C of O change without Expeditor
We are nearing the end of our big renovation and are considering going solo for the actual C of O change–inspection, etc.–to save the expeditor fee(quoted $2K).We are going from an SRO to a 3-family and have a letter of no objection and certificate of no harassment. Can anybody offer any info/stories/recs about trying to…
We are nearing the end of our big renovation and are considering going solo for the actual C of O change–inspection, etc.–to save the expeditor fee(quoted $2K).We are going from an SRO to a 3-family and have a letter of no objection and certificate of no harassment.
Can anybody offer any info/stories/recs about trying to handle this part of the DOB process without an expeditor? Thanks!
lol
double lol
i had to see what people were going to say about this.
2 grand is really reasonable.
SRO? wow, just be glad your not in manhattan.
first of all I hope your permits include changing the occupancy and your application is ALTERATION TYPE 1 because having a letter of no objection means you dont have a c.o. now and you’re probably not applying for one.
if thats the case then you are talking about filing the change of use after you did the construction under a letter of no objection and an alt type 2 permit.
please call me and say you didnt do that.
then give me the address and i will look it up and advise you.
718 350 5157
25 years experience and still 2K
i think that you are a fool trying to save 2 grand on what is, by anyone that has dealt with the dob a baroque process at best..expediting is not about filling out forms and delivering them, but about knowing the right answers and the right people to deliver them to..2 years from now when all your permits have expired and you still have no c of o you will kick yourself in the ass and wonder what were you thinking
What I mean to say is that the paperwork for a change of C of O is fairly involved, and requires multiple visits to the Dept of Buildings, so usually this is handled by an expeditor to take the time to prepare all this work.
There are a series of technical reviews (perhaps structural, perhaps firestopping for example) that need to be certified by the architect — that’s the TR-1 series. There is the plan work application itself that defines the lot, accompanies the survey, and is basically an elaborate checklist of details about the building and work (that’s the PW1). There is a cost affadavit and an asbestos report you’d need too.
For an expeditor to prepare all that is fairly routine, but the problem is this is a very difficult process to do yourself. There are a myriad small number of points and if you get one wrong, the city simply rejects the application and you have to do it again. Not any big deal if you have tons of time and are patient, but if you have a time frame requiring this done quickly you might be in trouble.
In other words, if you can at all afford the $2grand to have someone do this, please give them the hassle rather than yourself. I say this as someone who’s done more than fifty filings but only expedited a project once — and that was a total nightmare. But hey maybe you will have better luck or tolerance for the DoB than I did.
What does your architect think?
Smokychimp, are you refering to the filing of building plans by an architect? If so, we have done that to get our approved building permits, etc… What are TR1’s and PW1 forms? I have actually been discussing doing the C of O filing myself with our architect. We had an expeditor doing all the prior steps of our job (filing Alt 1 app) and this is our first renovation, so I am trying to get some information and help.Thanks.
I’m sure if you’re that far along with the process you’re aware that the change in C of O requires a filing by either a NY State licensed engineer or architect. And I don’t know many architects (maybe there are some out there) who would allow a client to fill out the paperwork without an expeditor — the architect is taking responsibility for the filing in its entirety, and that includes information on the TR1’s and PW1 form, not just drawings. There are a few architects who also file their own work, but that’s mainly to be able to charge the expediting fee themselves, not in order to do it for free.
Mind sharing your expeditor? We’re at a similar stage and the quotes that we are getting are substantially higher than $2k.
brooklynrulz@gmail.com