DOES A LOFT NEED A PERMIT ?
Im in a duplex condominium – very chill building. would like to “extend” second floor area to create more floor space by closing up opening roughly 12×12 (keeping staircase open between floors). does this require a permit ? if i resell, will this be a problem if the plans are different ? do people even…
Im in a duplex condominium – very chill building. would like to “extend” second floor area to create more floor space by closing up opening roughly 12×12 (keeping staircase open between floors). does this require a permit ? if i resell, will this be a problem if the plans are different ? do people even care about that when they purchase something ?
There are tricks used to build beyond the allowable FAR by calling the extension loft space as “storage loft”, “mezzanine”. They all need to meet DOB requirements and can’t legally be counted as an occupied space, meaning you can’t count the area towards your SF when you resell.
Regardless of how you file the loft with the DOB, building without a permit will become a big issue when you resell. In the past year, I filed a case against an owner who was selling an coop unit with an illegal loft extension. They ended up losing a lot of time and money. The people who purchase your unit will face legal issues when they file any work with the DOB and it will come back to you.
you need a permit to even think about building in nyc…if you build illegally and sell , you will be liable for endless damages (misrepresenting area, illegal construction..etc)..bad idea
Robert Scarano would probably be able to help you; I hear he’s got a lot of time on his hands
right now.
To do this legally would require a permit, yes, and the biggest technical obstacle is that the area you are adding is limited by the entire building’s permissible floor area. You may not be able to add area to the building if it’s already built to its maximum.