Mitchell-Lama apartment renovation (insurance, coop, house)

[sputnikk]

i recently closed on a mitchell-lama coop in lower manhattan. ive only been on the waiting list for 8 YEARS!! the apartment is overall a nice space (1 br, nice views, quiet location.) the complex was finished in 1964 and everything inside is still from that time and is in need of some updating- kitchen, floors, especially bathroom. i would obviously make it 100x better than it is now, after all i plan on living there for a long time. ideally, i wanted new kitchen cabinets, parquet floors, new bathroom tiles and reglaze the bathtub, sink and toilet, since i cant replace thoes (all professionally done). bathroom has yellow tiles and a greyish-purple tub, sink, toilet... its a fright. anybody out there know the rules\laws of making these improvements?

[Viralmd]

Look in the house rules and by-laws to which you agreed. You will normally have to show the board of the building what you intend to do, who is going to do it (i.e. licensed and insured contractor, etc) and how long it's going to take. You're also going to have to ensure that your contractor provides all of his/her insurance information.

Most buildings require all work to be done by a licensed contractor and most certainly all plumbing and electrical work needs to be done by a licensed plumber and electrician, respectively.

Kitchens and bathrooms are, by far, the most costly rooms to renovate, but also give the highest return on the dollar invested.

[hazeleyes86]

I think you have to talk to the board too, I also live in a Mitchell-lama co-op, and my building was also built in 64. I know of people who have done over their tiles in their bathrooms. We have yellow tile in ours. We haven't gotten around to changing it yet. However we are going to redue the kitchen this summer, since most of the cabinents are rotting.