FINALLY starting the journey!
THANK YOU EVERYONE for all of your advice, I will definitely utilize everything that I am being told! I am both excited and nervous! I have been lurking on this page for YEARS, and it has been a valuable resource of information and referrals!
I will definitely keep everyone posted!
Guest User | 5 years and 2 months ago
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Guest User | 5 years and 2 months ago
I bought my home more than 10 years ago. As all 100 year old homes, it was not in perfect condition, but it was solid enough to not have to worry about major renovations while living. I have always wanted to renovate, but such a decision does not happen overnight for many of us, thus patiently waiting until life’s journey finally put me in a position to begin to plan.
I am definitely taking my time in reading through archives of this blog, other blogs, etc. to learn as much as I can, but I admit, it is overwhelming and I am only just beginning.
I currently have a legal 3-family with 3 floor-through apartments, as well as a basement/cellar. My desire is to renovate so that I will have a duplex (parlor and top floor) unit and a garden level apartment.
My major goals are this:
1. DUPLEX unit that will be on the parlor floor and the top floor. For the parlor floor, I am not re-configuring anything….but I would like to: close off the bathroom door that faces the kitchen and create a different entrance; have an open concept space of LR/Kit/Dining. There is also a bedroom on this floor, which I would like to knock out the door and instead have sliding/accordion doors that can open up the whole parlor floor space for living space with the conversion to a spare bedroom if need be by closing the doors. I want to do this MOSTLY to allow for light to flow through the whole floor. It is not a load-bearing wall that I will knock out. I also would like to build a deck from the parlor floor, thus having to knock out brick and a window for the deck. For the top floor, there will be some changes. Currently it’s a 1-1/2 BR (2 bedrooms, the 2nd bedroom is small) with a kit, bath and LR. I would like to turn it into 3 BR and 2 baths, and a possible den. I would like to see the current bathroom expanded a bit, but still in same place. I would like to see the kit and LR turned into a master BR and bath. Regarding the 1-1/2 BRs, I would like to see both created to be the same size, but not sure if the wall btw them is load bearing or not. I would also like to have a little nook/den/office created to separate the master suite from the two other BRs.
2. There will be no reconfiguration to the garden level apartment, it will remain as is, with upgrades (renovate bathroom, kitchen, MAYBE floors – although I would like to keep the floors, as there is not much original detail in the house, so one of the oldest aspects are the floors. Not sure if I can keep floors or not, but hope to do so.
The biggest work, is that I want to redo/update all of the plumbing, update all of the electrical (although there was some electrical updates when I purchased 10 years ago, as new circuit breakers were installed in all 3 units). I also imagine (and would want) the house will require new reinforcement/sister beams in the basement/cellar. These are more important goals to me than inside work. I don’t plan on having high end finishes, etc., I’m more of a fix the internal bones first, and then depending on how much funds are remaining, I will use to do finishes.
WANTS (in order of importance)
1. plumbing
2. wiring
3. basement/beams
4. Parlor floor renovations
5. top floor renovations/conversion of kit/lr to master br/bath
6. deck
7. finishes, etc.
I have a list of numerous contractors, half of which are recommendations from ppl I know, the other half are recommendations from folks on this site, that I have collected and started to research them. I plan to speak to AT LEAST half of my list contractors, or more, I hope that is not crazy! I plan to spend the next several months getting estimations, etc.
These are my preliminary questions:
1. Would my renovation goals require an alt 1 filing? Will I be required to change from a legal 3-family to a legal 2-family? What if 30 years from now, my want to convert top floor back to have a kit and LR (back to the 1-1/2 BR, LR, Kit and Bath), so that there will be income produced by a 3rd unit? I have no intention of busting out any of the load bearing walls, as I know that is expensive (for example, if I cannot expand the bath on the top floor because it would require the removal of a load bearing wall, I will not expand, but instead just renovate as is, and I would build the kitchen into a bathroom within the space so as not to remove a wall if it’s load bearing – I hope this makes sense!).
(I believe I would have to have an alt 2 filing because I am adding a bathroom, and I correct?)
2. Has there been an instance where both an alt 1 and an alt 2 have been filed on a building? Is that a smart thing to do? Will this hurt me in taxes in the future?
3. Is there any tax benefit (or danger) to going from a legal 3-Family to a legal 2-Family (if I have to)?
4. Am I thinking about my wants in a reasonable order?
5. What should I be asking contractors preliminary (outside of licensing, insurance, time frame, costs, estimates, team, sub contractors, etc.)?
I’d love to hear everyone’s advice!
cate | 5 years and 2 months ago
Congratulations and good luck! If you add a bathroom where none was before, you will need to file an Alt-2. Otherwise, assuming you don’t take down any walls and depending on the particulars, you may be able to carry out this renovation legally without filing an Alt-1 or Alt-2. You do not need to and should not change the C of O from a three-family to a two-family. It’s perfectly fine to configure/use the house as a two-family if you have a three-family C of O (but not the other way around). My advice would be to leave as much as possible as is — to leave the walls in place as much as possible — and to reconfigure according to your needs within the existing floor plan. Re adding pocket doors — you don’t need to take down the load-bearing wall to add pocket doors, although you will need to open up the wall there to do so. I hope you can keep the original floors too because in my experience they are really key to the look of the home (and good quality replacements can be pricey). Ours are by any measure dilapidated and a contractor would say to remove ours, but they are the prettiest thing in our home — usually this a question of personal preference, not a “must do.” IMHO if you are wise about how you go about this renovation, and lucky, it’s quite possible the total cost could stay under $300K. If you are going to replace all the plumbing and electrical, IMHO you will need to vacate the house while this work takes place (give it about three weeks or so). You will also need to not be in the house while they finish plastering (closing up the holes) and refinishing the floors (if that is needed). Of course it’s easiest to let them paint too if you have already vacated. While all this work is being done, it’s important to cover everything to protect it (floors, stairs, appliances if they are there, mantels, woodwork, screens, etc.) Good luck!
hkapstein | 5 years and 2 months ago
The 3-family is more restrictive than the 2-family, so it’s less of a problem than the reverse, but certain not what is required by regulations. Back when these rules kind of made sense, you could change the cofo to the real use, but no longer. Any co change will require costly sprinklers and relentless inspections and cost of fortune, and probably require the demolition of historical features. So a co change should be avoided at all costs. You will not easily be able to change it back to 3 family, as the requirements are much more stringent now than they were between 1930 and the 1970s when these conversions were happening. I agree with Cate that you are probably much better off with the 3 family co than a new co even if you are using it as a 2family.
mozeeatupu | 5 years and 2 months ago
Talk to some architects along with the contractors,
cate | 5 years and 2 months ago
Also if you can keep your renovation within the existing footprint and not require any permits for the work you will be doing, you won’t trigger a giant tax increase all at once. Agree with the above comment it’s a good idea to talk to some architects as well. It doesn’t obligate you to use one, but if you’re spending more than, say, $80,000 it’s a good idea.
BKALLDAY | 5 years and 2 months ago
Learn or freshen up those Excel skills and keep a spreadsheet of EVERYTHING you pay out along with copies of cancelled checks. Don’t go with anyone who tells you 1/2 up front. Whatever you have budgeted up it by 30-40% more and add another 6-9 months to the completion date if you are going to be your own CM. Put all of your valuables away. Don’t be an animal to the workers. Give them a shelf in your fridge for their lunches. Have a big vat of coffee for them and every once in awhile if the weather permits throw a BBQ for them. Hot dogs, burgers, soda, water or order pizza and give them a port-o-potty for their use or a dedicated bathroom in the house. Learn their names and you may want to rethink the Beams (as 3) over wiring and plumbing. It would suck to put in your beams and then your plumber or electrician needs to tunnel through the new stuff to run their stuff. Good luck and throw up some photos.