Building up wih a loft

Hi, Does anyone have any experience with building a loft space on a top floor of a twonhouse? I have a non-landmkared frame house with only about 7 feet of height to play with. I can’t seem to find anything about the rules on lofts, because every way I google it I get back to loft laws in Manhattan governing rent etc. I’m trying to find out a bit about what is allowed and not, in building up within an existing room. (I don’t have enough height to put on an actual new floor. This would just be some additional space to stack my kids up as they get bigger . . . ) Thanks for any thoughts or experience!

elm_bk

in Construction 10 years and 7 months ago

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jcarch | 10 years and 7 months ago

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If you’re in Ditmas Park, or a similar neighborhood, you may have an FAR problem. Many of those old houses exceed the current FAR limitations. Whatever neighborhood you’re in, you’ll need to check this. Also, the height requirements for R5B come with a provision about what angle the roof can rise from the street wall max. height to the building max. height. You’ll need to be sure that you don’t cross that imaginary line with your vertical enlargement. jcarch ———————— James Cleary Architecture brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/jamescleary

elm_bk | 10 years and 7 months ago

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Thanks everyone for your help! I posted this earlier but don’t see it here so I will try again: I am zoned R5B — · Max FAR = 1.35 · Max Lot Coverage = 55% · Max Street Height =-30 ft · Max Building Height = 33 ft · Min Rear Yard = 30 ft According to my own measurements, my building is currently 26’8″ high – leaving me 6’4″ to go up. I had *no idea* about the possibility of triggering a real estate tax increase! of course it would! this is the great thing about bouncing an idea around this forum. So, is there a way to find out what it would actually be? Assuming I could even do any of this? Thanks again to everyone’s contributions thus far!

jockdeboeraia | 10 years and 7 months ago

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it is all just a matter of what is there vs. what is now allowed by the current zoning. You will need an up to date survey.

resident2 | 10 years and 7 months ago

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You will need a an architect to look at the zoning, any height restrictions etc subject to what is already built. But also keep in mind that any additional extensions add on’s etc will cost quite a bit in construction, but also trigger a potential large Real Estate tax assessment. An alternative maybe to sell, buy a bigger house, take advantage of any tax free profit from the first and move on. Have you noticed how often a few years after large “improvements & extensions” the owner ups and moves? Often it is due to that huge Real Estate Tax increase kicker a couple of years after the construction is all finished. Look at the Real Estate tax bills of the super extended compared to non extended houses on the same block.

shahnandersen

in Construction 10 years and 7 months ago

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What zone are you in that you have a fixed height limit as opposed to a floor area requirement? Do you have to match the cornice line of the adjacent buildings? Can you build up with a setback?

carmenf | 10 years and 7 months ago

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One thing to keep in mind- I’m 99% positive you have to have a 7’6″ ceiling height to legally have a full bathroom on that floor and to call a room a bedroom. I believe you can have a half-bath with lower ceilings.

elm_bk | 10 years and 7 months ago

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Resident2, I mean raising the roof. I do plan to meet with a building engineer and architect, but in order to prepare myself I want to learn more about it to know what I might even consider. The existing ceilings on my third floor (top floor) are 9’2″ which leaves me 6’6″ before I hit my max building height (based on my own measurements which are undoubtedly less accurate than a building surveyor . . . ) Adding that together I think I could have 15’8″ to split over and under a loft, and I was thinking I could tuck a low bathroom or laundry area or closet under a raised sleeping area for my kids. Neither would have to be full height, and then we could have two bathrooms and closets without losing bedrooms. Does that make any sense at all?? Thanks!

resident2 | 10 years and 7 months ago

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Do you mean taking over the “crawl space” above the ceiling, but below the roof?. Just raising the existing ceiling? Or do you mean raising the roof? If you are talking about just raising the ceiling into the “Cock loft” or “Crawl Space” or what ever people like to call it… it is done all the time, just make sure to insulate the new ceiling well. If you are talking about raising the roof, you will need to speak to a building engineer and architect, to see if that will increase your usage, do you have additional FAR to increase usage etc.