A Harlem brownstone gets a major gut renovation. Here’s how much it cost

Harlem homeowners Jay and Maya loved their Harlem brownstone, which was originally organized as an owner’s duplex on the bottom with two separate units on top. 

During the pandemic, the couple began working from home more often and started to envision a renovation to create an owner’s triplex from the parlor level up, with a garden apartment rental.

Jay and Maya engaged Peter Holtzman of Bespoke Architecture to be the architect on their project. They liked that Peter had years of experience working in their neighborhood. Jay and Maya did a few rounds of bidding out their project before coming across Bolster’s transparent and data-driven approach. (For more information about the couple’s bidding process, check out this article.) 

Build-Only with Bolster

Bolster’s Build-Only service was the perfect fit for Jay and Maya. Bolster understands that the pre-construction process can be complex and time consuming, so their goal is to simplify it for NYC renovators. They also help them make sure they have all the documents they need from their architect to get their project started. 

Build-Only is an especially good option for NYC renovators who want transparency in their bids; granularity that reflects a project’s true and total cost; and a focus on the projects’ planning and delivery in partnership with an architect. Build Only is also good for budget-conscious homeowners who already have a construction documents set or a design plan and may be concerned about the design portion of their project going over budget. 

The build budget 

With their design secured, it was time to break ground on Jay and Maya’s renovation. Because the work was extensive—a full gut renovation of a three-family, 4,000-square-foot brownstone— Bolster scheduled a full 12 months for the build phase of the project.  

The budget was allocated to a few main areas. Because Jay and Maya were using Passive House strategies, mechanical systems comprised a significant portion of their budget, as well as specialty windows and doors to promote insulation ($97,530). 

Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing are usually the most expensive items in a renovation. This was the case for Jay and Maya; their renovation cost $180,390 for mechanical, $92,916 for electrical, and $143,851 for plumbing. This included a combination Fujitsu HVAC system with nine air handlers, three compressors, and two energy recovery ventilators. 

The homeowners also wanted to reconfigure the layout to better suit their young family, with a rental unit on the garden level and a spacious, three-level home for the family on top. The narrow, 14-foot-wide brownstone had valuable space that was being eaten up by an inefficient staircase. This meant renovating two of everything: Two kitchens, two sets of bathrooms, and two sets of bedrooms and living areas. 

Because of the layout changes, the walls ($92,065) and ceilings ($47,739) needed to be updated, and all of the floors were replaced with light hardwood floors ($66,622). 

In total, the build portion of this Harlem brownstone transformation cost $1.3 million, or $322 per square foot.

The end result

This unique brownstone was transformed from a property with an inefficient layout and rental-grade finishes to a spacious, comfortable home for Jay and Maya’s family. Their design selections lend the home a bright and airy feel, with fresh paint in shades of pastel blues and greens throughout. 

The homeowners also weren’t afraid to mix high and low in their renovation, opting for kitchen and bathroom cabinets from IKEA and specialty items like beautiful ceramic and porcelain tile work in the kitchen and bathrooms. 

The Bolster Smart Renovation Zero-Risk Guarantee

How can a design-build firm guarantee a Zero-Risk renovation?

Bolster has pioneered Smart Renovation. We apply quantitative analysis along with our proprietary technology solution to identify and quantify the performance risk on every renovation project. The result is a personalized strategic approach to each renovation that allows us to absorb 100 percent of the homeowner’s risk. Your home will be beautifully designed, and delivered on-time and on-budget. That is our guarantee.

Smart Renovation & Zero-Risk means that Homeowners are now free to dream.

To start your major home renovation project visit bolster.us.

The Bolster Promise video