Westchester architects,Home renovation and remodeling in Westchester,Building in a Flood Plain, FEMA rules and Westchester architect Michael McCann

Westchester architects face many challenges in trying to help clients modify homes in an area designated as a flood plain by FEMA and insurance companies. If a house is determined to be located in a flood plain, the owner is restricted to 50% of the value of the house or less as to the amount of money that can be spent on a renovation or remodeling. First the owner must determine the value of the house excluding the value of the land. That number must be arrived at independently by some sort of appraisal. Finding an appraiser willing to determine the value of the house only without the land is not easy in Westchester county. Very often vacant land nearby is used as a guide, but that value might approximate the value of the house and land together. If that is the case, once the value of the land is subtracted from the value of the land and house together, the house can come up with a very low value, thereby leaving not much dollar room to renovate the house.

For example, several towns have widespread flood plain designation, especially in Westchester county. If a home is purchased within that designated area, the owner purchasing or living in the house has restricted options as to how much work can be done. On a home worth $300K with out the land, that only leaves $150K that can be spent renovating the home. In Westchester county a home in battered condition purchased with the idea of fixing it up, $150 K does not go a long way, especially when you throw in a roof, a kitchen, siding and a couple of bathrooms. The Westchesterarchitect then is faced with finding other options so that the homeowner can make the required modifications.

One such option is to raise the house up above the FEMA level of flood stage level of 12 feet. Once the house is raised, the 50% rule is no longer the determinant as to what amount can be spent. This means that any area below now as a basement must be considered only for storage and not for staging any utilities (heat, A/C, electrical) or living space. And raising the house up also is constrained by the number of stories allowed in an area by zone laws. An architect in Westchester who has been through this process is essential before considering renovating a home in a flood plain area as the renovation might not be possible or might require that the home be raised up. This is especially true for anyone looking to purchase a home in Westchester county located in a flood plain. These flood plain rules are national.