718 Builders has been designing and building home additions across Queens since 2011. A rear extension in Forest Hills, a second story addition on a Jamaica Cape Cod, a garage conversion in Bayside. We know the neighborhoods, the zoning rules, and the structural realities of Queens homes. Before we design anything, we check your lot’s FAR allowance and run a feasibility assessment. If the addition is viable, we build it right. You get a licensed and insured contractor, a dedicated project manager, full ALT-1 permit management, and an addition that integrates seamlessly with your existing home.
Queens homes come in every size, era, and lot configuration. Attached two-families in Woodhaven. Cape Cods in Jamaica. Detached singles in Bayside. Each type of home has different addition potential. We assess yours first, then build what makes sense for your specific property.
Home additions are the most regulated residential project in NYC. Before any design work or cost estimation begins, there are specific feasibility questions that determine what you can legally build on your lot. 718 Builders answers all of them during the free initial consultation, before you commit to anything.
Your property’s zoning district sets a maximum FAR, which limits how much total floor area you can have relative to your lot size. Queens R3, R4, and R5 districts have different FAR limits. A proposed addition that pushes your home over its FAR allowance cannot be permitted. We run a zoning analysis on every Queens property before any design or estimate work begins. This is the first question, not an afterthought.
NYC zoning requires minimum rear yard depths depending on your zoning district. A rear extension that violates the required setback cannot be built without a Board of Standards and Appeals variance, which adds significant time and cost. We check your rear yard conditions before any design work starts.
Home additions in NYC require an Alteration Type 1 permit, the most complex permit category below a new building filing. It involves changes to a building’s legally recognized floor area. A licensed architect or PE prepares and files drawings through DOB NOW. Multi-round plan review, structural inspections, and final sign-off are required. 718 coordinates the full ALT-1 filing process, including retaining the required design professional.
Any addition that adds load to the existing structure requires a structural assessment. Second story additions almost always require foundation and framing review, and often require reinforcement. We coordinate with structural engineers as part of every second story and major rear extension project. Their findings are factored into your estimate before construction begins.
Your existing heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems may not support additional square footage. We assess MEP capacity during the free consultation and include all required extensions or upgrades in the estimate. There are no mechanical surprises mid-build.
Some Queens neighborhoods have landmark designations or active homeowner associations with their own review requirements. We identify these conditions at the outset and factor them into the project plan and timeline.
A home addition is the most significant residential construction project most Queens homeowners will ever undertake. The permit process is more involved than any other residential project. The structural stakes are higher. And the investment is larger. Here is how 718 Builders manages every piece of it.
The first question in every Queens addition project is whether your lot’s FAR allowance and rear yard setback requirements actually permit the addition you want to build. We run this analysis during the free consultation, at no cost and no obligation. If the zoning supports your project, we move forward. If it does not, we tell you before you spend a dollar on architectural drawings.
An ALT-1 filing is the most complex permit in residential construction short of a new building. It requires a licensed architect or PE, structural engineering drawings, multi-round DOB review, and final inspections before the addition can be legally occupied. We coordinate every step: retaining the design professional, managing DOB filings, tracking plan review, and scheduling all required inspections. You do not need to understand the system. We do.
Before any addition design begins, we assess whether your existing foundation and framing can support it. For second story additions, this typically means coordinating a structural engineer review. Any reinforcement required is identified upfront and included in your estimate. No homeowner should discover mid-construction that their foundation needs work that was not in the budget.
A home addition that reads as an obvious add-on hurts your home’s value. We match exterior materials, roofline pitch, window proportions, and siding profiles to the existing structure. The goal is an addition that a buyer or appraiser would not identify as newer construction without reviewing the permit history. We have done this on brick colonials in Forest Hills, wood-sided Cape Cods in Jamaica, and stucco two-families in Woodhaven.
Home additions in Queens involve more regulatory and structural steps than any other residential project. Here is the full process, exactly as 718 Builders manages it.
We visit your property at no cost, walk the site, and run a preliminary FAR and zoning analysis. We assess rear yard setback conditions, identify structural considerations for your specific home type, and discuss your goals for the addition. No obligation. No design fees at this stage.
We retain a licensed architect or PE to prepare ALT-1 drawings. Structural engineering is coordinated for second story additions and all projects requiring foundation review. You review and approve the design before any permit is filed.
Plans are filed through DOB NOW. We manage all plan review correspondence and respond to any DOB comments or objections. We track the approval process and communicate status to you throughout.
Excavation, foundation work, and any required structural reinforcement are completed before above-ground framing begins. All rough inspections required at foundation stage are scheduled and passed before framing.
Structural framing, roofing, waterproofing, and exterior cladding matched to your existing home are completed. MEP rough-in for heating, electrical, and plumbing extension into the new space is completed and inspected.
Insulation, drywall, flooring, windows, doors, and all interior finishes are installed. Your project manager provides regular updates throughout.
We schedule and manage the final DOB inspections and obtain the required sign-offs for the addition to be legally occupied. We walk the finished space with you. Only when you are satisfied do we consider the project complete.
We own a Cape Cod in Jamaica and wanted a full second story. 718 Builders told us upfront what the structural reinforcement would cost, what the ALT-1 permit process would involve, and how long it would take. Every number they gave us on day one was the number we paid. The second story added two bedrooms and a full bath. Best investment we have made in this house.
We wanted to add a rear extension to our Forest Hills home to expand the kitchen and add a family room. 718 Builders ran the zoning check on day one, told us exactly what our FAR allowance permitted, and designed the extension within those limits. The ALT-1 process took longer than we hoped, but they managed every round of DOB review without us having to track any of it. The finished addition looks like it was original to the house.
718 Builders converted our detached garage in Bayside into a home office and guest suite. They handled the change-of-use permit, extended the heating system, and finished the interior to a level that matched the rest of the house. The whole project was managed by one person who we could call anytime. No hand-offs, no confusion about who was responsible for what.
Fully Insured
Home additions are the most heavily regulated residential project in New York City. Every addition 718 Builders builds is filed under an ALT-1 permit, engineered by licensed professionals, and built to NYC Department of Buildings standards. We carry general liability insurance and workers compensation. We coordinate all architectural, structural, and MEP engineering required. We run zoning and FAR feasibility checks before any design investment is made. You are protected from the first conversation through the final DOB sign-off.
The first step is a free, no-obligation feasibility consultation at your Queens property. We run the zoning analysis, walk the site, assess structural conditions, and tell you exactly what is possible on your lot before you invest in a single architectural drawing. If the addition makes sense, we give you a full written estimate. If it does not, you leave with answers.
Free feasibility consultation. No commitment required. Licensed and insured in New York State.
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