Getting approval- what are the steps?

I would try to get a copy of the buildings alteration agreement (from the management company) I would try to get access to the apartment so a contractor can go through the things that you do need to do and get some budget prices. If you are happy with his prices it would be a good idea to hire them and get all your paperwork in order, this way you can bring them to the closing. The paperwork you need are the alteration agreement, the contractors insurances a copy of the contract.

Once you submit all your paperwork you should be able to start work within 2 weeks

Most brokers will get you the opportunity to bring your contractor.

I would be happy to take a look for you, give you budgets and go over what you need to do.

primer11- can you provide me your email/phone number?

thanks for your advice, I will see if I can get access to the apartment for sometime to bring contractors in for budgets.

If a building requires plans from an architect (2br/2ba) what is a ballpark figure of cost? Also, if its only for altering one wall, do you need to submit plans for the entire apt. or just for the scope of the work which would require an architect?

primerenovations@mac.com 646-436-3942

JDF, it all depends on the size of the apartment. 2br 2 bath could be as much as $5,000.00 but now you could find someone by the hr. I have someone if you need. You should not even need drawings if its one wall unless it is structural which your building would not allow anyway

Do all renovations need approval from the management company and board??? My husband and I want to do: carpet in bedrooms, new hardwood in living and dining, molding, and painting. The management company isn't repsonding to my brokers calls or giving us the alteration sheet. I've heard that some renovations are cosmetic and don't require board approval, whereas some do.

The interesting thing is that we brought a contractor into the space and he said he would place the hardwood over the existing (crappy) parquet b/c it's too labor intensive and not worthwhile to tear it up. His cost for the hardwoods was $8k.

NYCApt1234,

We are also deciding whether to just lay a pre-finished floor over old and thin parquest. Out of curiosity, how many square feet was the $8k price quote for?

It is an 1100 sq ft apt (2 bed, 2 bath). We would be doing pre-finished oak flooring in the living, dining, entry way, and misc places. I'd say it probably totaled about 650 sq ft of flooring. It was with Mirage flooring, which I hear is quite a high quality flooring product. The problem is that the estimate took 2 weeks and he hasn't returned any calls/emails since then (2 weeks ago). So, although we liked him, if he can't be reliable with the "pre" stuff, how can we trust him to a VERY constrained timeline during construction?

If it's a good building, the super will know the best suppliers, and facilitate things. Ask someone on the board.

Ahhhh, but we can't ask the board until AFTER we're approved (probably in September board mtg) and then have to wait until the following board mtg to even mention renovations! THE WHOLE PROCESS IS SO POLITICAL.

Nyc, In my experience you always need approval even the cosmetic, new floors you will need. That is far different then needed approval from the management co engineer or archtect, that would take some time.

Nyc, I would never go over existing flooring unless your budget is very tight, to demo and remove the floor shouldnt cost that much. Did the 8k include the wood flooring? Generally I charge(this could change) about $6.00 sq ft to install that includes the glue not the wood flooring.

you can see my work including pre finished floors at www.primerenovationsnyc.com

NYCApt1234...a friend had a floating floor put over existing wood floors and they hate it..they said they can feel the difference..it saved them money but they now have to rip up the original floor plus the new flooring.

A floating floor is different then just going over it. Going over the floor they are either going to glue it to the existing floor, nail it or both. A floating floor is installed on, for the lack of a better word, little pedestals. Floating floors feel very hollow when walking on them. I was just hired to remove a floating floor that was installed 2 years ago, my clients do not care for it at all.

Worse case scenario we will have to be living in the space while it gets renovated. What order would you do things in: carpet in bedrooms, hardwood floors elsewhere, painting entire apt, and base and crown molding in entire apt?

Also how long would the hardwood floors take? (pre-finished oak in natural color). We're under a time constraint if we can't be living in the apt while it gets work done (long story of a disbarred lawyer on the sellers side).

That is the worst case, never good to live there but you have to do what you have to do. I would at least try to get the hardwood installed before you move in. It will be a lot faster as the floor guy will not have to move your furniture around. Same could be said for the carpet.

The carpet in the bedroom should be last and only take 1 day, 2 worst case.

Then the molding and paint.

It depends how the hardwood is installed. If it is going over the existing floor then it should only take 2-3 days max. Please make sure that the wood floor is delivered and at least sitting in your apartment for 72 hours, i would let it sit there for a week if you could. The wood needs to get used to your apts climate, if not you can problems later. that is very important.

Primer, I'm sorry, you said carpet is last but then said "then molding and paint." Meaning that you would do things in this order: 1) hardwood, 2) painting and molding, and 3) carpet? Or can hardwood be done last so it can sit and acclimate while the carpet and painting is being done?

Carpet should be last just because cutting and installing the molding will get alittle dusty. The floors can be last but again its about timing and you living there.

Crown moldings
Primer and 1 coat of paint
Wood Floor
Base moldings
2nd coat of paint
Carpet

You want to do the 2nd coat of paint as the floor guys will surely mess up the walls a little

If you want, you do not have to , call me 646-436-3943 I will not bite, nor do you have to hire me. We (contractors) do not have the best reputation so I try to help when I can.