Kitchen remodeling in New York City

Many prewar apartment kitchens are narrow galleys along one wall or two, where the window, the gas riser and the drain stack fix where everything goes. Opening a galley to the living room can mean moving a wall, and in an apartment building that usually means plans filed with DOB. When an apartment-building alteration goes beyond the work allowed without a permit or by a licensed trade alone, a Registered Design Professional must submit plans for DOB approval before a work permit can be issued.¹²

For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.¹³ HPD says that in a New York City building built before 1978, lead-safe work practices should be used for any repair or renovation that disturbs 2 square feet or more of paint in a room, 10 percent or more of a small component, or involves removing windows, whether or not children live there.¹⁴ The EPA notes that painted window sashes and frames in homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which opening and closing the window can release as dust, and that a kitchen remodel may be a good time to replace old windows.¹³

In older apartment buildings where a young child lives, the city's own lead law reaches further. Under Local Law 1 of 2004, all paint in a pre-1960 multiple-dwelling apartment where a child under 6 lives, and in the building's common areas, is presumed to be lead paint, and any repair or renovation there that disturbs it must follow the city's work practices and use trained workers.¹⁵

These are national model code rules, so ask the company how DOB applies the city's own codes. The 2021 International Residential Code says a kitchen range exhaust must discharge outdoors through its own airtight duct with a backdraft damper, never into an attic, crawl space or other indoor area; listed ductless hoods are the exception.¹⁶ In an apartment, where a duct can exit depends on the building, so ask about it before choosing a hood.

The EPA says a stove hood with a fan vented to the outdoors greatly reduces exposure to pollutants during cooking, and advises installing and using exhaust fans over gas stoves and ranges.¹⁷ The EPA suggests turning the range hood on whenever you cook, leaving it on for 10 to 20 minutes afterward, and cooking on the back burners when you can.¹⁸

The 2021 International Residential Code calls for at least two 20-ampere branch circuits for kitchen and dining-area receptacle outlets, and allows an outlet for a specific appliance to have its own circuit.¹⁹ The same code requires ground-fault (GFCI) protection on receptacles that serve kitchen countertop surfaces.²⁰ New York City requires an electrical permit for most electrical work in a home, the work must be done by electrical contractors licensed by DOB, and the filings are submitted in DOB NOW: Build.¹¹

More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.²¹ The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping frequently used pots, pans and utensils where they are easy to reach, and preparing food while seated to prevent fatigue or loss of balance.²² In a galley, pull-out shelves and drawers in place of deep base cabinets, and a microwave at counter height, bring things within reach without changing the footprint.

NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.²³ In a walk-up, the stairs matter as much as the kitchen, which is worth weighing before a large investment if you plan to stay for decades.

Calling the number on this page connects you, on a recorded line, to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the New York City area. Layout, timing and cost are yours to work out with that company.

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Check the company's DCWP license yourself before signing. DCWP's online Search Business tool shows whether a business or individual holds a DCWP license, without logging in, and can be searched by name or DCWP license number.²⁴ Check a New York license

Every New York home improvement contract, and every amendment, must be in writing and signed by all parties, and must give the contractor's name, address, phone number and license number if one applies, the approximate start and substantial completion dates, and a description of the work and materials, including make and model, with the agreed price.²⁵