Category: Recent News

Terrace Garden Design in NYC

In New York, there’s a lot you can do with your roof or terrace design from green roofs to full-scale commercial-use outdoor terrace lounges. For some roof and terrace renovations permits are required, and for others such as a some green roof options, permits may not be required. If what you are considering for your roof or terrace is on a more major level of construction, keep reading to find out what steps you need to take in obtaining proper building permits for your project.

First and foremost, any roof terrace garden with decking, a floating deck, and outdoor luxuries like outdoor kitchens, gas grills, spas and fireplaces all required formal design plans. Licensed engineers and architects will work with you create an up-to-code plan that can be submitted on your behalf by S & M Expediting services. Once we obtain plan approval from the DOB we can then obtain the necessary permits for you and your general contractor so construction can start right away.

What kind of permits do I need for a roof or terrace renovation?
Renovating your terrace or rooftop in New York is a lot like renovating any other part of your home. There is no blanket “roof” or “terrace” permit, but yet a general construction permit for any decking that is fully anchored to your roof or terrace. There is such a thing as a floating deck that is not anchored to your property and in some cases can be considered patio furniture and this type of deck may not require a permit. If a floating deck is something you are considering you should still have an engineer submit plans on your design before you begin any DIY installation. If the size of deck exceeds New York’s combustable materials limits you could be left dealing with an expensive violation removal in the future.

Adding a spa with a hot tub and outdoor shower is a popular option for some of New York’s more upscale properties. For this addition to your design, plumbing permits are required. A plumbing permit is also required for any kind of outdoor grill running from a building’s main gas line. This is a great option for roofs and terraces with outdoor kitchens. For other wood burning fireplace options permits are likely required as well.

Other things to keep in mind when planning a terrace or rooftop overhaul are the fire and safety codes if what you are remodeling has customary all-occupant access. Your insurance company will need to know about any construction for community areas especially in the case of a business–like a rooftop bar and lounge. They will adjust your policy and rates accordingly.

Before you go any further with your design plans, your first step will be to have a licensed engineer certify the roof as being capable of carrying the extra load of decking, stone pavers, seating, accessories and the people who will use the space. This is usually required for anything that’s added to a roof including AC units and other mechanical units.

For terrace design specifically
Any terrace enclosure made of waterproof and weather resistant materials such as glass or solid walls always requires a permit. For open-air terrace enclosures such as screens, a permit is required for construction above 40 feet.

And lastly, many green roofing options (a popular option that can help keep your building cooler in the summer and is tax exempt in some cases) do not require a permit if the green material used is no more than 4 inches thick.

Class 2 Filing License NYC

In 2012, New York’s Department of Buildings issued new licensing requirements for all NYC expeditors. Due to our breadth of experience, S & M Expediting qualified for a Class 2 Code and Zoning Representative Filing License. This simply means that we have more exposure to the maze of departments at the DOB.

More than half of all expediters have Class 1 Filing status which means they can only submit and remove applications on behalf of their clients. These expeditors can only perform the most basic permit expediting duties and as a result many run into hurdles, setbacks, and delays. Your construction project limbo for quite some time while an inexperienced expeditor navigates the system for you.

A Class 2 license, on the other hand, allows your filing representative to meet with plan examiners and technical staff during meetings to review documents. With a Class 2 license, we can address any questions and inquiries onsite right away on your behalf. The bureaucratic back-and-forth between the DOB and your expeditor can be greatly reduced. This can potentially cut weeks, if not months off your building permit’s approval.

Our Class 2 designation also guarantees that our company has met the DOB’s stringent ongoing training and education requirements. We have 15 years of experience, hundreds of jobs complete, plus 36 hours of professional training. All this equals faster approval times for your job. Call us today.  718-833-2333

All to often, construction projects and home remodeling jobs can hold up your life due to delays, missed deadlines and poor communication between project managers, property owners, sub-contractors and New York’s Department of Buildings.

If you are managing a project that involves permits, approvals, violations, write-offs or any of the other many requirements of the DOB, you may want to consider hiring a permit expediter to act as your owner representative to city agencies such as the ECB, Department of Transportation, the Landmarks Preservation Society, the Fire Department, the Housing Preservation and Development, and the Parks Department.

An S & M permit expediter can do much more for your project than just permits. We offer a basic consultation with you and your sub-contractors, architects, and engineers. Once your objectives are decided and project completion deadlines are set, we then act as your owner representative, not only at all New York city and state agencies, but also onsite at your project.

Based on your preferences, we’ll establish a “check-in” schedule where we meet with your construction team on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis to be sure all benchmarks are being met.

For instance, our representatives can save you time and money by making sure walls aren’t sealed until all interior plumbing plans or renovations have been inspected an approved. You’d be surprised how often costly mistakes like this happen due to miscommunication between contractors.

Using S & M Expediting as an owner representative can also help you avoid expensive violations down the line. Many times a job is left open with the DOB as many contractors fail to file the proper paper work to officially close a job. This can pop up as a violation when you try to sell your property.

Our owner representative consulting services are available to all property owners big and small and come with flexible payment options including an hourly rate, flat fee, or per visit charges. For more information call us today!

Basement Conversions in NYC

Converting your basement in New York takes a bit of planning. You cannot simply start renting out your space without making the legal changes required for all basement rental units.

First off, all livable basement spaces need proper emergency escape and rescue openings known as egress requirements. In New York, any habitable space and all sleeping rooms in basements must have a second means of egress with a minimum open area of 5.7 square feet and a minimum height of 24 inches and width of 20 inches. Second egress cannot be more than 44 inches from the floor. This means all windows will be big enough and easily accessible for someone to crawl out of.

If second egress does not exist in the basement you are trying to convert, you are looking at a construction job that will require planning and multiple permits. Other New York City requirements for basement rental spaces include having a toilet, tub and sink as well as it’s own entry and exit.

Your first step in converting your basement to a rental unit, or just to a usable space, is to draw up a plan with an architect and engineer. At S & M we help people with all aspects of drafting, planning and plan approval through the DOB. We can even recommend the right architect for the job.

Once your plan receives approval, your permit expediter can get started on obtaining the right permits for your basement construction project. Plumbing permits, egress permits, and general construction permits are all documents you will need for a basement conversion.

If you happen to own a basement with a rental unit already and you discover it is an illegal basement conversion and the DOB is charging you with a violation, S & M Expediting can also help you with violation removal and reduce your penalty with the DOB.

The Department of Buildings is waiving all application and permit fees relating to Hurricane Sandy construction—BUT all service professionals are still required to file applications and permits through the DOB like normal.

To help in the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, S & M Expediting is offering a 25% discount to those affected by Sandy and who can provide documented proof of their need.

Contractors, engineers, architects and plumbers registered with the DOB’s Hurricane Sandy Rapid Repairs program—launched this past week—are urged to contact us for more information regarding our Hurricane Sandy permit expediting discounts on permits such as plumbing Emergency Work Notice permits and other filings related to the storm.