Architect Westchester Michael McCann - Certified Aging in Place Specialist

With many people wanting to remain in their homes as they age instead of moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home, there is a demand for professionals knowledgeable as an Certified Aging in Place Specialist. What is aging in place? It means being able to remain and live in your home independently, comfortably and safely. If changes are made to the home, it might extend for years the ability of the homeowner to remain in their familiar surroundings.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, "Making changes to a home so you or your loved one can live in it longer is a growing trend among Baby Boomers and their parents. Modifications can range from simple to incredibly expensive...A CAPS certified specialist can do a home assessment for you and assist you in determining your needs."

Some age in place remodeling projects can include installing grab bars in the bathroom, securing floor coverings, changing door handles, installing walk-in showers or tubs and seats, rearranging appliances for easy accessibility, replacing light wall switches, increasing doorway openings, designing ramps for entrance into the home and other projects to make the home more user friendly for the older or disabled occupant.

Michael McCann is now a Certified Aging in Place specialist and as an architect and builder make the changes necessary to keep owners in their homes longer.

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Brown Harris Stevens hosted reception for stunning new book HouseHampton 21 Houses for the 21 Century

Real Estate company, Brown Harris Stevens of Southampton hosted a reception for the premier of the book HouseHampton, 21 Houses for the 21st Century. Photographer Ron Papageorge photographed all the Hampton homes featured in the book. A Wine and Cheese reception was hosed by Brown Harris Steven real estate and was attended by over 100 people in Brown Harris Steven's garden. The stunning new book features the architecture of Michael McCann. Michael McCann designed a home in Quogue The Hamptons that was photographed by Ron Papageorge and included in the book. Michael McCann AIA is an architect practicing in Westchester county, Fairfield county and the Hamptons.

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HouseHampton is now available in all BookHamptons (Southhampton, Sag Harbor, East Hampton, Black Cat Books Bar Harbor, Book and Books WestHampton Beach, The Open book WestHampton Beach, Book Revue Huntington and borders in Bohemia. Those who had display copies sold them out and we are on second orders for most stores

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Those of us in business long enough to have weathered several recessions are familiar with the arguments for and against to either staying in your home and renovating to get what you want or to move to a new home to gain what you're looking for.
On one hand it is sometimes more attractive to just move and not get into the whole design and construction process. But in reality, it is probably more cost effective to stay in your current residence and address those issues you would like to have in your residence. Besides the upheaval of selling and moving, assuming that you are happy with your neighborhood, schools etc. and have the room to improve, there are many expenses to moving such as financing the new purchase, closing costs, moving expenses, redecorating every room in the new home when those rooms might be finished in your present residence and it is only the renovated space that would be affected.
If you decide that to get what you want would be accomplished by renovating your present residence,(or even if you move and your new place is still missing something that you are looking for) what to be steps you would you take to begin the process. First, you must decide what it is that you want (new kitchen, new family room, additional bedrooms, master bedroom suite, etc.)You must also decide what your design style is. Do you like colonial architecture, tradition detailing, contemporary lines? Next, you must find out what can be construction wise to your residence. Do you have the space on your property to expand? What are the setback requirements in your neighborhood (how close to the lot line can you build)? To answer your first questions to see what's possible both physically and for your pocketbook, you need to find an architect.
Most towns and state building codes require an architect's plans for any renovation involving structural changes to your home. In some states like New York, any changes, such as renovating a bathroom, need plans filed with the local building department and the issuance of a building permit showing how the changes will be done under the rules in the building code.
How do you find an architect? These days most people are turning to the internet first to get some ideas. Many architects now have websites which display their portfolios with pictures. Do you like the style of the architect as portrayed on their sites? Each architect has a particular style. Some are only contemporary designers, some have worked primarily on commercial projects, some have no work to show that reflects what you like in a home. Your home is one of the sacred spaces in your life and when done must be a place where you retreat to and recharge. Once you see the kind of work that the architect has done that you like, you need to schedule a meeting and get a feel for this professional. You will be involved on a very personal basis with this person over many months and there has to be a good level of comfort between the architect and the clients. Is the architect a good listener? You have conveyed what you are looking for - does the architect seem to understand and ask the appropriate questions to reflect your needs, or are they pushing their own vision or agenda. Listening to you is extremely important since the architect must then translate your requests into a plan that works for you and your family.
Getting references should be the next step in choosing an architect and visiting several projects goes along with that. Take the time to speak to their clients and ask if you got what you first set out to accomplish with your renovation. Again, did the architect listen carefully to your criteria? Did the architect design within your budget? Anyone can give you a grand design, but you need to be able to afford it. The architect should have a good grasp of construction costs. See what the references have to tell you and look at their projects.
Questions to ask about the Architect:Was the architect good to work with? Did the architect design a project close to your budget? Did the architect fulfill your requirements? Did the architect work well with the Contractor? At what point are you left on your own? Does the architect stay with you until the project is complete or do you have to then deal yourself with the contractor without input from the architect? Many people like the design build concept and the architect is also the builder and therefore has intimate knowledge of building costs since they not only spec the materials, but also buy them and pay for them and know currently what electricians, plumbers, framers, sheetrockers, roofers, excavators, finished carpenters are charging these days. Most architects will not truly understand these costs and therefore a design builder might have a much more realistic cost analysis of your project.
It is most important for you to visit some projects completed by the architect and talk to past clients. It will help greatly in picking the correct architect for your project.

Westchester NY architect Michael McCann in book about Hamptons.

Michael McCann Westchester NY architect also practicing in Fairfield county and the Hampsons will be in HouseHampton 21 Houses for the 21st Century.

The book will be able to be purchased in Westchester NY at the following bookstores starting the Fall, 2010:

Andersons Bookstore in Larchmont on Chatsworth Ave, Larchmont NY

Womraths Bookstore in Bronxville, NY on Ponfield Road, Bronxville NY

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East Coast Home + Design magazine has asked again to profile Westchester residential architect Michael McCann AIA in an article of before and after pictures showcasing exteriors.
Michael chose to submit a project built in Pocantico Hills NY (Mt. Pleasant) for which he was both architect and builder. The Cotswold styled residence was originally the caretaker's cottage as part of a larger estate. The estate was broken up a number of years ago and the cottage became a free-standing property, still of substantial size. The cottage, large by most standards, lacked some modern amenities like a spacious master bedroom suite, family room and updated kitchen. The exterior of the residence had the stone and wood roof features reminiscent of Cotswold architecture found in the area of England of the same name. Michael included features such as eyebrow windows with bent wood shingles and detailed stone work in keeping with the original architecture of the residence. The goal was to present a finished product which looked seamless between the original structure and the substantial additions. The article in the July issue of East Coast Home + Design will feature this project, with before and after pictures (the pictures above are the "after" photos.) The owners, both writers, have enjoyed the secluded quiet of their home while being able to recreate at bit of Old England right in Westchester County.

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Heart of the Home - Kitchens! Here are some examples different kitchen designs based upon the needs of the clients.

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Home offices have evolved from a luxury to a necessity in today's economic climate. More and more people are working at home, either for their employer, for themselves or sometimes both. As recently as a decade ago, homes were not both shelter and workplace, but computers have changed things whereby most individuals now perform some work functions at home. In addition, today's job picture has many people seeking entrepreneurial opportunities if their previous employment either disappeared or was out-sourced or scaled back.
Rather than work in a space such as the kitchen that is also shared with other family functions and members, the home office devoted to just working provides a quiet space to focus on the task at hand, speak to clients and vendors without interruption and establish a separation between work and home. As such, a home office can pay for itself by providing a dedicated space where the employee/business owner can work more efficiently and productively. The kitchen counter or a card table set up in the basement playroom cannot provide those intangible benefits. As someone who has worked out of the home for 30 years, it has been imperative to have a dedicated space out of the fray of daily home life, especially with children.

Also, with today's push for a "greener" environment and the desire to save time and money not commuting to some far away office, telecommuting and working out of the home fits the definition perfectly of a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Architect with Residential building experience

In attending seminars and meeting with other architects, I often discuss the fact that I have been both an architect and a builder, contrary to the experience of most architects. In addition, architects will assume that I have just supervised the building of a project. What really astounds them is that I have actually build many of my projects. Yes, I have wielded a hammer! In spending the beginning of my architectural career not only designing my work, but also physically building it, I got an intimate knowledge of construction methods and procedures. So often there is a disconnect between the the architect's design and the ability to actually get the project built. In addition, when you also build what you have designed, the architect must order every board and nail and has first hand experience with construction costs. As the builder you then understand that projects cannot be easily broken down by cost per square foot in generalized terms. Having to pay for the materials, the subcontractors and the attending overhead such as liability and workers comp insurance provides an invaluable education as to construction costs. The combined experience as both architect and builder has provided a unique prospective that most architects never understand.

Architects in Westchester County NY, Fairfield county architects - Residential Legalization and Building permits

Residential Legalization and Building Permit Issues Take Homeowners by Surprise

You've finally decided to take the plunge and refinance your house to get that dream kitchen. the process is going smoothly when, out of nowhere, the title company picks up that certain improvements in the house, for example an added powder room or deck, are not recorded on your property card at the town hall. No Certificate of Occupancy, also called a Certificate of Compliance, exists for the improvements. The title company will not give clear title so you can't get financing. Now what do you do?
Or you've decided to sell your house and finally have a buyer yet, right before the closing, the purchaser's title company, during a search of records, notices that your enclosed porch doesn't have a Certificate of Compliance. In today's tighter lending environment, title companies and banks have become much stricter about these issues. the closing is put on hold as you scramble to clear up the problem, potentially risking losing your buyer.
Architect Michael McCann, AIA, a licensed architect in New York and Connecticut, of McCann-craft, Inc. has received many frantic calls from homeowners and realtors looking to quickly clear up legalizations issues, especially if a closing hangs in the balance. Frequently these unrecorded improvements were done prior to the purchase of the home by the current owner. Regardless of when these changes were performed to the house, title and mortgage banks and companies want C.O.'s before awarding clear title.
In the course of making presentations to almost forty real estate offices throughout Westchester. McCann reports that he has heard plenty legalization tales of woe. Village of Pelham Building Inspectro Len Russo said that he has even received calls from attorneys present at actual closings asking legalization or open building permit questions that were just discovered by the title company.
Fortunately, some of these problems can be solved simply by having an architect , familiar with the legalization issues, render and submit plans for the existing work. Occasionally, minor alterations are necessary and sometimes more extensive work is needed to bring the improvement into compliance with the building code.
Every home has a file at their town hall which records, for example, the dimension of the house, number of rooms, bathrooms, square footage, lot size, closed or open porches and finished or unfinished basements. Many towns are now making it possible for owners to view these records online.
When improvements are planned for a property, the owner must file a building permit application available from the building department, submit plans from a licensed architect or engineer and get town approval and variances if applicable, before beginning construction. the plans are then reviewed by the town's building department for compliance with the Residential Code of New York State or Ct. and any additional zoning laws enacted by the localities.
Dealing with the local building department often invokes fear in homeowners, but building officials and inspectors only want town records to be accurate and up to date in addition to the improvements being built in a safe and legal manner. Building Inspector Russo reinforced the importance of accurate records for the homeowner. "People don't realize that we maintain permanent records regarding their properties and having that information current can be vital if a property catastrophe strikes, such as a fire."
Bottom line, it's the law. Always make sure building permits are property obtained when contemplating any building project, and closed out when the project is completed. that way you can avoid the inevitable problems that will occur when the property is sold or refinanced, especially in today's lending environment. After all, not one wants to get stuck at a closing that won't close.

Michael McCann AIA is a licensed architect and builder in New York and Ct. He has extensive experience as a residential architect in Westchester County, NY, Fairfield county, Ct and the Hamptons. Michael McCann, president of McCann-craft, Inc. is also a builder licensed in Westchester county, NY and Ct.

Renovation to a residence in a Flood Plain Westchester County architects

There are many considerations to renovating an existing residence located in a flood plain in Westchester County, NY. An owner may not add value to a home more than 50% of the value of the home (not including the land) if the home is in a designated flood plain and if the home is not at least 14 feet above flood plain level. Determining the home's value less the land is not easily done and many towns will not consider the insurance value as adequate for the value of the home less the land. When the house is located in an area where the land is very valuable, as in a waterfront community, the house's value without the land may be low, thereby impeding the owner from adding much value without raising the home up to at least 14 feet.

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Many towns in Westchester County, NY levy fines when a residential owner has a home improvement done without filing a building permit. Some towns are assessing heavy penalties. New Rochelle, for example, has a fine of $2000 regardless of whether or not the owner instituted the remodeling or home improvement or if the upgrade to the property was present when the current owner purchased the home.

See an explanation on McCann-craft, Inc. website for further discussion of this problem. Michael McCann, architect and builder in Westchester County and Fairfield County has resolved these legalization problems for many owners.

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Legalizations, Building Permits, and Certificate of Occupancy

Architect Michael McCann is seeing an uptick in clients asking for legalization and Certificate of Occupancy resolutions. As a residential architect and builder, Michael was recently called by a potential client regarding the legalization of a basement remodel. The owner had just installed a new boiler which required final inspection by his town located in Westchester County. When the inspector came to see the boiler he noticed that the basement had been refinished without a builder permit. The inspector then told the owner that he would not complete final inspection of the boiler without the basement being legalized through obtaining a building permit. This requires filing architectural plans with the building department, filing appropriate electrical and plumbing applications. The town would then inspect the basement for code compliance. As an architect Michael has resolved many of these situations.