Hal Major © 2009
BobVilaContractors.com
Renovating a Manhattan building can certainly be a rewarding adventure. We�ll take a look at some historical tidbits about Manhattan residential buildings and common materials that were used to build them in this article. We�ll talk about the easiest and the most difficult renovations to do and what you will need to get the job done.
History of Manhattan�s Pre-War Homes
First, what is meant by the phrase pre-war? Are we talking about WWI or WWII. Definitely WWII. However, it�s not uncommon for Victorian homes to be referred to as pre-war. They are certainly pre-WWII and WWI. Victorian homes were actually constructed between 1837 and 1901 and therefore, pre-date both World Wars.
The Pre-War home we are talking about was built after WWI and before WWII. These homes are often called Brownstones. However, Brownstones are actually made for brown sandstone quarried in New Jersey and Connecticut and shipped to Manhattan on barges. This was the building material of choice for the upper-middle class.
Many pre-war homes were brick and/or wood. The thing that nearly all of them have in common is the interior materials. The walls are constructed of wood studs and covered with wood lath and plaster. A few years after WWII in new construction, steel studs replaced wood and the lath was steel, as well. Steel lath looks very similar to chicken wire and provided better surface for the plaster to adhere.
What You�ll Need For Renovation
This article doesn�t cover buildings that are in a historical register. There are special requirements for those buildings.
You are going to need various permits depending on the different systems that you�ll be renovating. There are permits for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, landscaping and structural elements. You will be required to submit your renovation plan and blueprints to each department issuing a permit.
The smart choice is to spend as much time as needed in the planning stages and get an architect with who you�re comfortable. You definitely must get references and check them out. Renovation projects can quickly outgrow the skills of an architect or designer. Any delay in finishing the drawings, securing work permits, scheduling work or ordering materials can grow exponentially and create long delays in project completion.
Easiest Projects
The easiest projects are referred to as �finish� renovations. In other words, the projects that put the finishing touch to renovations. These include painting and wallpapering, replacing cabinetry, new carpet or wood flooring, replacing light fixtures, repairing or replacing moldings and trim. There is no work performed on utility systems or structural components.
Most Complex Projects
The most complex and difficult renovations involve updating the utility services and structural changes. The modern kitchen with all of the electric appliances will require upgrading your electrical entry service at the meter and the installation of a larger breaker control panel. All new circuits will need to be run from the new control panel to the kitchen and other rooms you want to upgrade.
Plumbing upgrades require the removal and replacement of all pipes and joints that contain lead. Lead was a primary plumbing material in pre-war homes. So you will be replacing quite a bit of piping.
HVAC requires both electrical and perhaps plumbing if your home is heated with hot water.
Structural changes such as removing a wall or enlarging a door can compromise the entire house.
It�s recommended that you use a reputable, experienced and licensed contractor for the complex projects. If structural changes are to be made you should hire an architect that has done work on several pre-war houses in Manhattan.
