Before you even consider renovating your NYC apartment from top to bottom, you’re going to need to examine your budget in minute detail, and establish a clear timeline.
While nothing compares to the more accurate estimates given to you by your general contractor, it’s always wise to conduct your own research into costings before embarking on a gut renovation, and once you’ve done that, you can begin to think in more detail about the timeline.
Here are some general considerations to make while planning your renovation timeline:
- Paperwork requirements for building from the relevant authorities (plus waiting for their response)
- Permits for plumbing and electrical work etc.
- If you live in a Condo or Co-op, gaining management approval
- For buildings constructed before 1978 – asbestos testing
- Selecting products (appliances, fixtures etc.) and delivery or availability waiting times
Consider also that you’ll need to prepare your home for the renovation, too, and this will mainly involve moving your belongings out until the work is over.
To give you an approximate idea of how long a typical gut renovation in NYC looks like, here is a timeline:
3 to 4 weeks for shopping, pricing everything up and placing orders to happen. Ideally, your general contractor will prepare the necessary building paperwork and submit during this period. It may take the management company up to a month to approve the renovation. During this first 4 weeks, products should start arriving onsite ready to be inspected. Once they do and they’re all intact and as expected, the renovation can begin.
Do note that some products may take a lot longer to arrive than others, and for a gut renovation, you could be waiting for a couple of months for everything to arrive.
6 weeks for your bathroom to be renovated.
8 weeks for the kitchen to be renovated. If both are being renovated at the same time, work might be completed in less than 12 weeks, depending on the size of the contracting team.
For a gut renovation, you could be looking at a timeframe of 4 months for the preparation phase, depending on the speed of permit approvals and waiting times for products etc., and a further 4 to 6 months for the renovation work to be completed. Of course, should problems arise mid-renovation, that figure could stretch, or with a good wind behind them and a lot of motivation, it could be finished much quicker!
With the help of an experienced general contractor, you could get a much more accurate timeline of your NYC gut renovation, and it pays to start communicating with them as early as possible, especially if you want the project started and finished as quickly as possible.