Growing families and changing needs mean people are frequently on the lookout for bigger, more spacious apartments. Unfortunately, finding your dream house in New York is incredibly hard. For a lot of people, leaving their neighborhood and utilities they’ve spent their lives around is a tough decision.

One solution that many people opt for is combining two apartments into one. While it is certainly not a pocket-friendly option, combining apartments provides you with maximum comfort by not robbing you of the conveniences your neighborhood has to offer.

How Can You Combine Multiple Apartments Into One?

When your home starts to feel increasingly congested as your needs and children grow, it is rational to consider buying the next apartment and knock down the walls – saving yourself the trouble to pack all your belongings to move.

When combining homes, there are two options for potential buyers.

While buying the apartment next door (horizontal combination) is the first thought that comes in mind, many people also opt to buy the apartment right above them and build a duplex (vertical combination) apartment.

Why Combine Apartments Instead of Buying A Bigger Space?

There are several benefits of forging two apartments into one rather than just buying a bigger space.

Firstly, resources spent on searching for a bigger space can be efficiently invested in combining two apartments – and we are not adding important factors such as neighborhood, access to facilities, etc.

Additionally, combining multiple apartments gives you the liberty to design and decorate your dream apartment as you like. Buying another space doesn’t warrant any structural changes, wall knockdowns or even adding a staircase as you can in your duplex.

With a combined apartment, you are already demolishing the wall in between – and you might add more customization to the newly added space. A bigger kitchen, increased lounge space or luxury bathrooms; you get what you want without compromising on your children’s school, your commute time or your favorite pizza parlor.

There Is More Than Just Acquiring An Apartment

There is more to combining multiple apartments than just offering your neighbor a good value for their place. Some of the complications include:

Apartment Laws

Breaking down walls, changing the original apartment layout and rerouting a number of connections is tinkering with the existing structure – and building laws in New York require you to obtain prior permissions before proceeding.

Some buildings may outright prohibit you to combine multiple apartments due to potential damage to the building structure. Some only allow for horizontal combinations due to the fact that duplexes are more complex to build.

Building Regulations

Buyers must follow the condo, building association or co-operative’s alteration agreement if any. Some associations practice a ‘no wet over dry’ rule which means that all plumbing and construction should be done in accordance with other apartments. Generally, it includes that a wet room (kitchen, bath) can’t be made over a dry room (bedroom, lounge) to avoid unnecessary leaks.

Time Duration

The time taken to complete the work largely depends on the nature of the work, as horizontal combinations are generally easier than vertical combinations. Typical combinations usually take upwards of 6 months and require expert surveillance to avoid mishaps.

Combining two apartments requires much more expertise than basic renovations. There is a whole lot to be done with respect to electrical work, plumbing, repainting the whole space and making sure the flooring looks perfect. You require a trusted construction company, like Brener Construction Inc., to build your dream residence.

If you want to discuss the possibility of combining two apartments into one for your apartment, call Brener Construction now for a free consultation.