Cost of adding a full bath

1. Cost will depend on a lot of things; you need to provide more info describing the new bath: size, finishes, type of tub/shower, anything notable you anticipate, and what is in the space now.
2. Don't be your own GC for a job like this: hire one. The GC will take care of the trades, and yes, of course you will need different subcontractors for the plumbing, electricity, tiling, etc.
3. You absolutely need approval of building engineer/condo and city permits.
4. You get an expeditor to get the permits. This costs about $5000. Time to issue permits once you apply can vary widely depending upon the inscrutable Dep't of Buildings. A couple weeks to a couple months. Impossible to predict. Typically a couple of weeks.
5. If someone did this in your building already, talk to them about a General Contractor recommendation. Ask the super, too. You will also need to hire an architect for drawings in all likelihood. These drawings are what you submit to the building and the city for approvals. There needs to be basic blueprints, electrical plan, plumbing details, etc.

I would guess that the very rock bottom you could get away with this for is about $30,000. If you want something more than a "budget" level job, it is going to cost more. Maybe others will weigh in.

Hi - I am an architect and specialize in this kind of work. and kyle west is right - but you also need to add the Architect fees that you hire as well as potentially pay for the fee that the building will charge you for their architect to review the work as this is part of most by-laws.

Finishes become a side topic at this point as the city wants to make sure you are not creating a health hazard by taking away space from another room as well as light and fresh air requirements and that all of the plumbing meets code.

The building will want to make sure that the piping below the bathroom will not adversely affect the tenant below by adding an unwanted condition such as a pipe with gurgling sounds over a bedroom or a living room or a computer desk area. The building will also want you to cover any damages that occur within tenants below as a small flood can affect several floors below you. The building approval process can take some time depending on the politics and personalities on the board and where you fit in to all of that personally. Having the right Architect to go before the board to present the design is crucial. It is even more crucial during the review process as i have been retained many times to fix the errors other Architects have overlooked or not responded to.

So as you can see the finishes become secondary to obtaining approvals - which is a real bummer because nothing saps the life out of anyone as a long winded bureaucratic process...but take a deep breath and realize this is a huge investment in time and money and take the plunge - the right Architect should shield you from the onslaught of b.s. and make things fun as i try to for my clients.

The right G.C. is then the next step to tackle - and with the right Architect and word of mouth from others in the building should make this process easy too. Pre-qualifying a G.C. is something i like to do for my clients during the design and construction document phases of drawing - this way when building approvals have been obtained we can go directly into bidding without any waste of time. So i help you through this phase too as it is important to get the right fit for both you and the building.

All of the above are all very important parts to your project and only a licensed Architect will be able to help you legally speaking as well as service your expectations. I am fairly cheap in comparison however i still do have hourly charges - but even that is cheap in comparison. Please contact me to discuss in greater detail your project - Zachary@zs-design.com 914-589-1229

This thread contains a lot of info you may find helpful to think about as you contemplate this project:
http://streeteasy.com/nyc/talk/discussion/18540-bathroom-renovation

FYI: the word "architect" is not capitalized in the middle of a sentence. Just as "lawyer," "doctor," or "professor" does not get a capital letter, neither does "architect." Frankly, at some point in the million years of schooling and licensing it takes to become an architect, an architect ought to know that.

Kylewest-thanks so much for the link. I have copied, pasted and sent to 2 friends!

nyc10009: glad you found it helpful. Believe it or not, there was a time when most threads on here actually dealt with real estate and topics of more direct interest on a RE forum than discussions of Washington politics and international monetary policies.

Kylewest, many thanks for your advice. I am considering a loft which needs adding a full bath. Can I have your email address to contact you for help?

Kylewest, do you also have experience and knowledge about kitchen cabinets? what is good and what is not? what do you think of Ikea kitchen?

Kitchen cabinets vary very widely. Some people like Ikea--they won't hold up in the long run the same as custom millwork, but they can be 1/3 the price or less. They also do better if used "lightly"--that is, without children smashing the doors, hanging on the drawers, etc. Gentle use and they can be okay some say. I don't know personally. On the other end is the "high end" custom millwork (cabinets) which for a 7x10 kitchen will run you about $25,000-30,000 including counters and installation. Add to this the cost of appliances, electrical, backsplash, fixtures, etc. That is why a kitchen can be very expensive. The cost is because you get 100% custom fitted cabinetry designed to your specifications. In the middle are cabinets made in relatively fixed sizes but of better materials than Ikea.

Only you know which you can afford and if it is worth it for you.

If you want to post your email, I'd be happy to contact you to answer some questions if you like.

How feasible is it to save/reuse cabinets, countertops and appliances when doing a kitchen remodel? Our kitchen was created by a prior owner just a couple of years ago. The cabinets, countertops and appliances are all fine (in fact high end) but the layout is terrible. Lots of wasted space, the only usable work space is under pendant lights that whack your head as you are rolling out dough or whatever, and some genius positioned the pull out for the garbage and the dishwasher right next to each other so you can't scrape plates and load the dishwasher. Although it is plenty big enough to be an eat-in, the layout doesn't allow any space for a table. But I have all kinds of guilt (including environmental angst) about trashing a recently remodeled kitchen for trivial issues (even though these trivial issues are driving me crazy on a daily basis). Can I salvage the materials and sop my conscience that way?

P.S. What's up with the pot filler over the stove? Yes, it saves me carting the full pot from the sink to the stove (which in our messed up configuration are many miles apart) but I still have to lug it to the sink to drain the pasta or whatever. Is the idea that I am strong enough for a one-way trip but not two?!

mommyesq, the idea might be that there are two cooks -- you are filling the pot with pasta water while your co-cook is washing lettuce for the salad.

If you renovate, it will be incredibly easy to reuse your appliances, and harder but possible to reuse your cabinets and countertops. Talk to your contractor.

If you'd rather donate them, ping me before you get rid of your sink, because our old one makes me nuts. In general, your contractor should also be able to help with a "green" demolition, which will also give you a tax writeoff.

Also, you can probably shorten the pendant lights yourself in about an hour -- no need to be driven crazy by that!

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

mommyesq, I think the layout beats finishes any time. While the finishes are the matter of taste, the layout is the matter of vital importance — livability. So probably remodel the damn thing to make it your home.
From my experience, the countertop cannot be saved with different configuration unless your new space and sink are the same as the old ones (almost never happens.) You'll be really pleasantly shocked what level of comfort can be achieved with reconfiguring just a few things in the kitchen. But you can definitely re-use the cabinetry.

mommyesq - I agree w/you regarding the inanity of 'pot fillers' especially b/c one should run the water for 30 seconds or so before using it - as a matter of fact, this is now recommended by the city due to recent high levels of lead detected during water tests. So it is completely useless.

Why should we limit ourselves to "pot fillers" and sinks in the kitchen? I like a glass of water bedside at night. Maybe there should be a tap in every bedroom. It's such a hassle running to the kitchen for a glass of water.

damn, first I need a bedroom.