Dockery & Associates Inc

I am respectfully replying the this complaint with the following breakdown
1. On 10/**/12- We were retained to assist the original contractor with plans
and filing services for a new...

staircase. Contracted amount $4,800.00. These
plans were for the Filing with NYC DOB only, not Building Management.
(Invoice#[redacted])
2. On 10/**/12- [redacted], added the following scope of work to the original quoted
(job:#2[redacted]). [redacted]:I would like to know what it would rake you to draw up plan for kitchen bath reversal including venting and description of where are major appliances would go. I also have two large closets in the hall across from bath that we might consider removing to expand kitchen but then it may be awkward to have to walk through kitchen to get to rest of the apartment?
a. Engineers report letter to building management.
b. Design New Kitchen, New Bathroom and a new opening to the rear yard
with new windows.
c. Our fee increased to $7,800.00 for the additional scope of work. [redacted]: I think the ceiling height in downstairs is a bit too high. This wood on ceiling might be nice? Just a thought.
3. On 11/*/12 - an [redacted] was added to the project. [redacted]: Hi [redacted]. I'm worried we are approaching deadline. I'll be talking with a friend who is an unlicensed architect about his thoughts on your drawings and I will speak with you about that hopefully today.
In the meantime, in order to submit the plans, won't I need the engineer's report stating that its structurally sound to create the windows and move the bath/kitchen and also state that the stairs are structurally sound ?
4. On 12/*/12 - [redacted] submits a request for 6 revisions. Interior
lighting was thus added to the design work. DESIGNERS INPUT: A few main points:
The wall to the patio, with the big window. This is good, in that we now have an idea as to the maximum size of opening we can have in this wall, but I'm going to send you later a couple of sketches with the window/door redesigned.
Also on this wall: we want exposed brick. Ideally, the brick behind the existing sheetrock will be in good shape enough that we can just seal it and be done. If it's in bad shape, we'd like to look at doing a veneer of "exposed" brick. See: [redacted]
The adjacent side wall: same. We would like exposed brick. Ideally that will also be a result of existing, but if not, a veneer of brick.
The staircase: as I feared, the alternate design of the straight staircase with the return goes too deep into the floor space of the living room, so let's go with the spiral staircase. We need a floor plan of the upper floor with the spiral staircase instead of the straight staircase. Does this staircase end on the lower floor as you have indicated on the lower floor plan, so that you would be facing the entrance to the bedroom as you exited the staircase?
We still need a reflected ceiling plan to show lighting. Note: this will drop the ceiling to add recessed lighting. This will be fine in the double-height living room, and we should show this dropped ceiling in the elevation -- whatever depth needed for lighting and electrical. This may also be where the HVAC ducts can go. We just don't want to drop the ceiling in front of the entrance to the staircase from the dining room/kitchen area. We need that height for headroom (esp. us tall guys!).
How much minimum depth would we need for recessed lighting in the kitchen/dining room area? We will want pendant lights, so we will need to drop ceiling, even if it's just for electric boxes for a pendant above where the dining table would go, and pendants above the counter with the stools.
Is there room for even a 2-seater love seat on the other side of the kitchen, behind where the stools would be? If so, and if it doesn't take too much time, can you show that in the floor plan?
There are other detail modifications in my pdf. For things like the shower and cabinetry, we don't want you to spend time making changes that are not relevant to this proposal. For the board, it won't matter if there's a sliding door on the bathtub or not. But for things that would need their approval, such as partition walls, please make these changes. So, please use your judgment re: time for these edits.
The above 5 points, we do need revisions.
5. On 12/**/12 - plans were accepted to send to land lord for their review.
6. ON 2/**/13 - Revised plans were accepted by [redacted]:Hi [redacted]. It looks great !! Only one thing: ceiling and window height. Can you revert to your other drawing where ceiling is NOT dropped and build window up accordingly? Instead of 11.5 window would be 13, I think. And instead of windows with panes I would prefer clear glass without panes.
The kitchen bar will also be thinner, that's why I got rid of sink. Maybe just a foot. But that is not a change that we need to make for purposes of proposal I suspect.
7. On 3/**/13 - 1st Building Revision received.
8. On 4/**/13 - [redacted] request french door styling: [redacted]:These look small? But
if want glass all the way down.
9. On 9/**/13 - [redacted]- I want to go back to spiral and was inspired by another idea from that same friend who suggested opening up whole upstairs wall. He suggested we build a floor diagonally from when the inner balcony is to the side wall that the stairs run along in the most current drawing. From that built out floor to then start the spiral. This way it does not block door to bedroom and we gain more floor space. Does this make sense?
10. On 11/*/13- [redacted]:I have decided to do the one main room with central air and opening of top floor casing, basically everything you sent me yesterday except for downstairs bath, i've copied below. Once that is complete I will then probably rent out the apartment and then at a later time renovate the upstairs or sell. I would like the wall of windows to be as clear as possible to allow as much light. If you scroll down on this link you can see an image of clear glass. [redacted]
(do I have to document change counter tops in kitchen and cabinets? if so the we can put down, if not no need.)
thank you for your patience. please confirm receipt of this email. once you send me plans I will get vojtek, david and two others to give me estimate for the work minus the cost of windows, which I will have to select)
Top Floor:
1. Top floor cased opening to be lowered to floor level and(Expanded) wood railing added. Removal of existing radiator in front of existing opening.
2. New wood beams added to ceiling over open area, with pendent lights attached.
3. Reinforcement of existing floor joists in area illustrated on the plan.(PLEASE ONLY COMMITMENT ME TO NECESSARY REINFORCEMENT FOR AC)
4. Remove existing gyp.board on the left wall to expose Brick
Lower Floor:
1. Install new HVAC unit in ceiling between bedroom and bathroom, with exterior condenser mounted on conc. curb outside.
2. Install new wood spiral staircase.
3. Install new window opening with 2 new French Doors, window to be at the maximum height and width allowable.
4. Removal of existing Gyp.Board wall that faces the courtyard and expose wall where the stair is located.
5. Cover exposed cinder block wall with new Gyp..Bd.
NOTE: Dockery & Associates Inc will not be responsible for any work that is additional due to the discovery of unknown conditions one demolition is completed.
We will have plans ready for this coming Monday November [redacted].
The building [redacted]ship, never supplied a basic criteria of what was required prior to us submitting plans for their review. The documents we submitted were sufficient for filing with the NYC Department of Buildings and would with a reasonable review process, been approved in a timely fashion.
We have a total of 206 various e-mails for this project and 19 plan revisions of various types. Dockery & Associates Inc, does not and did not at any time identify our office as a licensed architectural firm. Our plans identify us a the designer in the title block and not the engineer of record.
The [redacted]s request of a meeting that I did not attend was made around 3 pm the day prior to their meeting, not providing a reasonable amount of time for me to change my appointments. To date I have made 8 site visits for various reasons, given advance notice my attendance would not have been an issue. I explained that to building management and was information that over the phone would be sufficient.

Review: I had hired [redacted] from Dockery and Associates to address a legal "notice to cure" a stair case repair and sheetrock repair that my building demanded of me. In addition to this repair I asked him to propose plans for window alterations and for a kitchen and bathroom alterations. I have since found out that [redacted] is not a licensed architect in NY. I paid him $7800 plus and an additional $3180.00 for drawings. He had demanded all of the money up front or said he would not continue the work. As I had a legal notice to cure I was desperate to correct it and paid in full. Not only did he fail to provide me with plans in a timely manner--after one year and three months I finally hired a new architect--but the plans he did provide me with were completely unable to pass the building architect, nor were any contractors willing to work off his blueprints. Three different contractors turned down the job and said the measurements were wrong and that the plans made no sense at all. The building architect sent back 17 pages of corrections. When we passed the year mark I decided to cut my losses and ask him only to draw up plans to fix the stairs that the building wanted me to cure. It took him months to draw up plans for the stairs, which were part of the original plans from the very beginning. The building architect, management and contractor convened a meeting at my apartment to discuss the plans for the stairs. [redacted] said he could not make it. There was a phone conference where the building architect asked if [redacted] had actually drawn the plans and went on to explain to him all the problems that were not addressed and would need to be addressed. At that time the building management, architect and superintendent, who were all at the meeting, strongly recommended I hire an architect who knew what he was doing so that I could address the notice to cure. I have hired a new architect--a licensed architect. This new architect is the person who discovered that [redacted] is not and appears never to have been licensed as an architect by the state of NY.Desired Settlement: I am requesting a refund of my initial payment of $7900. I am not asking for the additional $3180 I paid and the $4800 per month I will be losing for rent staring July [redacted] until renovations are complete.

Business

Response:

I am respectfully replying the this complaint with the following breakdown

1. On 10/**/12- We were retained to assist the original contractor with plans

and filing services for a new staircase. Contracted amount $4,800.00. These

plans were for the Filing with NYC DOB only, not Building Management.

(Invoice#[redacted])

2. On 10/**/12- [redacted], added the following scope of work to the original quoted

(job:#2[redacted]). [redacted]:I would like to know what it would rake you to draw up plan for kitchen bath reversal including venting and description of where are major appliances would go. I also have two large closets in the hall across from bath that we might consider removing to expand kitchen but then it may be awkward to have to walk through kitchen to get to rest of the apartment?

a. Engineers report letter to building management.

b. Design New Kitchen, New Bathroom and a new opening to the rear yard

with new windows.

c. Our fee increased to $7,800.00 for the additional scope of work. [redacted]: I think the ceiling height in downstairs is a bit too high. This wood on ceiling might be nice? Just a thought.

3. On 11/*/12 - an [redacted] was added to the project. [redacted]: Hi [redacted]. I'm worried we are approaching deadline. I'll be talking with a friend who is an unlicensed architect about his thoughts on your drawings and I will speak with you about that hopefully today.

In the meantime, in order to submit the plans, won't I need the engineer's report stating that its structurally sound to create the windows and move the bath/kitchen and also state that the stairs are structurally sound ?

4. On 12/*/12 - [redacted] submits a request for 6 revisions. Interior

lighting was thus added to the design work. DESIGNERS INPUT: A few main points:

The wall to the patio, with the big window. This is good, in that we now have an idea as to the maximum size of opening we can have in this wall, but I'm going to send you later a couple of sketches with the window/door redesigned.

Also on this wall: we want exposed brick. Ideally, the brick behind the existing sheetrock will be in good shape enough that we can just seal it and be done. If it's in bad shape, we'd like to look at doing a veneer of "exposed" brick. See: [redacted]

The adjacent side wall: same. We would like exposed brick. Ideally that will also be a result of existing, but if not, a veneer of brick.

The staircase: as I feared, the alternate design of the straight staircase with the return goes too deep into the floor space of the living room, so let's go with the spiral staircase. We need a floor plan of the upper floor with the spiral staircase instead of the straight staircase. Does this staircase end on the lower floor as you have indicated on the lower floor plan, so that you would be facing the entrance to the bedroom as you exited the staircase?

We still need a reflected ceiling plan to show lighting. Note: this will drop the ceiling to add recessed lighting. This will be fine in the double-height living room, and we should show this dropped ceiling in the elevation -- whatever depth needed for lighting and electrical. This may also be where the HVAC ducts can go. We just don't want to drop the ceiling in front of the entrance to the staircase from the dining room/kitchen area. We need that height for headroom (esp. us tall guys!).

How much minimum depth would we need for recessed lighting in the kitchen/dining room area? We will want pendant lights, so we will need to drop ceiling, even if it's just for electric boxes for a pendant above where the dining table would go, and pendants above the counter with the stools.

Is there room for even a 2-seater love seat on the other side of the kitchen, behind where the stools would be? If so, and if it doesn't take too much time, can you show that in the floor plan?

There are other detail modifications in my pdf. For things like the shower and cabinetry, we don't want you to spend time making changes that are not relevant to this proposal. For the board, it won't matter if there's a sliding door on the bathtub or not. But for things that would need their approval, such as partition walls, please make these changes. So, please use your judgment re: time for these edits.

The above 5 points, we do need revisions.

5. On 12/**/12 - plans were accepted to send to land lord for their review.

6. ON 2/**/13 - Revised plans were accepted by [redacted]. [redacted]:Hi [redacted]. It looks great !! Only one thing: ceiling and window height. Can you revert to your other drawing where ceiling is NOT dropped and build window up accordingly? Instead of 11.5 window would be 13, I think. And instead of windows with panes I would prefer clear glass without panes.

The kitchen bar will also be thinner, that's why I got rid of sink. Maybe just a foot. But that is not a change that we need to make for purposes of proposal I suspect.

7. On 3/**/13 - 1st Building Revision received.

8. On 4/**/13 - [redacted] request french door styling: [redacted]:These look small? But

if want glass all the way down.

9. On 9/**/13 - [redacted]- I want to go back to spiral and was inspired by another idea from that same friend who suggested opening up whole upstairs wall. He suggested we build a floor diagonally from when the inner balcony is to the side wall that the stairs run along in the most current drawing. From that built out floor to then start the spiral. This way it does not block door to bedroom and we gain more floor space. Does this make sense?

10. On 11/*/13- [redacted]:I have decided to do the one main room with central air and opening of top floor casing, basically everything you sent me yesterday except for downstairs bath, i've copied below. Once that is complete I will then probably rent out the apartment and then at a later time renovate the upstairs or sell. I would like the wall of windows to be as clear as possible to allow as much light. If you scroll down on this link you can see an image of clear glass. [redacted]

(do I have to document change counter tops in kitchen and cabinets? if so the we can put down, if not no need.)

thank you for your patience. please confirm receipt of this email. once you send me plans I will get vojtek, david and two others to give me estimate for the work minus the cost of windows, which I will have to select)

Top Floor:

1. Top floor cased opening to be lowered to floor level and(Expanded) wood railing added. Removal of existing radiator in front of existing opening.

2. New wood beams added to ceiling over open area, with pendent lights attached.

3. Reinforcement of existing floor joists in area illustrated on the plan.(PLEASE ONLY COMMITMENT ME TO NECESSARY REINFORCEMENT FOR AC)

4. Remove existing gyp.board on the left wall to expose Brick

Lower Floor:

1. Install new HVAC unit in ceiling between bedroom and bathroom, with exterior condenser mounted on conc. curb outside.

2. Install new wood spiral staircase.

3. Install new window opening with 2 new French Doors, window to be at the maximum height and width allowable.

4. Removal of existing Gyp.Board wall that faces the courtyard and expose wall where the stair is located.

5. Cover exposed cinder block wall with new Gyp..Bd.

NOTE: Dockery & Associates Inc will not be responsible for any work that is additional due to the discovery of unknown conditions one demolition is completed.

We will have plans ready for this coming Monday November [redacted].

The building [redacted]ship, never supplied a basic criteria of what was required prior to us submitting plans for their review. The documents we submitted were sufficient for filing with the NYC Department of Buildings and would with a reasonable review process, been approved in a timely fashion.

We have a total of 206 various e-mails for this project and 19 plan revisions of various types. Dockery & Associates Inc, does not and did not at any time identify our office as a licensed architectural firm. Our plans identify us a the designer in the title block and not the engineer of record.

The [redacted]s request of a meeting that I did not attend was made around 3 pm the day prior to their meeting, not providing a reasonable amount of time for me to change my appointments. To date I have made 8 site visits for various reasons, given advance notice my attendance would not have been an issue. I explained that to building management and was information that over the phone would be sufficient.