Closing Up a Dumbwaiter?
Hi, I live in a four story, 40 unit co-op built in 1927. Our building has dumbwaiters and we are interested in closing them up and using the space within each apartment for closets. I’m trying to figure out what we would have to do for this to be a safe and legal alteration to…
Hi,
I live in a four story, 40 unit co-op built in 1927. Our building has dumbwaiters and we are interested in closing them up and using the space within each apartment for closets. I’m trying to figure out what we would have to do for this to be a safe and legal alteration to our building. Can anyone point me to a place to start? Thanks in advance.
Lauren
Wow, inigo you aren’t very polite. I hope the rest of your day is better, after your anger management class.
I must agree with Marion and Bolder, its pricey but yet all worth it. Contact my Contractor and ask him. They also have there own Architectural firm or someone from his family is, I cant remember.
IEB @ 718.204.2552
PK
Price was 5k per unit. But we only have 10 units. Would probably be less for a bigger building.
that was assuming we kept the frame and just turned the dumb waiters into pantries. To completely rip out the whole structure I imagine would be substantially more.
The cost would probably also depend on what an engineer found upon inspection, i.e. phone and gas lines running the shaft, for instance, a not-uncommon occurrence.
Look, it’s not rocket science. If there were no co-op board involved, any handyman could do it in a day. Obviously the issue is when you do it to permit, it’s more complicated.
If superstooper is correct about the fire-rating, it’s ironic that the dumbwaiter shaft, as originally installed, is a great chimney for fire and is OK; if stopped up, it has to have 4-hour rating??
Oh, the pointing part -an engineer is what you need.
http://www.rsapc.com/
The first response is right. They need to be fire rated (4 hours, I think) and have some structural improvements so that if you step into the closet you don’t fall through.
It is surprising how some people are allergic to the truth, and sage advice. You do not need anyone in your building (much less 100%) to approve the conversion of your dumbwaiter into a closet, unless of course your building actually still uses the dumbwaiter in which case you should be part of the smithsonian. Honestly, it is not bad enough to be so ignorant and naive, but also to be so rude, tsk tsk Lauren.
Bolder —
May I ask, was that 5K per apartment unit or 5K per line (ie, per dumbwaiter shaft)?
Thanks again,
Lauren
Inigo —
You would be a happier person if you stopped entertaining yourself by posting insulting remarks on the internet.
Thanks to everyone else who responded.
Lauren