Helping homeowners navigate house rebuilds

To help guide residents and potential homebuyers through a possible remodeling or construction project, the Village of Hewlett Harbor’s Building Department has created what it’s calling a concierge service.

Homeowners considering improvement projects such as renovations, alterations and additions, along with complete rebuilds are encouraged to meet with the Building Department at the earliest planning stages to learn about available options, village codes, restrictions, procedures and fees before any major decisions are made to avoid unwanted costs.

“Home renovations, remodeling and building are often fraught with anxiety,” said Mark Weiss, the mayor of Hewlett Harbor. “We want to help our current residents and future residents to get out in front of many of the inherent challenges they are sure to face by encouraging them to take advantage of the expert resources we have in the village.”

Homeowners and prospective homebuyers are urged to make an appointment with Village Clerk, Michael Ryder, a certified New York State Code Enforcement Official, for a free, private consultation. The architects and other consultants being used by the homeowners could also attend to help ensure that all the issues surrounding the project are addressed.

“We want to open up the communication with homeowners and expedite the process,” Ryder said. “We want to avoid the usual back and forth and make the process easier.”

Weiss said that the primary idea behind offering the concierge service is make sure that all such projects conform to village code. “Many of the recent remodeling projects and total rebuilds within our village and surrounding villages have been quite complex,” he said.

“Over the past two years, our board of trustees has been working with consultants to make certain that our codes have been updated to achieve the much desired, often elusive, balance between home values and the cherished serene personality our village is best known for.”

The updated codes can be viewed on the village’s website, hewlettharbor.org.