Cost to hire an Architect
How much it cost to hire an Architect
An Architect is a center piece in home renovation or construction. But the real question one should ask , “Does an Architect is required for the job”. I have found a very informative article at the website which explains what kind of jobs require a permit from the city agencies and what type or category of work does not require any permit. Technically speaking a home renovation only requires an Architect if the work type required a construction permit from the city agencies. Now the million-dollar question is what kind of work qualifies a construction permit. Even though the majority of city agencies follow the same guidelines in terms of if the construction permit is required or not but under certain cases it varies from city to city. So if the homeowner is not sure then he/she should make a phone call to the building department and inquire about it. Aten minute phone call can save the cost of hiring an Architect which can go somewhere from $2500.00 to $4000.00 depending upon where the project is located.
The basic steps which I found from the following site give some brief detail about the permit requirement if your property is located in New York City. Check the website which gives a brief overview of permit requirements in the NYC area.https://www.nycvio.com/buildings-work-permits/
Work Exempt from permit from Building department in Single and Two-family dwellings.
1- Sheds. Temporary portable sheds freestanding and erected on the same zoning lot as and accessory one-or-two family dwelling, provided that all of the following requirements are met:
a)- The shed shall not exceed 120 square feet in area and shall not be more than 7 ft. 6inch in height and it shall not obstruct any required window
b)-The shed shall not be located within 3 feet of any lot line
c)-The shed shall be used for storage of normal household goods, tools, or similar items
d)- There shall not be more than one such shed on any tax lot.
2- Fences. Fences 6 feet or less in height, as measured from the higher of the two adjoining grades, in connection with one – or two-family dwellings.
3- Small Swimming Pools. Outdoor in-ground or above-ground pools accessory to one- or two-family dwellings limited to 400 square feet in area, provided that the distance from the edge of an in-ground pool to any building or lot lines is greater than the depth of the deepest portion of the pool and there is an existing slop sink for the indirect waste or a plumbing permit is obtained for the installation of such sink then no permit is required for a such swimming pool.
4-Playground equipment. Playground equipment installed as an accessory to a one or two-family dwelling does not require any permit.
5-Packaged air-conditioning unit in existing buildings. Packaged air-conditioning unit not exceeding 5 tons rated capacity, installed in an existing building including installation in existing windows or in existing sleeves under windows, and that is not part of an alteration that otherwise requires a permit, does not require any building permit.
Work that may be exempt from permit in all the buildings
Exterior structure.
1- Retaining Walls: Retaining walls less than 4 feet in height measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall and the wall does not support a surcharge and does not require a construction permit.
2-Nursery or Agricultural shade cloth structure: Shade clothes structures are solely constructed for nursery or agricultural purposes and are not used to store mechanical equipment, plumbing fixtures, and or automobiles does not require any construction permit.
Service Equipment
1-Air Conditioning and Ventilating System: Air conditioning and ventilating system installed on a voluntary basis and serving only one floor of a building and meets the following criteria does not require a permit.
a)- Does not use lot line opening for the intake and exhaust of air and mounting of the unit.
b)- It is not installed in a public hallway, passageway, or stairway
c)-Does not reduce the ventilation of the space or room in any way as required by the building code.
d)- Does not penetrate any fire division such as floor, wall, or roof.
2- Packaged Air Conditioning Units not exceeding 3 tons capacity does not require a building permit.
3-Fuel burning and fuel oil storage: Portable fuel-burning equipment that does not require any chimney does not require a building permit.
4-Refrigerating system: Refrigerating systems that use water or air as a refrigerant, 25 tons or less in capacity, or using A1 type refrigerant do not require permits.
5- Temporary Boiler: Temporary boilers whether placed on private property or on street require a construction permit.
ROOFS
1-Roof repair and re-roofing above deck/sheathing: Roof repair or replacement is limited to the membrane, roof covering, and any insulation above the roof deck provided that additional insulation is not required per the NYC Energy conservation code, and does not require permits. But if roof repair requires the replacement of the roof deck then it requires the building permit.
2- Green Roofs not more than 4 inches in depth: If a building is greater than 100 feet in height and is of noncombustible construction and the green roof system is not more than 4 inches in depth measured from the upper surface of the roof covering to the top of the growth medium then such roof system does not require permits.
EXTERIOR FACADE RESTORATION – DOORS AND WINDOWS
1- Replacement of existing windows and balcony doors if meet the following conditions then they do not require permits.
a)- Such windows are not located on a lot line
b)- Replacement does not require modification of existing masonry opening
c)- Replacement windows do not affect the ventilation and natural lighting requirements as required by code.
d)- There is no change in the operable area of the window.
2- Repair and replacement of window or door sill do not require permits.
3- Replacement of the required fire-rated window does require the permit.
Are You a New Homeowner? Here’s What You Need To Know To Get Your Home Move-In Ready!
We took a deep dive with Zillow into the projects new homeowners can expect to tackle and how much it can cost
With millennial first-time buyers taking advantage of record low mortgage rates and jumping into homeownership, many are likely unaware of the projects they may have to undertake to get their new home move-in ready. Our new research and survey data in partnership with Zillow found a typical for-sale home could need nearly $30,000 of work, which may come as a shock to the large majority (65 percent) of active home shoppers who are not seeking a fixer-upper.
To help first-time buyers feel prepared for the home-buying journey, we partnered with Zillow to compile a list of the most common projects its teams tackle after purchasing homes through Zillow Offers, a service that allows sellers to skip prep, open houses and showings by selling directly to the company. Then, using that list of common repairs, we calculated the national average costs to complete each project.
In addition to digging through our breadth of data, we also asked homebuyers to share the projects they were most excited about and least excited to tackle, along with their expectations on cost and for those projects.
How Much It Could Cost You
According to the new survey of 1,000 homebuyers, the average millennial expects to pay between $10,000 and $15,000 to make a home move-in ready, when in reality, the data shows new homeowners should actually expect to spend about $26,900 on these projects. Evaluating, repairing or replacing HVAC systems is the most expensive move-in project, costing $3,615 on average nationwide.
A More Diverse Homebuying Market
We discovered that millennials who self-identified as non-white* (30%) and Black (32%) are more likely than their white (19%) counterparts to be actively looking to buy their first home. In addition, diverse homebuyers are less likely to live in their first home, seeing the property as an investment opportunity. Of those actively looking to purchase a home, non-white and Black millennials were almost twice as likely to say their first home would be a vacation home or investment property compared to white respondents (25%, 26% and 13% respectively).
The Most Exciting Projects
Homebuyers say they’re most excited about improvement projects that allow them to express their personal style and make a home feel like their own. Millennial homebuyers are most excited to tackle interior painting ($385/room), followed closely by wallpaper installation ($530/room) and kitchen updates like remodels and renovations ($7,445).
The Least Exciting Projects
Homebuyers are least excited about making roofing repairs, which cost an average of $800 to evaluate and complete. This is followed by general plumbing repairs ($335), painting the entire home exterior ($2,415), and repairing damaged floors ($315-$1,245, depending on the type of floor). These projects tend to be more time-consuming or require a deeper level of expertise to complete, which can make homeowners feel out of their comfort zone.
This post was originally posted on the Thumbtack blog.
How To Reduce Your HVAC Energy Costs: 7 Tips From A HVAC Guru
HVAC costs are one of the most expensive maintenance expenditures for a business, so it’s common to try to find ways to cut costs while keeping staff and customers comfortable.
Here are 7 tips from a national HVAC company to reduce your HVAC energy costs.
#1 Adjust The Thermostat
This may seem obvious, but adjusting the temperature is one of the easiest ways to save on energy costs. Adjusting the thermostat just 1 degree (higher in the summer, and lower in the winter) can save you 3% annually on energy costs. Additionally, the Department of Energy & Environment recommends programmable thermostats that automatically adjust the temperature when your business is closed. You can save up to 10% on energy costs per year by adjusting the thermostat 7-10 degrees for 8 hours per day.
#2 Upgrade Your pieces of equipment
The reality is that older HVAC equipment is less efficient and requires more energy to operate. Today’s energy-efficient commercial HVAC systems can reduce your energy costs. Newer ENERGY STAR-rated commercial HVAC equipment is 6% more efficient than standard equipment and can save you $2,000 or more on energy costs over the lifetime of the product.
#3 Control the Sunlight
Upgrading to energy-efficient windows is the best way to control sunlight coming into your building, but if that isn’t in the budget, manual or automatic commercial shades or blinds can help lessen the load on your HVAC system. Create a schedule that changes with the seasons to control the amount of sunlight coming into your building to reduce energy costs.
#4 Schedule your Maintenance Regularly
A well-maintained HVAC system is a more efficient system! From basic maintenance like changing the air filters to cleaning your ductwork, and having seasonal maintenance completed by a national HVAC company, when your HVAC is in tip-top shape it rewards you with lower energy costs.
On that same note, when you practice proactive maintenance versus reactive maintenance, your technician can find and repair minor issues before they become costly repairs, or worse, lead to system failure and replacement. So while it may seem counterintuitive, sometimes you have to spend money to save money!
#5 Inspect the Ductwork
Leaking ductwork is the equivalent of opening a window and throwing money out. All that lost air that doesn’t make it into your building means your HVAC has to work overtime to reach the desired temperature. Has your ductwork been inspected as part of your seasonal maintenance appointment with a national HVAC company? Leaks, gaps, holes, and loose-fitting connections are easy to fix and will start saving you money on energy costs immediately.
#6 Weatherize your Buildings
You can have the most efficient HVAC possible, but if you have drafty doors and windows, single pane glass, or a dated roof, you’re losing money every day. While it can be expensive to fully weatherize large and aging buildings, working these upgrades into your capital budget in the coming years can help your HVAC work less.
Some weatherization strategies include:
- Upgrading to energy-efficient windows and doors
- Sealing leaks
- Installing new insulation
- Installing a moisture control barrier
- Upgrading roof to thermoplastic polyolefin or similar to improve energy efficiency
- Installing smart thermostats
#7 Get Innovate
Like our new IoT HVAC sensors that allow you to reap the financial benefits of practicing reactive maintenance without the worry that something will go horribly wrong, today’s innovative technologies are changing the way many businesses operate their HVAC systems.
Some innovative ways to reduce energy consumption include:
- Reduce “demand charges” on your energy bill by creating a strategic schedule for running your HVAC that avoids peak times.
- Install a demand control ventilation system that monitors CO2 levels and reduces the intake of outside air when the building is not at max capacity.
- Consider new technology, like thermal energy storage (TES), which cools your building using ice!
- Use variable frequency drives (VFDs) to control the speed of your HVAC blower fans, compressors, and pumps to help it better meet demand and run more efficiently.
Whether you need to schedule regular HVAC maintenance, or you want to learn more about innovative energy-savings technologies, our network of vetted national HVAC companies standing by ready to serve. Forget the hassle of calling a bunch of companies and sitting through consultations and quotes. We do the heavy lifting for you.
This article was originally published at Trillium facility solution.