New Construction - ACCESS PANELS in unit

what building is this..sounds odd...

I don't want to say since I don't want to slander it... but it's weird right.

Are you on the top floor? I think they're bleed valves for hot-water heat risers.

Do you have central AC?
they could be access panels to the baffle adjusters in the ductwork.

I'm not on the top most floor. they're definitely for valves or something like that. No central AC.

I was just wondering if a developer has the right to put so many in such blatant places... I know things like this are necessary but couldn't they design the bldg better to not have so many in ONE person's unit. If they were hidden or out of the way it would be fine... but they just slapped them wherever.

I've never heard of this. I though you owned the interior of your unit, so all utility-type access like electric meters or phone or cable switchboards were in the common areas of the building. Are you sure one is not your electrical circuit breakers for your unit? Could one be for cable/phone, which is usually in a closet? Why would you have any other access panels in your unit?

PMG, at least some of them could be access panels to water shut off valves for something like a built in tub. No access in the bathroom so the pipes have to be accessed from the room behind.

The closet has 2 panels which they told me were for my phone and cable. That's totally fine.. they're hidden in the closet. The main electrical panel is actually on the wall adjacent to the front door when you walk in.. it's smack in your face. but that's not what I'm referring to.

These are white metal doors that have a small hole for a tool to unlock them. They're located in random places of the apt... and the sales office told me that they're there for the bldg maintenance in case of an emergency. When I asked what was in there they told me it didn't matter because that it was the bldg. I don't have any major items in my apt that would warrant them (i.e whirlpool, fireplace, etc) so they're just for the general maintenance of the bldg.

I'm just unhappy that there are SO MANY of them and they didn't even try to conceal their locations.
One of them is literally adjacent to my countertop in the kitchen almost at eye level which is preventing me from installing a backsplash... if I installed one I would have to tile around this white metal door!

Tile over the white metal door.

If there was no mention of these in the offering plan... do I have to accept that they are there to stay? I was going to put in a built in bookshelf on one of the walls and now there are those two panels so I can't unless I want to block them.

I'm also concerned that now MY unit is the hub for bldg emerg maintenance... so if I am away on vacation they will break my door down to get to the access panels? I am in a condo so there is no rule I have to provide a key to my unit.. and I do not feel that I should have to.

oh i see. My bath has an access panel on the other side of the wall in the common area stair well. My previous apartment had two baths with no such access panels (maybe that was a plumbing hazard). it seems like the 212CondoDude is a victim of poor building design. I would do a careful review of the Offering Plan to see if such access panels were described.

I guess you can always try hanging pictures on top of some of the panels.

I also am concerned if there is the risk of a valve or something behind the access panels breaking and flooding my unit... who is liable.. who pays for the damage?

Also I don't know if they fireproofed those panels because now they have essentially established a place for fire to route through the walls towards the airflow coming into my unit.

I am reading the offering plan again but I do not remember them mentioning anything about access panels and their locations.

I would take this up with the lawyer who you are using to close on the unit. You may have some leverage for compensation or to have them close over the doors with drywall, and access the valves or whatever at their expense as needed. The super has done this in my building.

PMG - yeah that's where I'm at right now.

I was just coming on here to make sure I was not being ridiculous in thinking that these panels were excessive.

I had many access panels in my last apartment (intercom, electric, cable, telephone) -- Some in closets, some not. Cannot be moved. The new techmonolgy requires more access -- I had each appliance on its own circuit and each room and telephone line was home run -- reflected mych more stable and better construction. Deal with it. Make the panels accessible. So that you do not have to deal with paint or dry wall with each need.

manhattan fox... I have several panels in my walls for telephone, cable and the circuit panel for the electrical in my unit. Those are normal things that I would never complain about because they offer value and service to my unit.

These panels are 8"x8" mental doors that are all over the unit that do not have anything to do with my wiring or mechanical items... the sponsor is saying they are the bldg's property... they won't even let me open them to see what is inside.

I'm ok with 1 panel here or there because hey... it's a bldg... things need valves etc... but I have so many in my unit and they're just slapped wherever the heck they felt like it... no hiding them.. or even trying to utilize smaller doors on the panels.

Who cares what they say? If you want help open them up and tell us what you see. If you don't see any valves or handles/switches then rip em out, get some drywall, screw some 1x2's behind the main wall section making sure you can see them in the hole and screw the new drywall onto the bits of wood. Finish with joint compound ad tape, prime and paint - or in the case of your backsplash, tile over.

212CondoDude, there must be something you can do. I would be pretty annoyed with the situation. out of interest was the emergency component included in your contract ?

exis... that's what I'll probably end up doing in the end.

lupus 1 .. there was nothing in the contract about access panels that I can find.
I would imagine it should have been in the floorplan at least if not written in a clause about access for bldg infrastructure.