Every renovation starts with a consultation where you speak with our team. During the complimentary consultation, your apartment renovation program and approximate cost are defined with our assistance.

Timeline

Initial consultations are accommodated within two business days. Schedule a video call with us!

Lenka Ilic, Principal Architect, and Tea, Project Manager, conversing with Owners to understand their needs and program for an upcoming kitchen remodel in a co-op apartment near Gramercy Park in Manhattan.

Floor Plan Layout Consultation

Owners considering a floor plan layout change for their condo or co-op apartment can contact our team for a complimentary proposed layout to review as a starting point for our dialogue.

Preliminary Construction Budget Guidance

Based on the defined scope of work, the Apartment Renovation NYC team advises on the expected market construction cost estimate. We ask Owners to provide the building’s Alteration Agreement during this time.

Pre-Purchase Apartment Consultations

Owners thinking about purchasing an apartment and renovating can contact our team for a pre-purchase consultation. By balancing an Owner’s expectations with an Architect’s guidance, realistic timelines and costs can be accounted for and more accurate budgeting achieved.

Timeline

This phase requires a review of existing drawings, co-op/condo rules, and building-code research, along with understanding the Owner’s needs and defining the scope of work. Depending on the complexity of a project, it may range from one (1) week to three (3) weeks.

Once Owners have an idea of what’s possible and what the project will cost, we present our proposal for architectural and interior design services for review and signing. After the proposal is signed and the deposit received, Apartment Renovation NYC begins working on your NYC apartment renovation.

Timeline

In our experience, signing a contract takes between one (1) day and one (1) week, depending on whether Owners have additional questions.

Our team begins by surveying the site and noting code-related items such as window locations and sizes. Where possible, we visually determine the building’s structural systems or recommend probes to be conducted by a contractor, and we note exhaust fans, cooling and heating units, and much more. This gives us the direction needed to begin drawing architectural design sets and to prepare for your building’s board review and the NYC DOB approval process.

Timeline

Our team works with your schedule to coordinate a site survey time and date, typically requiring three (3) business days’ notice.

Architectural design is not the same as interior design. In this phase, Apartment Renovation NYC develops the construction floor plan, which accounts for air and light building-code requirements, accessibility regulations, ventilation requirements, and much more. For kitchen and bathroom remodels, the layout and locations of appliances and plumbing fixtures are determined in this phase.

Architectural design also defines partition assemblies related to building-code requirements as well as an Owner’s comfort - such as noise-transmission design that optimizes an apartment’s privacy and adds comfort. Locations of electrical switches and outlets are discussed with Owners to accommodate the future furniture layout, and the locations of permanently installed lighting fixtures are part of architectural design as well.

Timeline

Small kitchen and bathroom remodel projects require two (2) weeks for the preparation of technical/permitting drawing sets. A gut renovation of a one- to two-bedroom apartment takes three (3) to four (4) weeks, whereas more complex projects may take up to eight (8) weeks.

Collaborative Interior Design Development

The design process with our team is interactive: we listen to Owners and bring insights and expertise for any unexplored potential in a renovation. Ultimately, it is the Owner’s decision-making that we guide. We have a Design Board on our website for inspiration.

Our interior design team selects materials and products in dialogue with the Owner. We prepare a design board specific to the project and start narrowing in on the proposed design together with you. Selected fixtures, finishes, and other items are added to the apartment renovation budget and presented for review. After the chosen elements are approved, our team produces a 3D visualization of your space.

3D visualization of a kitchen remodel near Gramercy Park - an early-morning depiction showing millwork and designer fixtures such as a Quadro Design faucet, Davide Groppi wall-mounted lighting, and Delta lighting.

In the next phase, our process brings design, material selection, and architectural coordination into consistent timelines. We provide interior design direction - considering lighting, proportion, material, and finishes - to create a result that is light, practical, and specific to the apartment.

3D visualization close-up of a kitchen remodel near Gramercy Park.

Our team develops a focused material direction, studying texture, tone, durability, fixtures, hardware, and lighting together. This creates a clearer visual language and reduces scattered decision-making, providing a clean and complete vision. Meticulous planning keeps a renovation from becoming overwhelming: we coordinate and bring options that make sense for the apartment, the budget, and the intended atmosphere.

Timeline

Interior design is developed concurrently with the architectural design phase and typically continues after the permitting drawing sets are submitted for co-op/condo review. Depending on the Owner’s decision-making, this phase can last from two (2) weeks to eight (8) weeks, sometimes longer.

Hiring a builder on your own is risky. Builders are not authorized to advise Owners on architectural design, and they shall not - which is why, throughout our platform, we insist that Owners hire an Architect first. Good practice is an Architect closely involved in reviewing a builder’s cost estimates, the final selection, and the bid award to a contractor.

Construction law and industry protocols are not meant for Owners to navigate alone. Choosing a builder with the assistance of an Architect allows for a transparent process in a controlled environment. We recommend the contract you should sign for construction with the selected builder. Why? For your protection.

How We Evaluate Builders

• The database of builders we work with is hand-picked.
• The builder undergoes an in-depth interview with our team.
• We verify their understanding of standard construction protocols.
• We determine their ability to read our drawings and their level of craftsmanship.
• We check whether their prices are market-relevant.
• All communication with the selected builder goes through the Architect.

Timeline

After bidding is formally requested from contractors, smaller kitchen and bathroom remodels take approximately one (1) to two (2) weeks to receive bids, while for gut renovations Owners should plan for three (3) to four (4) weeks. These estimates include our team answering contractors’ questions.

After the design and construction documents are complete and the builder is selected, the approvals process begins with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

Landmarks Preservation Commission Approval

If your building is landmarked or in a historic district, we prepare an application to file with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) for a permit. A builder cannot file this application - it must be filed by a registered design professional, such as an Architect. Interior apartment renovations in NYC are most often considered a “Certificate of No Effect” and approved within three (3) to five (5) days. Either the Owner or the Co-op/Condo Board representative signs on Portico’s online portal once we prepare the application.

Co-op/Condo Board Approval

The next step is an application to your building management for co-op/condo board approval. Our team coordinates the review process. The items submitted to a board usually include:

• Permitting drawing sets and specifications;
• The Owner/builder contract;
• The builder’s licenses and insurances;
• Various supporting documents.

Our team addresses any comments the board may have until approval is obtained. Turnaround for a co-op/condo board’s review depends on the building management - some respond to a submitted application within one (1) week, whereas others take longer, up to four (4) weeks per review round. We have noticed that a project’s complexity may not be a relevant factor in how long the review takes. Please note that there may be a few rounds of review by building management before approval is obtained.

NYC Department of Buildings Filing and Permitting

Once co-op/condo approval is granted, we proceed with submitting permit applications to the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). One misconception we would like to dispel is the expectation of an expeditor: an expeditor in New York City does not speed up the permit-filing process. Expeditors prepare a filing on the DOB’s online portal and upload an architect’s or engineer’s drawings. Many architects and engineers do their own expediting, and it is the most effective approach for NYC apartment renovations - there is no intermediary to add delays or miscommunication.

Our team prepares the DOB application(s). We provide in-house DOB expediting, which saves considerable time and eliminates the back-and-forth between an expeditor and an Architect. DOB processing fees are generated automatically once the application(s) are prepared, and the Owner is responsible for payment. The Owner or Co-op/Condo Board representative signs on the DOB NOW online portal. Once the applications are approved by the DOB, the builder requests the permit card(s). Typical review processing time is two to three weeks and may take longer. Our office responds to any DOB comments until approval is obtained.

Timeline

It is safe to allow two (2) to four (4) months for approvals; this estimate is based on an average project’s timeline.

Our team closely oversees the construction phase on site for general conformance with the contract documents. By implementing industry-standard protocols in an organized manner, our oversight protects Owners against delays and increased costs. Here is a quick explanation of the typical responsibilities of the parties involved during the construction phase.

Builder’s Responsibilities

• Provide submittals for review and record-keeping of materials and systems;
• Provide bi-weekly construction schedule updates with start and completion dates;
• Coordinate plumbing and electrical inspections directly with the DOB;
• Arrange access for our team to inspect progress on site and conduct inspections.

Architect’s Responsibilities

• Review submittals provided by the builder for approval;
• Review the bi-weekly construction schedule updates provided by the builder;
• Review the builder’s applications for payment on the Owner’s behalf;
• Inspect the site periodically and provide reports to the Owner and builder;
• Conduct DOB-required inspections and provide reports to the Owner and builder;
• Review the builder’s proposed change orders for validity per the Owner/builder contract;
• Conduct Substantial and Final Completion reviews;
• Obtain the Letter of Completion with the DOB.

Owner’s Responsibilities

• Provide timely payments for the Architect’s and builder’s services;
• Coordinate with the Architect to stay informed of construction progress;
• Route all communication with the builder through the Architect.

DOB Progress and Special Inspections

The DOB requires Progress and/or Special Inspections identified for each filing. Our Principal Architect, Ms. Ilic, acts as Technical Director and serves as Inspector for NYC apartment renovation projects.

Timeline

With a good builder who understands and implements industry standards and protocols, it is reasonable to estimate one (1) to two (2) months for smaller projects such as adding a wall, a kitchen remodel, or a bathroom remodel. Combining two apartments, gut renovations, and similar larger projects take approximately six (6) months in the construction phase.

Once our Principal Architect signs off on the DOB inspections and a Letter of Completion is obtained by our office, the project can be closed.

Timeline

The Letter of Completion is issued within two (2) business days by the NYC DOB upon our request. All required inspections must be in “passed” status when requesting the closing documentation.

We’re all done - relax and enjoy your newly renovated apartment.

Apartment Renovation NYC is a specialized department of Lenka Ilic Architecture D.P.C., a full-service architectural firm. We provide consolidated design services for interior design and architectural design, including project cost estimates. Not many architects get involved in assisting you with contractual matters and the selection of a builder - we do. Very importantly, we coordinate approval submissions ourselves; we do not involve an expeditor. Lastly, our principal Lenka Ilic is Technical Director of an NYC DOB-registered Special Inspection Agency, so we provide thorough inspection services during the construction phase.

We design from start to end, thinking of the construction phase from the very beginning - and we provide you with an initial complimentary floor plan consultation. Be wary of contractors offering “design-build” and “one-stop-shop” services; it is false advertising for apartment renovations in NYC. Read more on why it isn’t allowed and how it hurts Owners.