Adding Another Level on Brownstone

I recently found out that I am able to build up one floor on my 1910 brownstone. Wondering if anyone has any experience with living in the brownstown during the renovation, or if I would need to move out? If I have to move out, it would not be an option. If I can stay in the garden level unit, can probably make it work. Thanks in advance!

lphpkixem

in General Discussion 6 years and 7 months ago

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powell5424

in General Discussion 6 years and 6 months ago

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In our opinion, it’s always best to move out during a renovation. However, if you’re set on staying, just know that there will be inconveniences. The key to peace of mind during a renovation is to have done all the heavy lifting (no pun intended) in the pre-construction phase. If all decisions are made in advance and the project is set up for success, then the inconveniences you’ll face by staying during your renovation are within a set, agreed-upon context – and while they may be annoying, they should not drive you to insanity 😉

BKALLDAY | 6 years and 7 months ago

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If your garden level is separate and unoccupied then you can tough it out there. Just literally seal off all windows and doors where dust and debris can creep in and buy a really good air purifier.

But if the building is found to have asbestos in the roof, critter carcasses or the banging and sawing and men and women moving in and throughout will drive you nuts then you may need to reconsider. Be sure to have start and end times for the work each day.
Determine what the work schedule will be on the heaviest days and on those days decamp elsewhere.
Find a relative, neighbor or business owner who won’t mind seeing your face for hours on end (but be close).
Treat the workers right and they will take care of you really well. Give them a fridge to use for their food, a designated bathroom (if no port-a-potty will be on site)
Learn their names, be friendly and order a few boxes of pizza or throw some food on a bar-b-cue when the weather permits every once in awhil e.

The only non-negotiable is if you have kids. The safety of their health is more important than the house so you may need to move all the way out in favor of that.

Good luck.

jcarch | 6 years and 7 months ago

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Hi sjohnsn…there are a huge number of variables here, quality of finishes, the size of the existing building’s footprint, whether sprinklers are required, whether there’s needed work in the existing portion of the building, etc. So these numbers could vary, but I’d work with $500 a square foot for construction costs. And anticipate 8-10 months for construction.

jimhillra | 6 years and 7 months ago

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I’d like to add on to jcarch’s post, and say that we’ve had people live through it, but in most cases we recommend against it.

Getting to the top floor may mean going in and out of the house through the main hallway and stair. In that case, construction debris and materials/supplies will be removed and brought in through the main hall. Even though there are ways to make temporary partitions or other separations between the top floor and the hall, dirt and dust will get all over the hall as workers go up and down, and in and out of the site.

To avoid the impact of this, the contractor may need to clean up at the end of every day, protection may need to be set up every morning and removed at the end of the day, cutting into the amount of time dedicated to actual working. All of this leads to longer construction schedules, making the job take longer and cost more.

I would also caution against accidental damage. Pipes burst, tools drop, new steel beams get put down too heavily, etc. If you’re not living there, you can move stuff out of the floor immediately below to protect it from damage or construction dust.

As a rough number for construction pricing, we typically start estimating at $300/sq ft, and then work our way up or down from there depending upon complexity, materials, etc.

hospzjikcbyidc | 6 years and 7 months ago

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jcarch – what have you seen in terms of price/sqft ranges and total construction time?

jcarch | 6 years and 7 months ago

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It all depends on your tolerance for inconvenience, noise, dust, etc. We’ve had clients do what you’re considering. About 1/2 of them regretted the decision – too much to put up with. The other 1/2 were fine with it. Do you have small children, or work from home? If you do, I’d think really hard about doing this. But if you’re out of the house from 8am-6pm weekdays you’ll miss the noise, but still have to deal with some dust (even if GC is careful to try and contain it), some interruption of services (with advance notice).

You’ll also need to make sure that your enlargement will meet code and zoning requirements. And make sure that your building isn’t what’s called a heretofore converted dwelling (meaning it was once a one family, but was converted to 3 or more units at some point), there are limits on enlarging those.