All Forum Posts by: Jared W Smith

Welcome! 

Welcome from a fellow Architect. 

Couldn't agree more. 

If a Designer or Contractor is proposing to remove a wall and does not think to check the structural integrity of said wall, then they are no one you should be dealing with. More than standard among design professionals- Architects and Engineers. 

Exactly the reason to have an Architect on your team to join in on these conversations ESPECIALLY in existing renovations in older homes. What ever the Contractor proposes you should not take as the only option. Numerous times I have been able to think through an issues that arose on a construction site and saved the Owner by proposing an alternate route to resolve it. 

ACM (Asbestos Containing Material) abatement is a tough one because often you won't know (outside pipe insulation & 8x8 tiles which I can spot and point out with no testing). However, a wall sitting on top of conc. is not typically allowed however, there are work arounds. OF COURSE the Contractor is going to say you need to tear it all out and rebuild the wall(s)  because that's the absolute easiest solution and adds additional work for him. Remember the more work they do, the more you have to pay them. So their opinion of what to do when a problem arises is inherently biased.  

Welcome to the site and glad to see another fellow Westchester Resident. I have worked on a few projects in Scarsdale and know the appreciation is there. Congrats on landing a solid property which can be used as a springboard. 

Like you a purchased my primary residence in 2017 as an estate sale and landed an amazing deal which still holds a large amount of equity. We are about 47% LTV. My wife not comfortable putting our house as equity, therefore we are utilizing other options to fund investment properties.

All the best @Anthony Poulin  

Quote from @Desiah Barnett:

Hello, my name is Desiah Barnett. I am based out of Westchester County, NY, looking to invest in multifamily properties. 

 Welcome @Desiah Barnett !!

Quote from @Charles Seaman:

@Kerry G. You should check out the firm below.  Even though they're based in Manhattan, licensing for architecture work in New York is on a statewide basis.  I've worked with this firm many times in the past and can vouch for them.

https://alparchitecture.com/

Most Manhattan based firms that I’ve come across don’t know Westchester very well, especially Yonkers, and put a lot of onus on the property owner to do leg work. I’ve had to take over projects more than once when they’ve given up. My firm straddles the line of NYC and Westchester County based on my working in firms in both locations while in corporate before opening my firm, making up my 20 yrs of architectural experience. Few firms do both jurisdictions. They are two very different animals. I tell owners this. Equally I don’t venture too far out my service area for this very same reason. 

Quote from @Matthew Drouin:

@Kerry G. very smart to engage an architect.  Some questions I would ask before engaging them officially.

What are the building code requirements for adding this second unit?

Can you give me some example projects you’ve done where you got Zoning Board approval in this same jurisdiction?

Then take the general information you get from that meeting and ask a general contractor about a general budget. Based upon those conservative costs, what's the ROI on adding that second unit from a cash flow and value standpoint? If it costs you $200k to build it, including soft costs, and it adds $200k to the value and $6000 a year in cash flow considering financing costs (Assuming 80% LTV) at a 15% ROI. That to me would be a no brainer.

If it’s much less than that, I would think hard on what your opportunity costs are.

And then make sure that the architect you do engage is experienced on getting variances approved within that jurisdiction.  Oftentimes there is a Zoning Board Of Appeals that is comprised of volunteers who need to review and then collectively approve the variances you are asking for.  An experienced architect will know what to anticipate.  And also having an architect with expertise in your area means that they should understand the zoning code like the back of their hand.  Sometimes complying with one part of the zoning code by making a slight change will trigger another part of the code.  For instance, sometimes they will have a parking requirement for increasing density.  If you have to add another spot, it might trigger max lot coverage or set back requirements from lot lines.

You may pay more for an experienced architect but it’s worth it

Agree with much of what you’ve said. I work this jurisdiction and know the Codes very well. The time it takes in Yonkers to get this done is absurd at times. Best to avoid Zoning at all costs if possible. 

Hello @Kerry G.
I’m a licensed Architect and my office is based out of Yonkers actually. Probably 60% of my projects fall in the City. I know the City and permit processes very well. 

I’ve been through the Zoning Board and it’s no easy feat. It’s a long and grueling process that takes time. I would need to better understand things to assess the best route. 

In commenting on your 2nd point, an Architect familiar with development vs an Architect that does other types of work each have different skill sets @Robert Frazier. 

Having worked in corporate architecture firm for 13 yrs before opening my own firm, I understand your basis @Jay Hinrichs and it's totally accurate. Some are more cumbersome than others with project schedules but that comes down to project types and size of firm. I respect your many years of experience Jay but want to bring some perspective from the other side of the table.

In a corporate office which is running 10, 20 or even 50 projects at once (depending on the firm size), what is the benefit for the Architect to drop their other projects to jump on yours quicker? Have you paid their standard fee (or beat them up to lessen it further) or a premium to cut the line when updates or revisions are needed? Most have not done the latter. Therefore Bill & Jane's vacation house in the Hamptoms or the ABC Company tenant 10,000 SF commercial build out is ahead of your development.

Robert- If you do have the correct Architect for your project, then the problem is: they aren't incentivized to change anything. Especially if you haven't went into detail about how you want things to occur and what the project schedule is. The turnaround time should be in your agreement so they have priced things accordingly to achieve what it is you need. If it is not spelled out in the agreement, then they're abiding by the stipulated scope and your gripe may be with an unknown expectation or one which was not ironed out from the start. Nowadays and for most firms, no one client has paid to have 100% of your undivided attention for their project.