Combining Two NYC Apartments Into One

If your next-door neighbors are moving out, this can be an opportunity to double your living space without looking for a new, larger apartment. In today’s post, local apartment remodeling contractor Knockout Renovation shares this you need to know about combining two apartments into one.

Alteration Agreements

The first thing you need to do is review your building’s alteration agreement. This document outlines the things that you can change—and more importantly, what you can’t change—in your apartment. You will also need to work with an architect or a design-build remodeler and file the job with the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).

Since you will be occupying a second unit, it should follow that you’d need an updated Certificate of Occupancy (COC) from the DOB, as well as file it as an Alteration Type 1 (Alt 1). However, this is not always the case: a COC applies to the whole building, not just for a single apartment. This means you’ll want to keep the COC as it is and file the renovation as an Alt 2.

Rules for Combining Two Apartments

There are a few rules to keep in mind if you are looking into combining two apartments:

Vertically adjacent apartments must connect on only two floors — While not as common, it is possible to combine two vertically adjacent apartments. However, the maximum number of apartments that can be combined vertically is two. Your architect or design-build remodeler will help plan it so it won’t compromise the structural integrity of your apartment. 

You can’t change the means of egress — Egress are windows or other openings that are intended as emergency exits and are required by building codes to be of a certain size. These must not be changed nor blocked, no matter what your remodeling plans are.

You must end up with only one kitchen — You can choose to expand your kitchen, but there must ultimately be just one for the combined apartment.

Knockout Renovation is your leading provider of apartment renovation services. Give us a call at (212) 599-5060. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Brooklyn, New York, and the surrounding communities in NYC.