# Co-op Alteration Agreement Plumbing Requirements | NYC Repipe & Repair

> Co-op alteration agreement plumbing requirements: engineer review, insurance certificates, an LMP and DOB filing, work hours and riser shutoff fees. Call 24/7.

URL: https://nycrepipe.com/answers/co-op-alteration-agreement-plumbing/

Learn

# What Are the Co-op Alteration Agreement Plumbing Requirements?

Get a free estimate → [☎ Call (929) 659-6658](tel:+19296596658)

By [NYC Repipe & Repair](https://nycrepipe.com/) · Last reviewed October 19

Co-op alteration agreement plumbing requirements usually include **plans reviewed by the building's engineer**, a NYC Licensed Master Plumber with a DOB filing, certificates of insurance naming the co-op and managing agent, weekday working hours and scheduled riser shutoffs. Expect a refundable deposit of **$5,000–$20,000** and a review fee of $1,000–$5,000.

[NYC Repipe & Repair](https://nycrepipe.com/) publishes these figures with named sources so every number can be checked before you call anyone, including us.

An apartment repipe in a co-op has two approvals, not one. The city wants a Licensed Master Plumber’s filing under the Plumbing Code; the board wants its own conditions met before anyone opens a wall. The alteration agreement is where the board’s conditions live, and the plumbing clauses are among the strictest because a mistake floods the neighbors below.

## What co-op boards typically require for plumbing

| Requirement | What it usually means | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plans and engineer review | Drawings reviewed by the building’s architect or engineer, paid by the shareholder | [Havard Cooper](https://www.havardcooper.com/articles/co-op-alteration-agreements-nyc) |
| Licensed, insured contractors | A NYC Licensed Master Plumber for the plumbing | Havard Cooper, above |
| Certificates of insurance | From you, your contractor and major subs, naming the corporation and managing agent as additional insureds | Havard Cooper, above |
| Security deposit | $5,000–$20,000, refundable after sign-off | Havard Cooper, above |
| Review or processing fee | $1,000–$5,000, non-refundable | Havard Cooper, above |
| Working hours | Weekday business hours; evenings and weekends usually off-limits | Havard Cooper, above |
| Riser shutoffs | Scheduled through management, sometimes limited and charged per extra shutoff | [Reddit, r/NYCRenovations](https://www.reddit.com/r/NYCRenovations/comments/1v4jmos/how_many_riser_shutoffs_per_riser_in_gut_reno_of/) |
| Indemnity | You cover damage your project causes to the building or other units | Havard Cooper, above |

Ask the managing agent for the building’s actual insurance limits, house rules and shutoff policy before you collect quotes. Every plumber pricing the job needs the same document.

Want a real number for your building instead of a range?

Free on-site estimate, written and itemized. Calls answered 24/7.

[☎ (929) 659-6658](tel:+19296596658) Get a free estimate

## Riser shutoffs and the per-shutoff fee

Shutting a riser cuts water to every apartment on that line, so buildings ration it. One shareholder planning a gut renovation reported that the co-op “allow\[s\] one shut off per water riser, after which they charge one thousand” per additional shutoff ([Reddit, r/NYCRenovations](https://www.reddit.com/r/NYCRenovations/comments/1v4jmos/how_many_riser_shutoffs_per_riser_in_gut_reno_of/)). It’s one building’s policy, not a standard, but fees like it are common enough that the shutoff plan belongs in the quote.

The way to keep the count down is to install new full-port valves at each riser connection on the first shutoff. After that, all of the [apartment repiping](https://nycrepipe.com/apartment-repiping/) happens downstream of your own valves with the building in service. Water is normally restored at the end of each working day, and an apartment repipe typically takes a few days.

## Plumbing rules beyond the paperwork

-   **Copper only.** The building engineer will expect Type L copper with soldered, brazed or permanent press joints. PEX isn’t listed on Table 605.4 of the NYC Plumbing Code, and removable push-fit fittings are banned (PC 605.9); see [copper vs PEX in NYC](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/copper-vs-pex-nyc/).
-   **No wet over dry.** Most co-ops bar new bathrooms, kitchens or laundry over a neighbor’s bedroom or living room.
-   **Engineer sign-off for moves.** Moving waste lines or adding wet locations usually needs the building engineer’s approval, and may be barred by the riser layout.
-   **Washers and dryers.** Often restricted because of water risk and drain load.
-   **Fixture upgrades.** Some boards now require shareholders to replace branch lines when adding fixtures, or to swap flushometer toilets for tank toilets ([Habitat](https://www.habitatmag.com/Archive2/415-November-2023/Shifting-the-Burden)).
-   **Risers.** Some agreements also make renovating shareholders replace the riser sections in their walls; read [who pays for riser replacement in a co-op](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/who-pays-for-riser-replacement-co-op/) and [riser replacement cost](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/riser-replacement-cost/) before signing.

## Damage, insurance and who pays

The indemnity clause matters most when something goes wrong. Alteration agreements typically make you responsible for damage your project causes to the building or other units, including damage done by your contractor ([Havard Cooper](https://www.havardcooper.com/articles/co-op-alteration-agreements-nyc)). In an old building, the hard cases are the ones where a decades-old riser fails near new work and the question becomes whether the work or the pipe’s age caused it. That’s why the board wants your plumber’s certificate before work starts, why you should read it too, and why photographs of the existing riser before the walls close are worth taking. For what a homeowner’s policy pays, see [is repiping covered by insurance](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/is-repiping-covered-by-insurance/); for a leak that’s already happening, call for [pipe repair](https://nycrepipe.com/pipe-repair/) or [water leak detection](https://nycrepipe.com/water-leak-detection/) first.

## Timeline and DOB filing

Havard Cooper puts managing-agent review at about 1–2 weeks and board review at four to eight weeks once the package is complete. The plumber files the DOB work in parallel; a co-op apartment repipe pays the “other buildings” fee of $195 up to $3,000 of work plus $10.30 per $1,000 ([DOB fee chart](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/laa_fee_chart_other.pdf)). The [repiping permit guide](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/repiping-permit-nyc/) explains the filing, and [apartment repipe cost in NYC](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/apartment-repipe-cost-nyc/) puts the plumbing price next to the board’s fees. The free [pre-hire checklist](https://nycrepipe.com/resources/) includes an alteration agreement section. Most of these agreements are in [Manhattan](https://nycrepipe.com/boroughs/manhattan/), where 70% of elevator co-ops and 98% of walk-up co-ops date from before 1940, including much of the [Upper East Side](https://nycrepipe.com/boroughs/upper-east-side/).

## Bottom line

Read the alteration agreement before you request quotes, and make every plumber price the same engineer review, insurance limits, working hours and shutoff plan. **A Licensed Master Plumber’s DOB filing and the board’s approval are both required.** Call [(929) 659-6658](tel:+19296596658) for a free on-site estimate with a written, itemized price.

[The service Apartment Repiping → Co-op and condo branch lines replaced back to the riser, to the board's alteration agreement and shutoff rules.](https://nycrepipe.com/apartment-repiping/)

Questions about your building?

Calls answered 24/7.

[☎ (929) 659-6658](tel:+19296596658) Get a free estimate

More answers

-   [Who Pays for Riser Replacement in a Co-op?](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/who-pays-for-riser-replacement-co-op/)
-   [What Is the Cost to Repipe an Apartment in NYC?](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/apartment-repipe-cost-nyc/)
-   [Does Repiping Require a Permit in NYC?](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/repiping-permit-nyc/)
-   [What Is the Water Riser Replacement Cost in NYC?](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/riser-replacement-cost/)
-   [Is Repiping Covered by Homeowners Insurance?](https://nycrepipe.com/answers/is-repiping-covered-by-insurance/)

Also asked

## Quick answers

Does board approval replace a DOB permit?

No. They're separate approvals, and you need both. The board's approval covers the building's rules and its engineer's review of your plans. The DOB filing, made by a Licensed Master Plumber in DOB NOW: Build, covers the Plumbing Code. They usually run in parallel, and a permit doesn't satisfy the board any more than board approval satisfies DOB.

How many riser shutoffs will my plumbing job need?

Usually one per riser at the start, to cut in new valves or branches, and sometimes a second to finish. Many co-ops include a set number and charge for extras; one Manhattan shareholder reported a $1,000 charge per additional shutoff. A plumber who installs new riser valves on the first shutoff can often avoid the second.

Can I move my bathroom or kitchen in a co-op?

Sometimes, with limits. Most co-ops prohibit putting wet rooms over a neighbor's bedroom or living room, and moving waste lines or adding wet locations usually needs the building engineer's sign-off. The riser layout often decides what's possible. Relocations also usually take the job beyond a simple repipe filing into PE or RA drawings.

From range to real number

## Get a written, itemized price *for your job.*

Pressure readings, the pipe material identified and a fixed scope, including the DOB permit and the wall openings.

Free estimate