Permit and kitchen/deck job

Your expediter is right about the risk of getting a visit from the DOB.  You know your comfort level for this sort of possibility better than anyone here, but DOB will shoot first and ask questions later, so if it happens be prepared for the possibility that you get a stop work order and need time/$ to get it cleared. If you’re going to hire 2 contractors, then you need to truly make it 2 separate jobs, with a bright line between the scope of work for each.  That means two separate sets of drawings – one for each contractor, so that only the work that the big contractor is doing is on the filing set.  This will avoid two problems: First, a bigger g.c. should balk at signing off on work done by his cheaper competition, If there’s a huge leak down the road, or one of the smaller guys laborers is injured on site, would the contractor who pulled the permit get dragged into a mess that shouldn’t be his problem? Second, you don’t want to be put in a position where there’s a problem, and each contractor can point the finger at the other and try to avoid responsibility.  I had a situation recently where two contractors were on site at the same time (one was a plumber brought in by the building to do work on risers that was outside the scope of work for the G.C.), and damage was done to the apartment.  The building’s plumber blamed the G.C., and it took too many hours and too much drama to eventually get to the bottom of things (the plumber eventually fessed up). My take is also that you have it backwards – have the big GC do the deck, door, etc.  And then have the small guy do the kitchen.  You don’t want your new kitchen damaged when they’re bringing materials in/out for the bigger work. Good Luck. jcarch ———————— James Cleary Architecture

http://brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/jamescleary