Converting 2 family to 3 family in Williamsburgh

We have a 2 family house with the top floor rented out. I would like to redo the basement and rent it out as well. What exactly do I need to do in terms of paperwork and filings for this to work ? How much will it cost for the paperwork (not construction). I understand that the house was a 3 family at one point but the previous owner had it converted down to a 2 family house for tax purposes (presumably) before we purchased it. The basement was finished but his kids were living there so I think it worked as a 2 family for him. Any pointers ?

samg

in Conversion 11 years and 9 months ago

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samg | 11 years and 8 months ago

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resisdent2, – you emphasized not using 2 as a 3\. From what i know a lot of people in Bkln already do that. Whats the flip side of doing so ? Can the city levy a fine ? Thanks

resident2 | 11 years and 9 months ago

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Do Not Start it! Architects will tell you it can be done, contractors will tell it can be done. Many things can be done, but does that make sense that they should be done? Converting a two family house to a legal three family house a mine field of old code versus new code and at the end of the day IF you get the new C of O you will have spent a small fortune and get your Real Estate taxes re-assessed so high, you will be wondering why you spent the last two years of your life in chaos and your savings account depleted to get how much in extra rent? Plus an on going huge Real Estate bill??!! For the privilege of giving architects and contractors a job? If you want a three family house it will be much easier to sell your current house and buy another house ( yes, even in this tight crazy market!) 3-4 or even 5 family house and downsize it if you do not want that many tenants, but even then I would say..do not change the C of O, just live in it as an underused multiple dwelling. But certainly do NOT use a two family house as a three family.

brucef | 11 years and 9 months ago

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Three or more family is multi-family, requiring hallway all the way to roof (unless pitched greater than 20 degrees) among many other requirements. If your house was a legal three it probably has arguably the required features, but establishing previous “three-ness?” is important in whether previous items that at the time were grandfathered would have to be brought up to current code. Many of your issues are non-trivial, and agonizing headaches with DOB lie right behind wrong move. What I hate is when they are right, you are wrong, and when they are wrong you are still wrong. Everything that is not forbidden is mandatory.

samg | 11 years and 9 months ago

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The last CofO that I could find is from 1960 listed as cellar, 1 family and 1 family (40/40). I believe there were alterations done after on file but that seems to be the last CofO Does that make sense ?

shahnandersen

in Conversion 11 years and 9 months ago

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«If it was a legal 3 in a previous life then it should be somewhat easy to change it back.» Maybe. I believe that at one time 3 familys were legal in in non-Masonry buildings and you could convert a two to a three. But since the 50s (or 60s) that was no longer possible in non masonry buildings, no matter what it had been previously. Also, is there a CofO? What does it say?

jockdeboeraia | 11 years and 9 months ago

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First determine if it is really a basement. Then determine if your house is of masonry construction. If it was a legal 3 in a previous life then it should be somewhat easy to change it back.