DIY Renovations
It’s always been my dream to purchase and renovate a building (as im sure it is for allot of folks on this site) My question concerns how much, if any of the renovations can actually be DIY. (legally) I have had allot of experience from carpentry to plumbing and electrical. Basically i helped my dad…
It’s always been my dream to purchase and renovate a building (as im sure it is for allot of folks on this site) My question concerns how much, if any of the renovations can actually be DIY. (legally) I have had allot of experience from carpentry to plumbing and electrical. Basically i helped my dad build the house I grew up in. Is there a way one can hire a contractor, aka get the contractor to pull all the permits and such, but do the majority of the work yourself ? any info would be great
THANKS! everyone for your input, I have not purchased the place yet, I have my eye on two places, both pretty much gut renovations. I’m trying to get an idea of how much it will cost, and how much I can do my self. I know I’m going to have to hire a structural engineer and a number of other professionals to consult on the project. I plan to get the structure, plumbing and electric up to snuff as quickly as possible, and then work through the rest at my own pace. Does any once have cost per square foot estaminets for diy renovations of a brownstone?renovationas of a brownstone?
I am similarly cursed with high standards for craftsmanship, and decided to start doing most of the work myself out of digust, not wanting to save money.
It just made me less angry to chip away at renovations slowly than it did to pay people to f’ up my house and then I would have to fix i on the weekends anyway.
Whats funny about the LEGAL question is that there are plenty of licensed contractors willing to do work without filing… any home improvement job over $200 requires permits. (Excluding decorative professions like painting, floor sanding, ect) I think If you do the work completely by yourself you can get an exemption from workers comp. by the city. What’s your time frame for the completion of the work? Your budget? Do you own tools? Your skill level? Be honest. You should check the RENO BLOGS on Brownstoner. I think what you may want to try is to be your own GC. Hire all the subcontractors and supervise their work. Believe me, there will be plenty of work for you to do. When I was young I worked for my father doing roofing. When I moved to NY I got a job with a developer completing punch lists on new high end coop conversions. Want to pick up a great amount of skill/knowledge fast? Spend 2 years repairing other contractors work!
I did my Brooklyn house myself for two reasons. Lack of money and because I’m cursed with very high standards of craftsmanship. Did you buy a building yet? 10:25 is right about your neighbors. Be ready to bend over backwards and kiss ass and don’t do anything to upset the status quo. And NEVER allow inspectors into your place if someone makes a 311 complaint.
We’ve done 4 major diy renos and never had a problem. The only time we got permits was for an extension and then we went with an architect and licensed contractors. Otherwise, nobody has to know what’s going on in our house. We usually have contractors in to help us on some jobs and to tell you the truth, many times we have to “tweak” the work they’ve done. It’s a great idea. Sweat equity pays off!
9:18 is incorrect in som many ways it is hard to know where to begin. what a disservice to post a lot of nonsense.
My husband and I are going the DIY route, b/c my husband has a lot of prior construction experiance. Its very doable and it will save you alot of money. Also despite what 12:37 says i think that my husband’s work is far superior to most of the renovations i have seen friends pay for.
I have to agree with 10:25, you are better off not going for a permit. I have looked into the process and its extremely time consuming, from my understanding it could conceivably take 6 months to get a permit to do DIY work. Also there is some work that is never legally allowed for a DIY which would be perfectly legal in most other places in the country. The impression i got from what i found out was that NYC is not DIY friendly at all. Also and this may just be a rumor but some people claim its impossible to get any sort of sign off or permit without greasing some palms. Personally i would much rather get a ticket for illegally renovating my house than get mixed up with government corruption.
Agreeing with 2:21!
I am renovating my own house, and I am doing just fine because I have years of experience as a skilled laborer/craftsperson.
Be really honest with yourself about what you don’t know. Hire skilled craftsmen liberally. Get to know a good structural engineer that specializes in brownstones.
Contractors are mostly sleazy knuckleheads. They are either sleazy knuckleheads that know more than you do, or they are sleazy knuckleheads you are knowledgable enough to avoid.
The OP should know that when posters here on Forum insult people who are trying to save money, those aren’t usually fellow homeowners, those are contractors. They patrol these threads looking for opportunities to convince people that no quote is too high, and no job can be done by a homeowner.
OP, you won’t be able to do all the work yourself. But if you’ve done a lot of work on homes, unlike most of us you wouldn’t need a contractor. You should be your own contractor, hiring then supervising all the separate craftsmen yourself. The plumber, the electrian, the roofer, the kitchen and bath installers, etc. Stuff like stripping wood, skim coating and painting, you can absolutely do that yourself. I know people who don’t have as much experience as you have, who did all the woodwork and painting in their houses. It’s not brain surgery.
It’s plain dumb to “renovate” a house yourself. Watch the tv show Property Ladder and you’ll see for yourself.
Hire professionals, have it done right, and you’ll save tons of time and money in the long run.
Just cause you “helped your Dad” doesn’t qualify you to properly renovate a house. I’m sure your contractor would be happy to let you provide “free labor” as long as you did what he told you to.
You sound like you be very good at hauling debris and priming walls.