Design-Build Renovation Contractors NYC
Design-build is a process that streamlines the design, regulatory, and construction processes, making it ideal for renovation projects in New York City. Due to its inherent efficiency and speed, design-build is particularly beneficial for renovations in a city with high mortgages and rents like New York City. Furthermore, having a single point of contact to oversee the process can simplify and make the otherwise disjointed processes of design, regulatory approvals, and construction more straightforward for busy New Yorkers.
Renovation Contractors Trusted Across New York City
Renovations in New York City are unique. Homeowners not only have to consider aesthetics and execution but also navigate through a multitude of approvals to successfully complete their projects. Planning effectively for regulatory processes is crucial to maintain concise project schedules and have successful design and construction projects in nyc.
Additionally, the age and architectural characteristics of buildings in NYC present their own set of challenges, which require the expertise of an experienced professional. By anticipating these challenges and incorporating them into the design, a more cohesive design can be achieved. Coordinating execution, buildability, and budget with the design will help prevent unexpected cost overruns and ensure a smooth project schedule from start to finish.
How Does Design-Build Renovation Work?
Design-Build, unlike its alternative, design-bid-build, is a holistic approach to design and construction projects. In both residential design-build firms and commercial design-build firms, designers and contractors collaborate throughout the entire project, from inception to completion, to ensure timely and budget-conscious delivery.
At Mammoth, both our design and general construction principals will accompany clients during project walkthroughs upon meeting. We will provide a preliminary construction budget and a design proposal to kickstart the project.
The construction budget is prepared in one of two ways:
Based on the scope: estimating the costs of client requests while considering existing conditions, typical building conditions for the building's typology and age.
Based on the client's budget: If the client has a specific budget, we prepare an estimate that adjusts the scope to meet their budget.
Design & Architectural Planning:
Typical design-build process includes: predesign, schematic design, design development, regulatory phase, and construction documents.
Predesign:
Project Scope: We establish the project scope with clients by reviewing their project goals and providing preliminary budgets that consider the scope and the existing conditions of the projects.
Existing Conditions: We use 3D scanning to capture the existing space and create a 3D model that includes all existing components to be retained in the project, such as furniture and decor, as well as electrical elements like outlets and switches, and HVAC systems.
Review the Alteration Package from Building Management: In the case of New York City apartments, both condos and coops, there are typically Alteration Agreements issued by a management company. These agreements outline the building rules and parameters for construction and alterations of existing units.
Design:
Typical design schedules follow the following process. In design-build, each phase is completed with a budget "check-in" to review design decisions from the previous phase and understand their impact on the budget. These scheduled budget reviews allow design-build firms (and their clients) to understand how various requests affect the overall project budget and make necessary revisions to stay on track.
The first design phase is Schematic Design, which establishes the broad parameters of the project. In this phase, two goals are set: overall design aesthetics and a basic layout that meets the client's design expectations. Schematic Design focuses on the big picture of the project, with the production of mood boards and visual references to better understand the client's design preferences. A single image is selected as the "design goal-post."
Regulatory Requirements: Board Approvals & Permits in NYC
Depending on the project type, building, and management companies involved, different approvals may be required for a renovation project. The scope and location of the project determine the necessary approvals before construction can begin. Working with a NYC design-build company allows for accounting the schedule of required approvals throughout the project duration.
Building Management Company Approval:
For most coops and condos, building management reviews are required. Depending on the project scope, the drawings and a project summary are sent to the building architect, who recommends to the board whether to approve the project or request modifications to meet building-wide standards.
Landmarks Preservation Commission:
Regardless of whether a Landmarked facade is involved, projects inside a Landmarked building must file an application with The Landmarked Preservation Commission. For interior-only projects, a fast-tracked application called "Certificate of No Effect" is typically filed and approved within 2-3 weeks. Projects that impact a facade require a full application with a longer turnaround time, depending on the scope of the application.
Plumbing and Electrical Permits:
For limited-scope projects, permits filed by licensed plumbers and electricians may suffice, and a full DOB (Department of Buildings) permit may not be necessary. DOB filing is triggered by various factors, such as the number of plumbing points impacted, extent of electrical work, and quantity of sheetrock removal.
DOB Permits:
In New York City, an asbestos report must be conducted by a licensed professional and sent to a lab for testing before submitting permits to the DOB. If asbestos is found, abatement is required before proceeding with the renovation.
There are two types of permits filed with DOB for renovation projects:
Alt-2 applications: This type covers most renovation work that does not impact the project's Certificate of Occupancy.
Alt-1 applications: This type is required if a new Certificate of Occupancy is needed for the project.
Material Procurement:
In design-build projects, the responsibility of tracking material lead-times lies with the design team. This coordination is seamlessly done with the construction team to ensure that materials are ordered in a timely manner and delivered to the site without causing any delays in the project. Design-build companies may also offer clients the option to warehouse furniture and materials, ensuring that they arrive at the site on time for construction, if necessary.
Construction & Construction Management
After the completion of the Construction Management Phase, a detailed project schedule is produced and a “break ground” date is established. In design-build companies, because construction managers are present during the design process, their understanding of design-intent is carried over into the construction phase. For this reason, construction project managers are able to make decisions on site and keep a project moving.
Weekly meetings are scheduled on site, with the client. The design team will attend these meetings to ensure a smooth transition from design to construction. During the course of construction, the Mammoth team issues weekly reports recapping work completed in the previous week along with outlining goals for the week ahead. Any modifications to the schedules — both positive and negative — are highlighted and a client is informed if there are any changes to the schedule that they may need to plan for.
Benefits of Design-Build for NYC Renovations
Design-build has several advantages. One, design-build is faster. Unlike traditional, siloed, design-bid-build, design-build streamlines the process by coordinating a myriad of design and construction professionals to achieve a wholistic vision of a renovation project.
Designers work with builders and subcontractors to simultaneously design the project while planning for it’s costs and feasibility. This wholistic approach eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming re-designs typical in design-bid-build projects and is often seen as beneficial for NYC projects.
What Projects is Design-Build Right For?
Design-build projects are ideal for home and commercial property owners undertaking a more extensive renovation. It tends to work best for owners who are themselves busy and do not wish to coordinate a myriad of professionals. Additionally, design-build is ideal for those for whom time is an important factor in their renovation.
The Benefits of Working with a Design-Build Firm
Full Service Renovation Under One Roof
Considering the many moving parts that go into a renovation, working with a single firm to coordinate all aspects of design and construction can lead to a more cohesive design aesthetic and more desirable outcome.
Better Communication from Design Through Construction
Design-build incentivizes all members of the design and construction teams to communicate coordinate, from day one. As design-build firms are solely responsible for the success of a project, working together in the best interest of all involved.
No Unpleasant Surprises When Starting Construction
Because design-time is an opportunity to explore and understand existing conditions prior to starting construction. Design-build firms in New York City will often take the opportunity to speak with building supers, conduct probes, create samples and walk the space with various subcontractors in conjunction with the design process. This due diligence ensures fewer surprises when the construction team arrives on site, and leads to a more a streamlined construction schedule.
Residential Design Build Renovations
For residential clients, working with design/build firms may be more efficient and less time consuming for busy clients. Residential design build firms are able to act as a single point of contact and coordination for the project as a whole.Additionally, the expediency of design-build is often seen as beneficial for clients not wanting to wait to move into a new home. A typical renovation with a design and build firm will last between 6-9 months, as compared with 9-12 for more traditional design-bid-build.
Our East Village 2-bed, 2-bath, gut renovation took 8 months to complete. And a full, gut-renovation of this Landmarked townhouse was completed in 12 months.
Commercial Design Build Renovations
Commercial projects also benefit from having a single point of contact and a coordinated approach. When taking on a new lease, most landlords in New York City extend a 4-6 month grace period during which to design and build out the space. The design-build approach is best suited for projects where immediate occupancy is desired.
Our projects for Anomaly and Andela, and other case-studies can be found on our Commercial Design Build Page.
NYC Design Build Renovation FAQs
What is a design and build contractor?
Design-build contractors are companies where designers, general contractors and subcontractors work as one team to bring a project to fruition.
Do you need an architect for a remodel in NYC?
An architect may or may not be required for a remodel in NYC. Whether an architect is required for a remodel is determined by project scope.
Is design-build legal in New York?
Design Build is legal in New York. In addition, as of 2020, the all state agencies in the State of New York may award construction bids to design-build companies. NYS was one of the last states to adopt this practice, and did so to maximize the benefit of dealing with a single contractor, on a design-build project and streamline public construction projects.
Design-Build Firm or Architect-Bid-Build?
Depending on project goals, either a design-build or design-bid-build may be the right choice for a project. Design-build offers clients a streamlined approach to design and construction projects. Budgets, feasibility, and aesthetics are worked on in unison throughout the entire process. This streamlined process tends to be faster and require fewer redesigns due to practical as well as aesthetic considerations from day one.
Is design-build right for my NYC apartment renovation?
Design-build is right for clients who would like to work with a single professional to work on the entirety of the project. It is a wholistic way of working that can alleviate a lot of stress for the homeowner. For this reason, gut renovations are an ideal project for design-build projects.However, smaller projects may be best achieved by a smaller contractor.
How do I find a local Design-Build Firm in New York?
Searching through search engines and directories is a good place to start when searching for local commercial and residential design-build firms. To make a decision on hiring, consider looking at reviews, portfolios, and asking for references.Additionally, speaking with the team about their process is a good way to learn about what to expect when learning about their expertise. An experienced and professional team should be able to walk you through what to expect in a manner that is clear, concise and provides clarity for the process.
Helpful NYC Renovation Articles
https://www.mammothnewyork.com/blog/considerations-for-your-residential-interior-design-project
https://www.mammothnewyork.com/blog/how-to-tell-your-story-through-design-office
Why Choose Mammoth as Your Design-Build Firm in NYC?
Mammoth is a woman-owned and built design-build company, specializing in renovating in NYC. We’ve leveraged our collective 25 years of local expertise to design a company that makes renovating beautiful, and simple. Our approach is thoughtful and focused on creating clarity and transparency for our clients. Design and construction work examples can be found on our portfolio page.
Featured Reviews for Mammoth: a NYC Design-Build Firm
You can find some featured reviews on our page. And on Google & Houzz.
