Vertical Addition - Help Getting Started

I’m looking to do a one or potentially two story addition on my Bedstuy townhouse but I’m feeling quite lost in the process.

I’ve spoken to a handful of architects but so far have been underwhelmed with them as although they have all expressed eagerness to work with me on the project and have given me (hefty) proposals, only one of them seem to have specific experience doing this type of vertical addition and that one won’t let me speak to any references.

From my initial conversations/visits with the architects and sharing my property survey details, I have sufficient FAR and set-back allowance and I am not in a landmarked area so at least theoretically the build is straight-forward.

My frustrations have been the following:

1. Only one architect I spoke to has actually designed a vertical addition but he won’t share references.

2. The proposals they have given me are all very different in both the scope of work they are covering as well as the price (ranging from $15,000 to $60,000+).

3. I don’t know enough to know what constitutes a full scope of work. Some ha ve quoted for just the Architectural Scope of Work (Floor Plan, Design, etc.) while some go larger into Plumbing, Structural, Fire Sprinkler, Mechanical, and so-on. How do I know what is the full set of activities and deliverables which I will need to complete this project? There doesn’t seem to be a consensus across the architects I have spoken to. Some say this is a straight-forward Alt-2 renovation while others have a entire pages of activities including Alt-1 sign-offs, Park Department sign-off, Fire Hydrant Testing, designing Fire Alarm System and pumps etc. and so-on. There is just so much variability and I don’t know who to trust. I don’t want to start with an architect on the low-end of the price scale just to watch that creep all the way up as more things I didn’t know about keep getting added. And at the same time I don’t want to start with the most exhaustive proposal when I don’t even know what most of the activities are and whether they are even necessary.

Does anyone have any guidance on this? Or even better have the contact of an architect which they have personally worked with on this type of work and can recommend.

Thank you!

Guest User | 6 years ago

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Guest User | 6 years ago

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Thank you jcarch for the useful points and advice.

jcarch | 6 years ago

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I agree with those above…an architect not providing references is a red flag, and just odd.

This is going to be an Alt1, not an Alt 2. And you will definitely need sprinkler, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural engineering. You may need fire alarm engineering too. You’ll also likely need to file a builders paving plan, back flow prevention filing w/ DEP, and possibly a new house connection filing, also w/ DEP. Go into this with your eyes open as to costs and schedule.

And your architect will also need to be sure the proposed work complies with a wide range of building code and zoning issues. I would be very careful about using an architect who’s not familiar with these sorts of issues. There are so many pitfalls that will add months to the project and $ to the budget, and an architect who’s inexperienced – or one who’s focus is on interior renovations – just won’t be aware of them until it’s too late.

Good luck with the project.

uchenna

in General Discussion 6 years ago

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RushNYC, I’d be happy to give you a run down on the architectural and construction process. I’ve recently created my own architecture office in Boerum Hill, and have experience with rear addition townhouse projects in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
mph@polyarch.studio www.polyarch.studio

resident2 | 6 years ago

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Along with your large extension; you will also eventually get a large increase on your RE Tax bill.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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I bought a newly renovated 3bed/3bath 3 story townhouse in bedstuy for $700k in 2015, it’s probably worth $1.1-$1.2M or so now. For another $400k we want to add 3 bedrooms/2 baths + rooftop deck. There is no way we would get a nicely renovated 6 bed/5 bath with rooftop deck for less than $1.8M and more likely $2M+ and additional closing costs. I mean if it made sense to get a bigger home for less we would do it but I’m not sure it makes sense.

Lurker | 6 years ago

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Depending on when you bought, get a home equity line of credit for $$$ then buy another home and rent that one 😉

Guest User | 6 years ago

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W’ve thought about that but it seems on the conservative side that the addition will cost around $400k and that is much less than it would be if were to buy a bigger house with 3 additional bedrooms and baths. Plus we like our house and just want more of it 🙂

Lurker | 6 years ago

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You would need engineering on top of architectural drawings (an engineer can do arch but an arch can’t do engineering), and then trust the more expensive and detailed bids. If you know of a home that has done this work go look up their address on Bisweb, see who the architect was and then ask them to bid.

You don’t provide enough info to say whether you’re in a multi-family or 2 family, or how many stories you have, or what kind of material the house is so it’s impossible to say how much it would cost. Based on the ballparks everyone throws around count on a minimum of year’s workif all goes perfectly. (Pro-tip: It will not go perfectly). Count on several 10s of grands for arch and engineering (I think ours was 25) it used to 100k per floor for construction was the standby reno pricing but that could be much higher as you’ll surely need to do stuff to the rest of your home like electrical, sprinkler, heating, new roof, etc.

Just by a new house.

angelique.m.west | 6 years ago

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Crazy idea: Buy a bigger house?

Guest User | 6 years ago

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Thanks enman134. Yes Putnamdenizen, above is just the architectural fees. Of course I understand that the addition will be much higher than this.

Putnamdenizen | 6 years ago

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Adding a floor to your building will be way above 100,000. Or are you just quoting the architectural fee above?

eman134 | 6 years ago

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jimhill ra posts on the forum …consult him for a realistic estimate

Guest User | 6 years ago

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Thanks this is useful information. I suppose I will continue speaking to architects as well as educating myself.

Guest User | 6 years ago

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I am not an expert, but…

1) unless they have a very good excuse, any architect who won’t share references is hiding something. Their references will not speak kindly of their work.

2) adding a 2 story addition is NOT an Alt 2 affair – not only you will be altering and adding to both your election and plumbing (waste and water) systems and likely to your mechanical systems as well, but you will be dramatically changing the number of rooms in your home. Whoever said that is more likely to cause problems than help to shepherd you through the nightmare forest that is the DOB.

3) in all cases make sure to ask who will be the architect of record on the job. I’d guess that the ones with the far greater detail and intent to craft infrastructure plans are also the architects of record (I could be wrong).

4) Finally, $15K seems crazy low for the kind of job you’re talking about. You will need full layout plans, electrical and mechanical plans and likely an engineer t o ensure that the building can take the weight of one to two more floors.

Any construction in NYC is a big deal.