This has been going on for about a year and a half now and I'm still pre-board-approval, pre-DOB filing. Curious if this is typical or if something's off. Rough sequence of events: First contact with architect Closed on a co-op apartment; architect flagged an accessibility code trigger almost immediately Signed proposal, paid deposit Field measurements taken; existing-conditions drawings produced... [more]
This has been going on for about a year and a half now and I'm still pre-board-approval, pre-DOB filing. Curious if this is typical or if something's off. Rough sequence of events:
First contact with architect
Closed on a co-op apartment; architect flagged an accessibility code trigger almost immediately
Signed proposal, paid deposit
Field measurements taken; existing-conditions drawings produced
Architect became unavailable for an extended stretch (medical)
Design phase resumes; proposed-plan drawings begin; probes plan prepared, then conducted
Probe results reviewed; revised floor plan produced
Vendor/system research; asbestos inspection ordered
Electrical assessment reveals the unit's existing service is severely underpowered
Load-balancing analysis confirms a full service upgrade is needed; formal load letter issued
Drawings + load letter submitted for building engineer review (pre-DOB, board-required)
Building-wide electrical capacity study completed (board-requested)
Updated load letter issued, resubmitted
A building-side electrical infrastructure issue (unrelated to my unit) surfaced, requiring a building-level fix before my filing could proceed
A multi-week wait for that fix
Fix confirmed; drawings resubmitted; first formal engineer review issued
Response submitted, including resolving a separate documentation question unrelated to the renovation scope
Second review round: a couple of items remain
Still pre-board-approval, pre-DOB filing, as of now
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Response by MTH
21 days ago
Posts: 651
Member since: Apr 2012
Sorry for that densely packed list - bullet points didn't copy. But that's the gist: ~18 months and it's still between the architect, bldg management, etc. And maybe that's typical, idk.
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Response by 300_mercer
19 days ago
Posts: 10724
Member since: Feb 2007
MTH,
Sorry that your reno is taking so long.
Usually it takes 4-6 months for the approval process - 2 months for the architect to draw up plans with owner's fast revisions etc (owner doesn't make up mind easily could be 6 months), 2-4 months for coop approval if you aren't asking for wet over dry or penetrations etc, and 1 month for DOB approval.
It seems that your building just doesn't have electrical capacity and / or place to run upgraded wiring. If you used gas appliances, would your electrical capacity be large enough? I would think yes as with LED's etc, the load is less vs the past. And how much delay punishment are you willing to take to upgrade electric?
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Response by value
18 days ago
Posts: 52
Member since: Jan 2009
I assume that each apartment provides its own AC either window or through the wall. That is always the largest user of electricity in an apartment. If that is the case then every unit in the building needs the electrical upgrade to be done for the entire building.
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Response by MTH
16 days ago
Posts: 651
Member since: Apr 2012
I could live without the upgrade but I'd always be wondering: is my airfryer also going to fry the fusebox along with the chicken?
I don't know the details of how they're going to run the wiring. I assumed through the apartment below? We've been asked to hire an engineer to plot the how-to for submission so that's where we are.
Yes, every apartment has its own through-wall ac unit. We did a study of the entire building first, monitoring the building's draw from the street over a two week period. I assume, based on that, there would be enough for at least some of us to upgrade without compromising the whole system.
I know this all sounds whiney. I'm lucky to have the place.
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Response by Aaron2
15 days ago
Posts: 1722
Member since: Mar 2012
"I assumed through the apartment below?"
From my mid-block position, I can see the back of a number of co-op buildings, and some of them are just covered in large conduits of various vintages that have been run up from the cellar to various floors to accommodate heavier wiring. Much of it doesn't look very organized, implying that units ran new cables from the service entrance in a piecemeal way, rather than the building doing it all at once.
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Response by Krolik
15 days ago
Posts: 1465
Member since: Oct 2020
This is crazy. No wonder rents are so high here.
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Response by MTH
13 days ago
Posts: 651
Member since: Apr 2012
@Aaron2 Interesting - the apt has through-wall a/c so running a line up the back or side of the building and in through the sleeve might make sense.
@Krolik this is my retirement perch but if it were my plan to recoup the cost of renovation through renting I'd have to charge something crazy for it to work. One thing I have learned on this board (nod to inonada): looked at in purely mercenary terms this is an awful idea.
Sorry for that densely packed list - bullet points didn't copy. But that's the gist: ~18 months and it's still between the architect, bldg management, etc. And maybe that's typical, idk.
MTH,
Sorry that your reno is taking so long.
Usually it takes 4-6 months for the approval process - 2 months for the architect to draw up plans with owner's fast revisions etc (owner doesn't make up mind easily could be 6 months), 2-4 months for coop approval if you aren't asking for wet over dry or penetrations etc, and 1 month for DOB approval.
It seems that your building just doesn't have electrical capacity and / or place to run upgraded wiring. If you used gas appliances, would your electrical capacity be large enough? I would think yes as with LED's etc, the load is less vs the past. And how much delay punishment are you willing to take to upgrade electric?
I assume that each apartment provides its own AC either window or through the wall. That is always the largest user of electricity in an apartment. If that is the case then every unit in the building needs the electrical upgrade to be done for the entire building.
I could live without the upgrade but I'd always be wondering: is my airfryer also going to fry the fusebox along with the chicken?
I don't know the details of how they're going to run the wiring. I assumed through the apartment below? We've been asked to hire an engineer to plot the how-to for submission so that's where we are.
Yes, every apartment has its own through-wall ac unit. We did a study of the entire building first, monitoring the building's draw from the street over a two week period. I assume, based on that, there would be enough for at least some of us to upgrade without compromising the whole system.
I know this all sounds whiney. I'm lucky to have the place.
"I assumed through the apartment below?"
From my mid-block position, I can see the back of a number of co-op buildings, and some of them are just covered in large conduits of various vintages that have been run up from the cellar to various floors to accommodate heavier wiring. Much of it doesn't look very organized, implying that units ran new cables from the service entrance in a piecemeal way, rather than the building doing it all at once.
This is crazy. No wonder rents are so high here.
@Aaron2 Interesting - the apt has through-wall a/c so running a line up the back or side of the building and in through the sleeve might make sense.
@Krolik this is my retirement perch but if it were my plan to recoup the cost of renovation through renting I'd have to charge something crazy for it to work. One thing I have learned on this board (nod to inonada): looked at in purely mercenary terms this is an awful idea.