â–ºWhat is your budget?
â–ºCan you accomplish what you want within that budget?
â–ºDo you need a survey?
â–ºDo you need to hire an engineer?
â–ºWill you need to obtain a building permit?
â–ºDo you need a site plan review requiring local board approval?
â–ºDo you require zoning board review or any variances?
When hiring a contractor, you should ensure that hired contractors have proper workers compensation and disability insurance, and a good worksite liability policy. From new roofs to tree service, from HVAC to electrical, there may be inspection, insulation, license, and registration requirements that must be considered.
Getting work done to your home, or to an investment property, can be one of the most personal, time consuming and complicated things you can do. From finding the right contractor that you can trust, to picking materials that will work together, to avoiding any legal consequences from accidental injury to body or person, will require attention to detail and legal knowledge of the pitfalls involved. Every project, from a simple kitchen or bathroom remodel to the more complicated structural revisions or additions, require a multi-step approach. Here are some important questions:
The first step in the process is to draw the existing plan. If you are interested in a larger remodeling job, take the time, and measure out each room, area, or exterior of the premises where you desire work with a handwritten drawing. These drawing can be converted into accurate before and after renditions that will help you see the bigger picture more clearly.
Once the existing plans have been drawn, Athari & Associates, LLC can help design your dream living area. Mr. Athari will do a site visit and discuss with you the need for additions, ceiling heights, windows, required egress, and fire safety and structural requirements. This is the stage where you can design just about anything you can dream of, and the biggest consideration is your budget. This service can be provided by Athari & Associates, LLC for between $750 and $2500 depending on square footage and complexity.
Once you have signed off on the desired final CAD plan, and considered you budget, we need to make sure that funding sources are secured. Generally, for the quality of work that you expect, the best way to provide a ballpark estimate is to take the square footage that you wish to remodel and multiply that by $150-250 per square foot, depending on the level of material expense. So, if the approximate square footage on a kitchen remodel is 500 square feet, you should expect a cost of around $50,000- $75,000, assuming you do not require hazard remediation for lead or asbestos.
The next step in the process is to make sure there are no existing health hazards in the building or on the premises before any existing walls and structures are demolished. There are several laws in New York State when disturbing these hazardous areas and there can be harsh penalties for not following these laws. Two main potential hazards are asbestos and lead and you may require an inspection to determine their existence. Hazard remediation can add an additional $50-$100 per square foot to the cost of a remodel.
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​Once you have the desired plan, if the project is over twenty thousand dollars in cost, plans must be submitted to a New York State Certified Engineer for review. The engineer will then develop a set of “stamped” plans. There will then be inspections at different stages of construction: Footing/Foundation, Sewer/Septic, Framing, Truss/Rafter, plumbing, heating, insulation, and electrical.
There are also requirements for the mechanics of your home. There are strict interior standards for insulation, HVAC, electrical, windows, and plumbing that must be met in New York State. Walls and Ceilings must be properly loaded, appropriately insulated, electrical work must be inspected by a New York State certified inspector, and plumbing must be tested, adequately vented and gravity tested.
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Finish work requires skilled carpenters with sufficient expertise and skill to achieve the homeowner or investor’s desired level of detail. Kitchens must be planned correctly and ordered in advance of required deadlines. Flooring, lighting backsplash, and appliance locations are important for the desired look and to have a comfortable living space. Islands, peninsulas, LED lighting, an exhaust fan, molding, upper cabinet length, and stone countertops and backsplashes are important additions that must be properly planned for in advance.
Finish work in the bathrooms must be functional and serve the intended purpose, leaving enough space to comfortably bathe or shower, have adequate space for storage, and plan for a washer and dryer if needed. There needs to be adequate ventilation in the bathrooms, a window if feasible, an exhaust fan, proper heating, and a higher standard moisture resistant drywall used. Some additional options include heat and exhaust fans, backsplashes, LED lighting inside shower, and Waterfall shower. There are additional costs for tile shower walls and to install glass shower/bath doors.
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When it comes to bedrooms, New York State requires a closet, adequate heat/ac ducting, and there should be a means of egress of at least 20x24, and a smoke detector. Some additional options would be to work in a walk-in closet, place a bathroom in a master bedroom, and add additional accessories like a gas or electric fireplace. There are additional costs associated with additional LED can lighting, flooring, and wall coverings. Special effects like ceiling swirls can also be added.
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A home office is also another option. There are many configurations including built-in modular furniture or stand alone. Options can vary depending on size and scope of such rooms and the seating or accessories in such rooms such as larger printers, copiers or multiple screens. One consideration is addition of Cat-6 and cable lines throughout the office space.
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There are also several options for outside work. From new roofing such as metal or shingles, to new siding, and the addition of porches. There are requirements for footings, porch construction, and covered porches. There can be garage additions, large decks, pool repair, and installation in remodeling that will require further compliance with New York State regulations.
Whatever your requirements, there are many different options available. The most important considerations are whether you can get the additional remodeling costs back in the value of sale of the property. For example, if you spend $50,000 on renovating the interior of the building, can you then turn around and sell your property for an additional $50,000. In some cases, you may be better off with new construction instead of buying an older drafty house with low ceilings. Please see our Broker page. Athari & Associates, LLC can represent you in finding the perfect new or used home for purchase and to make sure you can get whatever work you require done.