Making Extension Legal

OP here. Thanks everyone!

psp215

in Construction 13 years and 3 months ago

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psp215 | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Hi  We are making the final plans to renovate our townhouse. In the back, on ground floor, is an extension — 14′ wide X 6′ deep. We were planning to tear it down and fix up what used to be the exterior wall. However, our construction bids came in significantly higher than our budget and we are looking to cut costs. One thought is to leave the extension intact and maybe in a few years take it down–or maybe even make it useable. From my research, it seems clear that the extension was added without a permit. It’s hard for me to say when it was added — perhaps 20 years ago, maybe even longer. The buildings all down the block have same extension and I can’t find any evidence those were done legally either. (It is clear from our building’s interior that the extension was added after the original building was built.) If extension can not be proven to be grandfathered in, what does it take to make the extension legal? At beginning of design process I was told it would be difficult, and didn’t look into it.  We were just approved for building permit, so anything we do would have to be a post amendment. Thanks for your response.

eman134 | 13 years and 3 months ago

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you will have to tear it down and rebuild as current code compliant

jockdeboeraia | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Tearing it down may be cheaper, but you can also do research to prove when it was constructed as well as a series a probes to determine how it was built to see if it meets code. Assuming it fits within the allowed FAR you can legalize and if needed correct the structure to meet code. Your architect can take care of it for you. DOB will most likley bring it up during the reveiw process anyway and force you to deal with the issue.

rodriguezstudio | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Basically, if it is only 20 years old it is probably not grandfathered.  But if you can prove-through drawings- that it existing pre-1962 (when the last huge zoning text was “written”) then it would be grandfathered.  Of course, it can be made legal without having to tear it down-assuming it is structurally viable.  As mentioned above it has to comply with current zoning and LPC(if applicable) regulations. Your architect or expediter should be able to help you determine all of this. Not impossible but not a slam dunk.

callalily | 13 years and 3 months ago

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If OP was already approved for the permit, isn’t the extension a non-issue?

bobjohn | 13 years and 3 months ago

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OP means original poster – psp215

dazednconfused2 | 13 years and 3 months ago

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OP- if the current extension does not match the Sanborn maps, then the DOB will consider it a more recent change.  Only exactly what is shown on the Sanborn map will be considered existing.   The consensus here, and I agree with it, is to go back to your architect and have him/her determine if it  complies with zoning.  If so, then the architect can have the contractor do some probes to determine if the construction meets building code.  If yes, then just legalize it with the current application.  If not, then you can choose to make whatever alterations are necessary to bring it up to code, or you can remove it.  You might choose to remove it as the cost of bringing something like that up to code is often more than it would be to build it from scratch.   If it does not meet zoning code, then you have no choice but to remove it.