From NY1:
Those who think it's easy and legal to put up a wall in an apartment to create another room are urged by the city building commissioner to think again. NY1's Real Estate reporter Jill Urban filed the following report.
All the time, listings describe a unit as a “convertible” three-bedroom or a “Junior 4.” These terms imply that one can add a bedroom by simply putting up a wall. But most people do not know there is nothing simple about it.
"When the broker says, 'No big deal, just put up a wall and you’ll have a three-bedroom,' it sounds really great. But when you get into that position sometimes, it's not all what it’s cracked up to be," says Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri.
What the broker may not be sharing is that those temporary pressurized walls are illegal. Putting up a permanent wall requires a permit.
"What you want to make sure is that it is built according to codes. Codes are there to protect you, the people around you and the first responders. And when people don’t do the right thing, innocent people can get hurt," says LiMandri.
Getting a permit is a multi-step process. LiMandri says first a licensed architect or engineer needs to be hired to draw up the plans and file them with the city to get the permit. That can be time-consuming and pricey.
6 comments:
Thanks. Whatever. A bit naive, no? Do you really think people who intend to put up walls to generate income plan on getting permits from the city? I bet no.
how about we start charging brokers who say this kind of crap with fraud charges?
We let people with little more than a GED sell property that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and there is no form of control.
People who sell hot dogs are given more oversight and regulations than an agent gets.
I call Bullshit. Just another way for government to control and make money.
"What you want to make sure is that it is built according to codes. Codes are there to protect you, the people around you and the first responders. And when people don’t do the right thing, innocent people can get hurt," says LiMandri."
N.Y.C. needs a annual House inspection run by the FDNY and we can then put to rest the baloney DOB and their useless inspectors. All the DOB dose here in North Flushing is leave LS4 forms on the many illegal converted homes. They never if rarely get in to inspect the violators house and it never gets resolved. :-(
Why doesn't the DOB streamline their regulatory protocols when it comes to applying for a permit?
The requirements for one are RIDICULOUS!! I have to get one in order to demolish my small garage and all the preconditions to a permit are costing me a fortune ($1,500 and counting before the demo job has even started- Oh, the humanity..) - I have to hire an asbestos inspector, plumber,an electrician, and rodent exterminator for which they are price gouging me for things as simple as certification letter w/o any substantive work being performed by these guys.
If you don't make it more reasonable for the homeowner to renovate, they are going to continue to hire contractors to do work w/o permit.
To the people who think it's BS- illegal walls have been responsible for many deaths in fires both to residents and firemen. Plus when landlords try to max out the property the area gets more people that infrastructure may not well accommodate- If everyone just kept adding apartments and walls, a 1 family home with 4 residents can become a 2 or 3 family with three times as many people. Times that by each building and do the math.
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