By Liliana Ovalles Since Fiscal Year 2010, the Department of Buildings (DOB) has maintained a Cost Validation Unit. This group provides research and technical support for construction cost and permit fees. While the unit’s responsibilities have always included auditing “a sample” of approved alteration applications, their audit activities have become more… View more
By Mario Aurioso Effective March 15, 2018, applicants for Master or Special Electrician licenses will not receive their license or renewal if they owe civil penalties. This change complies with Local Law 47 of 2016. The licensing hold applies to penalties imposed by the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings/Environmental… View more
By Penny Laughlin A few weeks after New York City updated the permit fee structure for new buildings and alterations through Local Law 56 of 2016, the Department of Buildings (DOB) explained the new fees in a Service Bulletin. That same bulletin indicated that the old rates would remain in effect… View more
By Frank Fortino Two months into the New Year, and we’re hearing the same story: cooling tower violations are being issued throughout New York City, and it’s not even spring. With Legionnaires’ disease on the rise in 2017—a 78% increase in the five boroughs, compared to 2016—the general consensus is that… View more
By Alex Rippere Part of the joy of this industry comes from watching lines on a page evolve into a finished building over several years. Unfortunately, thanks in part to that stretched-out time frame, some things done at New Building approval come back to haunt at sign-off time. Not even the… View more
By Renee Sosnowski Effective December 28, 2017, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has increased the civil penalties for Work Without a Permit violations. For one- or two- family dwellings, the penalty has increased to six times the filing fee. The minimum penalty is $600, and the maximum penalty… View more
By Brian Lafferty As of January 16, 2018, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has expanded its online inspection system to include electrical and plumbing sign-offs for New Buildings and Alterations Type 1 (Alt-1) Certificates of Occupancy (COs). Since launching DOB NOW: Inspections on December 7, 2015 (back when… View more