Construction Company
I’m going to be taking on a gut renovation on the first floor of my brownstone. The scope of work will involve knocking down walls, putting a bathroom downstairs,upgrading the electrical, fixing or possibly replacing floors and perhaps jacking the house up. Does anyone have any recommendations for a construction company that would be capable…
I’m going to be taking on a gut renovation on the first floor of my brownstone. The scope of work will involve knocking down walls, putting a bathroom downstairs,upgrading the electrical, fixing or possibly replacing floors and perhaps jacking the house up. Does anyone have any recommendations for a construction company that would be capable of taking this all on. I don’t know if I should try to find an architect first, and use a company on their recommendation. I was looking at Transcend Construction, and their work seemed nice. Also good reviews. I would love any help anyone could provide. Thanks!
There are different ways to go about it.
Builders know architects also. It is not uncommon for someone to reach out to us via the forum and ask for architect referrals.
Architects typically only know their own approach to construction, whereas we work with a variety of drawings and work methods from architects with different styles. I try to match clients up with two or three architects they may like so they can interview them and see if one is a good fit.
We also frequently land contracts with architects new to us via the due diligence of clients. In the end, it is what works for you.
http://www.bgrnow.com
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I’m definitely going to find an architect to help me and get itemized bids. I’m thinking this project may have to be done in phases and want to be sure the structure is done right. Once the bones are in place, I’ll feel alot more comfortable.
Start with an architect. We all have contractors we will to work with, but in the end we, the architect are your advocate.
I used All Renovation Construction for my brownstone gut. They had extensive experience with “brownstone” guts and allowed me to do a walk through of two brownstone gut projects they were working on which helped me immensely. I hired my own architect to draw up my plans and I interview 4 GC’s in total. All Renovation was the only GC that supplied me with a professional itemized estimate. I was fortunate to find them as I was newbie and extremely nervous with the process. You can contact them via their website http://www.allrenovationllc.com or via phone 718-351-4099. Feel free to email me outside of this blog if you have any detailed questions.
Best,
Allan S.
allans1935_at_gmail.com
With that much work, I would definitely start with an architect.
Mr. Page is right, getting one of us involved early on makes the process less of a headache. First, you need to file with the Department of Buildings in order to get a permit. Legally, only an Architect or Engineer can create the drawings and calculations required by the DOB.
In addition to the contractor, an Architect will help you set up getting an expediter for the Department of Buildings filing, a structural engineer if necessary, and an MEP engineer if necessary.
Feel free to contact me if you have further questions.
Good Luck!
I would recommend working with an Architect early in this process, in order to establish a definitive scope of work and then bid this out to multiple contractors. Bidding contractors could include GC’s that the architect has had a history of working with on similarly scaled projects, as well as any General Contractor’s you have connection to.
Good luck, and feel free to contact my office with any questions.
Kyle Page, AIA, LEED AP
Sundial Studios Architecture & Design, PLLC