New Residential Building
I am considering buying a property that has a very old, dilapidated house on it in a residential area. The house is not renovation-worthy. Whomever buys it must knock it down and rebuild. How do I find out if what I want to build can be built before I actually buy the property? I have…
I am considering buying a property that has a very old, dilapidated house on it in a residential area. The house is not renovation-worthy. Whomever buys it must knock it down and rebuild.
How do I find out if what I want to build can be built before I actually buy the property? I have spoken w/ the city and found out the technicalities as to the allowable square footage and the footprint of the construction.
The seller claims she cannot afford to knock down and construct due to the economy; and she may be telling the truth. But what if she is selling because she found out there was some stipulation to building that is difficult to overcome?
Can anyone suggest ways to research this without spending a fortune? Thanks.
We are a construction company, that have an architect affiliated with us. So if you need design services we can provide that. In addition, if you knock down the building there should be no stipulation attached, because the previous building is gone, and the new one is completely new; without any violations or problems provided the construction process is done as per specifications and drawings by the architect. So please contact me if you need any architect or contractor.
ullah02@aol.com
Thanks,
R&S Construction
I am an architect, so I thought I’d chime in. As suggested by the other posters, you really need to retain a licensed architect who is familiar with ground-up construction to review the property and offer some advice. Based on what you’ve told us, there appears to be no reason why you can’t demolish and rebuild. I assume the site is not landmarked.
An architect will be able to determine if full site excavation is required or if you can build directly on top of the existing footings. They will be aware of any setback requirements, zoning issues, and Floor Area Ratio limitations you have on the property. You can request a feasibility study from the architect so you know exactly what can and cannot be done, the massing of the building, and a detailed analysis of the zoning limitations in your district. That way you can assess if the purchase is within reason, all before you even make an offer on the property. The architect would walk you through the entire construction process, design the building, coordinate with any necessary consultants (Plumbing, electrical, structural), help you competitively bid the project to qualified contractors, and legally file the work with the DOB.
I hope this helps. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
60designers@gmail.com
There are no environmental issues and no violations against the property.
Some one mentioned to me stipulations on the deed that might restrict building, community board issues (altho there is no landmark status for this area) or other issues that might have surfaced when the owner was originally making plans to build.
I don’t know of any specific issues or situations that might impede plans … just trying to head off any problems down the road.
as DIBS said – talk to architect. What can be built, what will cost, what is practical, potential issues. Don;t think gonna charge all that much for consultation and little investigation.
If you’ve been spoken w/ the city, and know the allowable s.f. and footprint…as well as other zoning issues like setbacks, allowable uses, etc., you should be fine.
I’m not sure what other kinds of stipulations you’d be worried about.
I would be sure to check for asbestos, underground oil tank, etc. And if they are present, factor the cost of legally removing them into the purchase price.
For a project as large as what you are proposing, you need to engage an architect first who will sort this all out. Not spending a couple thousand dollars at the outset before you make a huge costly mistake is where, it seems, a lot of people here go wrong.