Typical Timelines in Full Apartment Renovations

First comes costs, then comes the timeline. For apartment renovations in NYC, it’s important to have a firm grip on timelines, but it’s that much more crucial if you’re planning to buy an apartment with the intention to renovate. Keep in mind, you may need to adjust living arrangements as you transition spaces. Generally speaking, renovation timelines have two phases: planning and construction.

Planning 

A main chunk of the planning phase consists of the design process:

• The layout
• Floor plans
• Renderings
• Material selection and procurement
  

The planning phase also includes all the bureaucratic elements of renovation:

• Building management submission and approvals
• Co-op and condo board approvals
• Department of Building (DOB) permits for plumbing and electrical
• Depending on the project, architectural plan submission and permits
  

In a standard renovation that doesn’t require building additional rooms or vastly restructuring the apartment, the planning process takes around 60-90 days.

A common factor that can extend the planning phase a renovation timeline is whether or not the project takes place in a landmarked building that requires architectural plans with additional layers. In this case, the plans have to be submitted to the building's reviewing architect, who will usually have questions and/or objections. Once those get resolved, the building board has to vote for approval. At this point the project is finally ready to be reviewed by the Department of Buildings. But since it's a landmarked building, the LPC needs to review it too. In this type of project, the planning process can be as long as 120+ days. 

Construction 

Naturally, the construction phase also depends on the scope of the project. But a typical room-by-room renovation timeline in an apartment will look like this: 

• Bathroom: 3-4 weeks
• Kitchen: 4-6 weeks
• Full apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, flooring, painting, closets, etc.: 3-4 months
• Large (1800 sq. ft.) apartment with potential relocations and new rooms: 4-6 months 
• Brand new flooring in an average apartment: 2 weeks 
  

In a full gut renovation, all the work is done concurrently, but there will always be overlap. For example, if your renovation includes two bathrooms and a kitchen, those spaces won’t all be finished in six weeks. With all the moving parts to consider, the renovation timeline will be closer to eight weeks. But generally speaking, all work is conducted at the same time. 

If the apartment is not a full gut renovation and you intend to stay in the home while it’s being renovated, that throws another wrinkle into the mix. Consider: if the apartment has one bathroom and that bathroom is being renovated, you’ll effectively be out of a bathroom for a few weeks. 

Some common construction factors that can affect the length of your renovation timeline include the following: 

• Running new circuitry like recessed lighting throughout the apartment
• Specifically in an apartment, this often requires dropping the ceiling since most apartment ceilings are concrete and cannot be drilled into, meaning the project will require framing, new sheetrock, and running of new electrical lines.
• Replacement of doors, door frames, and associated hardware
• Shelving and other built-ins
  

With all these moving parts, it’s clear that it’s important to work with a firm who are experts in navigating the entire process, but especially the planning phase in a renovation timeline. It becomes even more vital if you’re planning on a large renovation and won't be moving in until that renovation is done. The longer the timeline, the more money you’ll ultimately spend due to carrying costs, such as paying two mortgages. 

The best way to ensure your renovation timeline runs as smoothly as possible is to work with a firm like Gallery. Not only do we have many years of expertise in navigating these processes, but we also use technology to enhance communication throughout the entire renovation. Our software, JobTracker, grants you full digital access to your project, such as the ability to read daily logs describing notable events, track progress of to-dos, view digital documents, and much more. This helps us stick to our renovation timelines while giving you full transparency. 

Your timeline is only as solid as the contractors who are working to make it happen. If you need some advice on how to choose the right contractor, proceed to the next step.