Co-op and Condo Electrical Alteration Review: A Guide for NYC Owners

Why the building asks for an electrical review

A renovation may be contained within an apartment while its electrical supply depends on shared risers, feeders, and service equipment. New appliances or a larger panel can therefore raise building-level questions. A focused electrical review helps the owner, architect, and managing agent identify those questions before work starts.

The useful starting point is the proposed scope: what equipment is changing, where it will connect, and which existing systems are expected to remain. A review is easier to coordinate when the drawing set and equipment schedule describe the same work.

Three decisions that should stay distinct

Building or board approval addresses the building's own alteration process. Engineering review addresses the electrical questions defined in the engagement. DOB filings and contractor permit work follow the applicable city requirements. These decisions can inform one another, but they serve different purposes.

DOB's electrical work guidance distinguishes categories with different plan-review and inspection requirements. A building's request for a PE review does not, by itself, establish which DOB filing category applies. See DOB electrical work guidance.

Questions an electrical reviewer may need to resolve

• Do the drawings identify the existing apartment supply and the proposed electrical changes?
• Are the loads of new kitchen, laundry, HVAC, or other equipment documented?
• Does the proposed work depend on a larger feeder, a changed riser connection, or common-area equipment?
• Which existing conditions are verified, and which still need records or a site visit?
• Are the electrical documents coordinated with the architectural and equipment information?

Prepare a coordinated review package

Collect the current drawings, equipment schedule, building alteration agreement, and any prior review comments. Available panel schedules, service information, and photographs can help explain the existing condition. Share the project address, apartment or tenant location, target schedule, and the contact responsible for design revisions.

When responding to comments, a revised drawing set and a clear response list help the team see what changed. New equipment selections should be reflected consistently in the load information and electrical design, rather than introduced only in an email.

What to expect from the engagement

The proposal should define the electrical scope, the review deliverable, assumptions about available records, and whether follow-up review or site observations are included. A written review can identify questions and recommendations; it does not automatically certify concealed conditions or approve unrelated disciplines.

For a practical starting package, use our alteration review document checklist. If your project raises questions about a larger apartment supply, also read the electrical capacity guide.