What Is a Co-op Board Package? A Complete NYC Renovation Guide

If you own in a New York City co-op, you can’t simply hire a contractor and start knocking down walls. Before any work begins, you submit a **board package** for approval. The quality and completeness of that package is the single biggest factor in how quickly — and whether — your renovation gets approved.

What a Board Package Actually Is

A board package is a formal submission to your co-op (or condo) board requesting permission to renovate. It demonstrates three things: that you’ve thought through the work, that you’ve hired qualified and insured professionals, and that the project won’t harm the building or your neighbors.

Boards review these packages to protect the building. A complete, professional submission tells them you’re a low-risk applicant. An incomplete or sloppy one invites questions, delays, and rejections.

What Goes Inside a Board Package

While every building’s requirements differ slightly, most packages include the following.

Alteration Agreement

The core document — your building’s contract governing the renovation. It covers what you’re allowed to do, working hours, insurance requirements, your liability for damage, and the conditions you must meet. You and often your contractor sign it.

Scope of Work Narrative

A clear written description of exactly what will be done. This is the document boards read first and scrutinize most. It should be specific without being overwhelming — what’s being removed, what’s being installed, and what systems are affected.

Certificate of Insurance (COI)

Proof that your contractor carries adequate insurance, with the building, managing agent, and board named as additional insured. Co-ops often set specific coverage minimums, and the COI must be issued correctly to those exact requirements.

Contractor License and Credentials

Documentation that your contractor is properly licensed to work in NYC, along with relevant credentials and references.

Architectural and Engineering Drawings

For anything beyond cosmetic work, boards require drawings prepared by licensed professionals showing the existing conditions and the proposed changes. Structural or layout changes require engineer involvement.

DOB Permit Documentation

Where permits are required, the package shows the permit filings or confirms they’re in process, including the board attestation step now required in DOB NOW.

Why Packages Get Rejected or Delayed

The most common reasons are simple: missing documents, a vague scope of work, a COI that doesn’t meet the building’s exact insurance requirements, or drawings that don’t match the described scope. Nearly all of these are preventable with experience.

How Long Approval Takes

A complete co-op board package typically takes **4 to 8 weeks** to move through review, sometimes longer if the board meets infrequently or requests changes. Condo packages generally move faster, in **2 to 4 weeks**. Submitting a complete package the first time is the best way to stay on the shorter end of that range.

Who Prepares the Package?

While you can assemble a package yourself, most homeowners rely on their contractor to prepare and submit it — because the contractor already has the insurance, credentials, and relationships with architects and engineers, and knows what each building expects.

MCG Corp Prepares the Entire Package

MCG Corp has prepared and submitted hundreds of approved co-op and condo board packages across Manhattan. We complete the alteration agreement, write a clear scope of work, issue the COI to your building’s exact requirements, coordinate drawings, and manage the DOB attestation — so your renovation gets approved without avoidable delays. Every project is backed by our 10-Year Labor Warranty.