K- was the vote favorable?. Hoping yes.

I keep checking back. Still crossing my fingers for you.

This has been such a long, drawn out process. I almost regret not buying a single family home where all these approvals wouldn't be necessary. We have Board approval!! ... albeit no dropped ceiling but with cable lighting. And we also found a place to live, tentatively, since a neighbor is away all summer. Now we just need DOB approval (architect will handle) and solid dates from the contractor.

homepro01 We went to Lighting By Gregory

Congrats on the approval. Thanks for the Lighting store info Katrina! I went to the one on Bowery!

Hello, Katrina

Congrats on getting the approval! That's one major milestone reached. You definitely had alot of hoops to jump through. Soon, though you'll be knee-deep in demolition and reconstruction of your new space and all that red tape will be a distant memory. Here's to smooth sailing for the rest of your remodeling journey! :)

Here's hoping all the hoops you had to jump through mean your demo and reconstruction go quickly and easily.

Good luck with the DOB. I hate them with a passion. We are planning an extension and renovation of existing space. No final plans yet but we were to to expect the DOB to take 6 weeks for approval I hope yours comes through quickly!

I really hope you post back with updates and the finished project.

Our contractor is down from 12 weeks to 8 weeks after another site visit and going through the plans! WooHoo! Just waiting on the DOB approval which could take 2 - 6 weeks UGH! magpier

Making changes right before filing with the DOB. Adding heated floors in the 5x7 bathroom since hubby says it's "only" $750 more and possibly moving a door. If the walk-in ever becomes a second "bedroom" they get their own private sink area.

A thought... If second bedroom occupant is using the shower/toilet, anyone who wants to use the extra sink will need to go in their bedroom. Or more challenging... if mom and dad are getting ready for bed, they won't be able to do so simultaneously if kiddo is sleeping.

Your plan is solid. I don't think it needs tweaking.

benjesbride True, that does complicate things for double vanity use if it's locked in a second bedroom. I really want to pop upstairs to see how my neighbors use their space. They have a child who is about 12 by now. I don't know if they've ever renovated though. He may use the living room as a bedroom.

Now I just have to find a trough sink and vanity that fits the 58" space. Longer trough sinks are easy to find but most seem to be wall mounted with no vanity.

How about Duravit? The Ketho vanity line has a 551/8" cabinet. You can pick a variety to sinks to fit it. I am not sure if the Vero trough would fit with that one. You could also use two separate sinks.

Another option is to put together three cabinets from the LCube line until you get the 58". Two sink cabinets and a low cabinet for console for instance. It would make the three cabinets a little smaller than 58" and get about 3" of counter-space on the wall side of the vanity to give some elbow room. Saw L Cube at ICFF and I really liked it.

Two of these cabinets

One of this console

Sink of your choice and two faucets as planned and this will look nice. Not a trough per say but will be easy to fit into your space. I think with Duravit, you have to use their vanity tops but you could probably make something like this too from Ikea kitchen cabinets. Then you can have your Trough sink in any size.

Good luck!

homepro01 We had the same thought! I told the architect this morning to alter the plan from one drain at the new sink area to two so I can have two sink cabinets. The L cubes remind me of Robern vanity cabinets (hubby calls them overpriced file cabinets). The Board already approved adding the double sink so they won't care about 2 drains versus 1 so long as the building department approves.

Excellent news Katrina. That opens up your world. I also love the Robern cabinet but a word of caution - They don't have bottoms. I was very surprised to see this. The cabinet is open on the bottom. The Duravits are also very well priced.

homepro01 I didn't notice that about Robern, and we saw them in person locally. I guess I didn't think to check for a bottom.

Late to the party but have you seen these toilets? I think this one is a Caroma but I think Duravit make them as well.

fabbric Interesting but far too small for our needs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6qZMF9I70

I was thinking more of a fingertip sink, not a replacement for the vanity.

I had to make a design change today prior to filing. The foyer closet is larger than on the prior plan. I only caught it when measuring for the heated bathroom floor...which isn't yet approved but we're filing anyway. I also changed to double sinks instead of a trough and added pantry that was already on the kitchen mock up but showed as a counter on the prior plan.

Sink and DW and in the wrong location on the mock up.

Katrina - I just caught that you're planning to butt your range right up next to a deep pantry. I think this is a bad idea; no worktop to left of range, precious natural light blocked from window, deep pantries are not as efficient as shallow, fire hazard??

I'd recommend putting a shallow pantry on the short ref/linen wall. With the closet change, the front of a pair of 15" deep high cabinets might line up nicely with the front of the closet. Like so...

4 feet, 11.5 inches is really narrow for two people to comfortably brush teeth/ fix hair/ get ready. I personally don't think double sinks work well in vanities less than 6 feet long, I'd rather have storage space, counter space and elbow room.

Perhaps you and your husband could mock up this space and see how it might feel to get ready simultaneously in a little less than 5 feet.

I think 5feet is fine for a double sink. Most people don't get ready at the same time but the little hairs most men leave in the sink would drive me batty and the fact that they can't see toothpaste splatter. I prefer each person to have a sink and all is right in the world:-)

homepro - But there's a second sink in the bathroom proper. That's a lot of bathroom sinkage for a one bedroom apartment.

benjesbride

I've had a deep pantry by the window with no issues for years beyond things getting lost. We are going with pull out drawers this time for the pantry. The pantry will be where the refrigerator is currently located.

homepro01 It's a vast improvement over the 20" sink and mirror we share now. Two people getting ready in a 5 x 7 bathroom at the same requires acrobatics. Granted, that is not an everyday necessity since we leave at different times for work but when we are going to the same event I usually end up doing my makeup in the bedroom with my portable lighted vanity mirror while he's in the shower. I can't do my hair while he showers since the steam causes my hair to get frizzy.

Asbestos sampling was today. There are two small holes in the walls (collected concrete and plaster). I'm presuming no asbestos in the walls given renovations by neighbors who never mentioned it, but it's part of the process. Hopefully it will only take a few days for the results.

Are you planning a gas range right next to the IKEA high cab/ pantry? If yes, you might need to attach a non combustible panel to the side of the pantry. Sorry if you're already planning this, I'm "safety sue."

4 feet, 11.5 inches is really narrow for two people to comfortably brush teeth/ fix hair/ get ready. I personally don't think double sinks work well in vanities less than 6 feet long,

Well I just went and measured the double sinks in our vanity in our master bedroom in our apartment here in NY. It measures...wait for it...4' 11"! And it's fine. More than enough room for the two sinks and storage underneath. When did we get to the point in house building where everything has to be extra long?

And my condo I just sold was 60" wide with 2 sinks.

Basically you each have just shy by 1/4" of 30" of space.

I've had a deep pantry by the window with no issues for years beyond things getting lost. We are going with pull out drawers this time for the pantry. The pantry will be where the refrigerator is currently located.

The problem isn't the pantry by the window but that your stove is flush up against the pantry with no landing space on the left side. You want to have landing space on both sides of a stove and not have it flush up against a wooden wall, especially when you're cooking with gas.

Gosh, cp, I just said that was my preference for more counter and storage space. Three basins seemed like one too many to me, so I commented with my thoughts supporting one sink in the "hall."

Katrina has been so gracious in including us in her project for hundreds of comments. Sorry if Im too opinionated, Katrina!

benjesbride cpartist We haven't met with the kitchen planner yet but will ask about the high cabinet beside the stove being a fire hazard and any work around. There is a 4.5" wall beside the stove now, then the refrigerator, but that wall is coming down. Giving up the pantry isn't an option so we will need to make it work. I've never had landing space to the left of the stove so it won't be a big adjustment.

benjesbride All opinions are appreciated. This forum helped us create the best design for our space with all the various restrictions.

Finally!!! Just submitted DOB documents for signature by the Board President. It's a holiday weekend so I probably won't get the signed forms back until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week presuming he's not out of town. One step closing to the 2 - 6 week permit wait.

Demo starts tomorrow! Things moved fast since the 2 - 6 week DOB approval was done in 1 day. I did pick my architect based on a referral stating he could get the approval right away, but I didn't expect 1 day. The Board signed, the asbestos testing was completed and then we filed. We had to pack up and move out of our apartment sooner than planned. We should be done in 8 weeks.

Yayyyy!!!

Fantastic!

It's moving pretty fast. This is after 3 days of demo and trash removal.

We ran into two issues:

We didn't mark on the plans or consider where to move the intercom system on the hallway wall by the kitchen/bedroom. Right now it's located where our new double vanity will be located. My thought is to move the intercom to the wall of the linen closet by the foyer.

The walk-in closet won't be as wide as planned since the column is larger than expected.

Intercom needs to move

Load bearing wall in left corner of what will be the walk-in closet.

SQUEEEE!!!!

Thank you SO much for inviting us along on this crazy kitchen--er--whole-home renovation. I'm sincerely excited with you. It's gonna be great!

benjesbride Hah! Yes, it did morph from a simple cosmetic update to a gut renovation. "Scope creep" lol I should probably add this to the Remodeling forum. Without this forum, I would never have come up with this fantastic redesign.

I agree! I can't wait to see more.

Progress! Congrats!

We had some hiccups. This is week 2 of the project, demo was last Wednesday. However, this is only day 5 of work although it should be day 10 of work. I had deliveries scheduled and nobody was on site for several days. I had a palette delivered yesterday and the GC took about an hour to arrive to collect it from the sidewalk. We had a previously scheduled onsite meeting to go over questions so I presumed the crew would be there all day. Luckily, we live in a gated community and the property manager allowed me leave the palette in front of the building. He says we are still on schedule despite them not working for 5 of the 10 days. The crew is there today doing electrical work.

The architect is coming by in a few days to inspect.

The architect is on his way to do the walk thru for the final sign off. We moved back in months ago (October) but this is the NYC process.

Final kitchen - https://www.houzz.com/discussions/reveal-before-and-after-nyc-kitchen-basically-done-dsvw-vd~4212346

Final bathroom - https://www.houzz.com/discussions/reveal-nyc-bathroom-dsvw-vd~4212390

When ever I see this thread pop up, Katrina, it makes me so happy. Yours is probably my favorite GW "kitchen" project. Thank you for generously taking the time to share the details with us. I'm sure many many people have learned and will learn from your experience.

benjesbride Thank you! Without the changes to the kitchen design we wouldn't have done this amazing renovation. Only issue is adding 1 more smoke detector then all finished.

All done! Signed off and already received a letter of completion from the buildings department. It was nearly a year from the day we started demo.

So what now a year later are your thoughts on your kitchen and bath? Are you glad you redid the whole thing versus what you first thought?

cpartist I love it and am happy to be in the new space daily! We've had a few neighbors ask for tours. I'm thrilled that we did everything all at once instead of doing the projects one at a time.