Planning Your Project
Project feasibility: Cost
It's human nature to want to know the cost of something before we buy it, and we would all like to look at the price tag of a new addition before we decide to build it. However getting an accurate cost estimate is one of the toughest parts of the process. It's difficult to know the cost of a building that hasn't been designed yet. This fact leads to many of the legendary nightmares of the design and construction process, where inaccurate estimates lead to budget-busting overuns. The cost of renovation or new construction is determined by a number of factors:
Project feasibility: Zoning & other ordinances
Most cities and towns regulate the size and positioning of houses on their lots. The zoning ordinances usually cover:
- Height, setback from lot lines (front, side, and rear), and sometimes lot coverage (the percentage of the lot that is covered by a building). In addition, there are rules covering distance from septic systems, bodies of water, wetlands and other conservation features. Your house may also be subject to historic preservation restrictions, or ordinances regulating the design or choice of materials you may use. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the current legal requirements (zoning ordinances change regularly). Keep in mind that many existing homes do not comply with current zoning regulations (non-conforming) because they were built before the zoning laws were in effect. Even if your existing house is "x" distance from the property line doesn't mean that your new addition can be also.
In most towns, if you're planning an addition, you will need a certified plot plan (completed by a surveyor) that shows that exact position of your existing house on the lot. (Note: although they look similar, a mortgage plot plan is different than a certified plot plan. On a certified plan, the dimensions are in decimal form, on a mortgage plan they are rounded off.)
Project feasibility: Time Frame
We'd all like to know how long a project will take, so we can arrange our schedules and lives accordingly. Sometimes events like a new baby or needing to move out of your existing home make the project time frame even more critical. While it's possible to estimate completion dates, project duration, from planning to move-in, is subject to similar variables as project cost:
Project feasibility: Build or move
The process of design and construction is not simple (if nothing else, this site should illustrate that) so it's natural to consider whether you could get the desired features more easily by moving. Even if you're pretty sure you'd like to stay put, it may be worth it to spend a bit of time considering the move option, so that when you're knee deep in construction dust you won't wonder if "maybe we would have been better off…." The same applies to tearing your house down and rebuilding in the same spot. The build/move decision will be based on:
- Value of existing house (realtor can appraise)
- Cost of available real estate
- Ties to existing neighborhood
- Cost/timing of move
- Urgency of need
- Financing, cash flow, and tax issues
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