York State Education department) t is not acceptable that a third party is in contract with the Owner on the Architect's behalf. Per AIA's recommendation (The American Institute of Architects), the Architect shall advise the Owner and act as a mediator between the Owner and the Contractor, as owners typically do not have sufficient understanding of the construction industry to navigate a project on their own. 

CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION PHASE 

During Construction Administration (CA) Phase, the GC shall be thoroughly follow the drawings when constructing, notify the Architect if any concealed conditions or discrepancies between the drawings and the existing conditions, GC shall submit to the Architect products' specifications sheets, shop drawings, requests for information, proposed change orders, etc. to obtain an approval stamp before installation the same. 

PROJECT CLOSING 

The Architect shall perform site inspections, progress and special inspections to be able to close off and obtain a Letter of Completion (LOC) or Certificate of Occupancy (COO) from the Department of Buildings (DOB). 

WHY LENKA ILIC ARCHITECTURE D.P.C.

The Registered Architect closely oversees the project and performs site visits personally. 

We are a design and technical firm, a full-service team which minimizes room for error. 

We have a close relationship with our consulting engineers and GCs, which allow a timely feedback to clients. 

We are a NYC DOB registered Special Inspection Agency (SIA) able to perform Special Inspections on projects we design. 

We are one stop shop when it comes to design and oversight of your project, including obtaining closing sign-offs. 

We review GC's submittals carefully and ensure quality control. 

We do our own expediting with LPC and DOB, the permitting process is streamlined. 

We do not Self-Certify, as we obtain standard review approvals at high-rate, our permitting sets are well coordinated and detailed. 

We sign on minor Plumbing and Mechanical scope of work in-house.

We are a small dedicated team, with attention to detail and client's needs. 

Abbreviations:

Co-Op: Cooperative Building 

Condo: Condominium Building 

LPC: Landmark Preservation Commission

DOB: Department of Buildings

COO: Certificate of Occupancy 

LOC: Letter of Completion 

SIA: Special Inspection Agency 

The Architect: A Registered Architect holding an active License in the State where project is 

GC: A licensed General Contractor holding an active License in the State where the project is