Minimum Room Size in NYC
Hamoun Niknejad2026-08-23T17:54:07+00:00New York City apartments use limited space efficiently, but fitting a bed or sofa does not make a room a legal bedroom or habitable room. The room must satisfy the rules for floor area, width, ceiling height, light, ventilation, and adjoining spaces.For many projects governed by the 2022 NYC Building Code, the general minimum room size in NYC is 80 square feet, with no plan dimension smaller than 8 feet. At least one habitable room in a dwelling unit must...
DOB NOW vs. DOB BIS: Which NYC Building System Should You Use?
Hamoun Niknejad2026-09-10T02:10:27+00:00If you have ever searched for a New York City building permit, violation, complaint, or construction application, you have probably encountered two different systems: DOB NOW and the Buildings Information System, better known as DOB BIS or BISWeb.Why does New York City have both?The short answer is that the Department of Buildings is moving from an older record system to a newer digital platform. However, the transition is not complete. Older applications and permits may remain in BIS, while newer...
Sustainable, Green Roof and Solar Panel
Hamoun Niknejad2026-09-13T17:58:53+00:00The Sustainable Roofing Zone is the portion of a roof that must be used for qualifying sustainable roofing features.Depending on the building and project, this may include:solar photovoltaic panels;a vegetated green roof; ora combination of solar panels and green roofing.The requirement generally applies to new buildings, new roofs created through enlargements, and existing buildings where the entire roof deck or roof assembly is being replaced.However, this does not mean that every square foot of every roof must contain vegetation or...
How to Close an Open DOB Permit in NYC and Get Sign-Off
Hamoun Niknejad2026-08-23T20:40:07+00:00Finishing construction does not automatically close a New York City Department of Buildings permit. Walls may be painted, contractors may have left the property, and the space may have been occupied for years, but the application can still remain open in DOB records.An open permit can create problems when an owner wants to sell, refinance, renovate, obtain a new permit, or confirm that previous work was legally completed. During property due diligence, attorneys, lenders, managing agents, and prospective buyers frequently...