renovation in stages -- good general contractors for this?
We’re exploring the option of renovating our brownstone in stages over the next 5-7 years, primarily to manage costs. I’d like to find a GC who can help us with this, including telling us which projects should be grouped together, which should be prioritized, etc. Anyone care to share a good contractor recommendation? Also, any insights on the pros/cons of this approach would be greatly appreciated.
dumbogirl
in Brownstoner Renovation 12 years and 6 months ago
7
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7 replies
mruby36 | 12 years and 6 months ago
Some chimes ring true… and some not so much… Thought I’d add back in a positive chime… This can be done, I would not be discouraged by ominous suggestions to the contrary, and if you plan it well, it will happen. Invite in a couple of people; a contractor that returns a phone call or email; an architect who does so also; a friendly positive voice who reasonably thinks something is possible until it does in fact prove to be not possible, just as a for instance. I include myself in that stack, and there are others who fit the description out there as well…someplace, and likely to be found right here on this site! Grab your phone and spreadsheet and dig in! Matt R www.nyc-hs.com
eman134 | 12 years and 6 months ago
One last voice to chime in…be aware that building code is not wrought in stone…it is an amorphous series of documents that changes with every passing year. What is code compliant today will probably not be code compliant in 7 years…that means redoing work over and over again as the job drags on, probably doubling or tripling the initial budget had you done the job on a timely basis. It seems like a fools game that you are pursuing, which will not end happily
irqgbfqcbpop | 12 years and 6 months ago
Doing a home in stages requires a great understanding of yourself. The biggest issue with doing houses in stages is that the people who live in them change. I think all the comments are good advice. I would not focus on the money. I would focus on who you think you will be in a few years. My firm of CRJ Home Improvement can do it. www.crjhome.com Give me a call. Joe Lewis 347-715-5956. joelewis@crjhome.com
greenmountain | 12 years and 6 months ago
I presented plans to do this, bidding on a few jobs over a year or so, but nobody accepted my proposals. Still, I have other multiple-repeat clients. The advantage is they keep living in their homes during and between jobs. I am currently specializing in bathrooms, tile and waterproof membranes. I would be happy to discuss my past proposals with you, and the feedback I got. You can find me in the ‘Stoner directory under Shower stalls – Green Mountain
mruby36 | 12 years and 6 months ago
Just an add on to the great above suggestions. An architect or contractor would need to walk through with you what you want to do overall and what you have in mind for a budget. It may or may not be simple to consolidate projects and or live in one part of the building while working on another. Perhaps the larger challenge is the first one, getting someone to spend some time helping develop a realistic plan. Some of us take time to help plan without charging and thats nice but, you may fare better by spending a little up-front on the planning process that will likely save you plenty later on. Consider starting with those willing to take some time, who will then propose a fee arrangement to really help you develop a full but flexible plan you can start to run with. I’d be happy to explore this with you if you care to reach out. I’m in the directory. Thanks and hope this helps! Matt R www.nyc-hs.com
housepoor | 12 years and 6 months ago
We did our brownstone in two phases. Our objective was to create a triplex (garden/parlor/3rd fl). The first phase was planning/permits & landmarks/gutting and rebuilding the bottom two floors. It took 2 years from start to finish. We lived in the 3rd floor while this happened. Then we moved downstairs and rented out the 3rd floor for 2 years. Finally, we took the 3rd floor back,gutted and rebuilt, and extended the internal staircase. 5 years in total. Our approved plans covered the entire project so we had to make sure the building permits stayed renewed. The biggest risk, in our minds, was that the contractor and architect needed to be around to finish the project and the sign off. We were lucky. My advice to you if you want to go this way is hire a well established higher end contractor. But the downside is that this will cost you a lot more money, possibly another 15 or 20%, to get the peace of mind (and even then, no one can tell the future).
jcarch | 12 years and 6 months ago
To me, the biggest negatives to this sort of approach are that: You’re going to pay a lot more at the end of the day. A plumber doing a kitchen and 3 bathrooms all at once will charge less than doing each separately. Same goes for electricians, carpenters, and everyone else involved. Part of the increase is because 4 separate project legitimately involves more work, and part is because on smaller jobs everyone is going to bump up their profit margin to make it worth their while. You have to plan very carefully so that you don’t have to pay to rip open and then patch a wall in year 4 that was redone in year 2 because you didn’t realize that a pipe, conduit, etc. had to be run for future work. I recommend that you figure out how to do the project in as few steps as possible…2 phases instead of 4\. And consider waiting 5 years and then doing it all at once. jcarch ———————— James Cleary Architecture brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/jamescleary