By: Monte Leeper
Due to a production error, the question in last week's Ask the experts column did not match the answer. This is the correct version of this column. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Q. My wife and I are contemplating adding a second floor to our home so that we will have more room for our three children. It is frustrating finding space for the kids to have their own space in our Cape Cod style house. We have interviewed five contractors and gotten five stories about how to go about it. Some gave us an idea of cost, others said they need to look at plans first. They were all over the board about getting permits. One even told us that you get the permits after the house is built, only if they catch you. Another said he designs the house, gives it to a draftsman, who then gets an engineer to stamp the plans. From the Internet, both my wife and I have gotten a lot of information that recommends using an architect. What order do I follow to figure out what we're doing and sort out this mess? We are trying to stay focused on getting our kids more living space.
A. The order of your project, in general, is to (1) plan, (2) estimate, (3) permit, (4) build, (5) inspect, (6) sign off. Planning is more than just a nice exterior look or a good kitchen layout. It requires attention to the many functional needs you have, the structural loads of materials and the weather, and planning ahead so that you can place furniture on a wall where you may otherwise have mistakenly placed too many windows.
The architect can guide you with planning, work with general numbers to estimate, give you a direction to follow, and make sure you meet building codes. This keeps you organized, helps avoid expensive pitfalls, and creates the plans that become your contract with the builder.
The builder who told you he designs ought to put some fear in you as to how much experience they have with local and state code interpretations, which differ, structural issues and what qualifications they have to get you into the project, or just hot water. The builder who stated that you don't need permits needs the job to start soon so that he can get paid without the sometimes considerable delays related to review and approval of your plans. Later, when the bank will not approve your buyer's closing on the property, and you just want to sell and move on, you will be saddled with the responsibility of getting permits in a hurry, which generally isn't done. You may even have to rebuild, at your expense, of course, the parts of the house that don't meet code, just so you can close. Your sale may fall through, as some do, you are spending money when you want to make it, and you have the builder, who is long gone, to thank for your aggravation.
Drafting services, contractors, and design services are rarely qualified to develop the contract plans you require. Even a simple project like a deck, designed inadequately or built in the wrong place, can cause added expense to correct, such as in the case of one couple who have spent over a thousand dollars extra in town fees and penalties for the deck they built in July. All because the deck is one foot farther from the house than allowed and requires a variance. Hire the architect, then get the contractor, and form a team.
Readers are encouraged to send
questions to: HERALD Homes, 379 Central Avenue, Lawrence, N.Y. 11559
Attn: Monte Leeper, Architect.
