Design your apartment with an Architect
— INTERIOR DESIGN
— ARCHITECT OF RECORD
— CO-OP/CONDO APPROVALS ASSISTANCE
— DOB EXPEDITING IN-HOUSE
— DOB PROGRESS AND SPECIAL INSPECTION SIGN-OFFS
— LETTER OF COMPLETION/CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY ASSISTANCE
Service provided by LENKA ILIC ARCHITECTURE D.P.C.
Service provided by LENKA ILIC ARCHITECTURE D.P.C.
CONTENT PREPARED AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY FULL-SERVICE NYC-BASED ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE LENKA ILIC ARCHITECTURE D.P.C.
IMPORTANCE OF AN ARCHITECT ON AN APARTMENT REMODEL
DEFINE STRATEGY WITH QUALIFIED DESIGN PROFESSIONAL
Design meeting with owners for apartment gut renovation in Kips Bay, NYC.
ASK YOUR ARCHITECT
The New York City Administrative Code and co-op/condo board rules will often trigger the need for a permit and an Architect's involvement even on small apartment renovations in NYC.
Kitchen and Bathroom remodel including replacing tile, removing or adding a wall will most likely require an Architect engaged to legally accomplish a project.
Many Owners look for a contractor first, not knowing that they need an Architect to guide them instead.
How can you prevent penalties for work performed without permits?
Floor plan by Architect for NYC apartment renovations.
Owners are not typically familiar with construction laws and protocols and shall not make decisions without an Architect's input. Contractors are not authorized to advise Owners on scope of work, plans, approvals. More so, an Architect shall assist an Owner with selecting a Contractor.
An Architect advises on a form of agreement Owners shall sign with Contractors. When this step is skipped, a conflict of interest occurs. Contractors' proposed agreements can be one-sided and unfavorable for Owners.
An Architect first, a Contractor second approach allows for transparency on a remodel or renovation projects in NYC.
Be wary of contractors that offer floor plan layouts, plans coordination, approvals, they most likely falsely advertise as “one-stop shop” or “design-build”. Contractors are not qualified to provide any of these services.
AN ARCHITECT SUGGESTS CONTRACTORS.
One misconception is that an Architect may be "coordinated" or "architectural services sold" by a contractor's firm, this is false. An Architect is an independent entity and architectural services cannot be brokered.
Signed contracts for an apartment renovation projects shall clearly define:An Architect oversees and approves contractor's work.The division between the two roles is clear which is why two contracts are required on a project.
ARCHITECT VS CONTRACTOROwners shall sign two separate contracts, one with an Architect and one with a contractor. This is a legally acceptable approach for NYC apartment renovations.
A CONTRACT WITH AN ARCHITECT IS SIGNED FIRST.
Tea, project manager, works on kitchen remodels for NYC apartments.
Transparency and clarity
before construction
- Establish scope of work for apartment renovation with our team.
- Define project budget limits.
- We issue drawings to prequalified contractors for bidding.
- Together we review contractors' proposals and select the winner.
DURING CONSTRUCTION
An agreement for construction is critical for holding a contractor liable for unjustified delays and change orders. We suggest on the form of this agreement for Owners' protection.
Contractors' cost estimates before engaging an Architect are not reliable as there are no drawings available for contractors to price.
Owners could find themselves in unfavorable situations by retaining a contractor without an Architect's involvment. Read more.
Qualified contractors for Manhattan, Brooklyn and all NYC apartment renovations.
Selecting a trustworthy and skilled contractor is a hard task. We assist the Owners at this stage of a project by preparing a list of pre-qualified contractors to provide their proposals for each project based on scale and complexity.
Be wary of contractors that advertise as "design-build" - this is false advertising. Read more.
Contractors we recommend:
Working with pre-qualified contractors sets a healthy undertone for construction phase.
BE SELECTIVE
Architect's oversight of construction phase for all NYC apartment renovations.
Time is money
A Construction Schedule estimates the duration and milestones of the construction phase. It also serves as a tool to keep a contractor accountable for any delays caused by their fault.
who prepares construction schedule?
A contractor does.
Construction schedules shall clearly indicate a start and completion date and any anticipated delays. A contractor shall provide an updated construction schedule every two weeks during construction phase.
who approves construction schedule?
an architect does.
It is an Architect's responsibility to keep an Owner informed of construction progress based on the review of construction schedules updates.