All Forum Posts by: Eric Teran

@Nik Moushon brings up a great point about the footings under the wall. Most likely there is nothing there as the concrete contractor had no idea a load-bearing wall was being installed which means it isn't on the foundation plan either. You can order the GC to break up the slab to show proof that a footing is installed. If there is one then you need to pay for the repair. If there isn't one then the GC needs to install one. However, if there is one it begs the question why would the GC install a footing if there was no load-bearing wall to be installed in the first place? 

@Leland S. that sucks that your architect is no longer involved. He takes a big risk by doing that. The industry standard for something like this is for shop drawings to be prepared by the subcontractor and then the GC approves them who then passes it onto the Architect for final approval before proceeding. This is where the Architect would have noticed a new wall that should not have been there. The same goes for the other cutouts you mentioned that they missed. If the GC approved the shop drawings and didn't forward them to anyone else it is on them. Did they forward it to you? Maybe you approved it without understanding what you were looking at. I had a client do that to me before. This client approved a shop drawing and the GC proceeded with the work. A month later there was an issue and since the owner approved it there was not much that could be done. Even though I was supposed to review it first. 

Anyway, I do find it odd that they didn't show a wood girder truss framing the opening. This is not a 35' opening. It is only a 4' x 11' opening. The double truss should have been spanning 20' from left to right which would sit on the exterior structural walls. From these two trusses, you form the opening with another double truss. Something like this:

The bad news is you can't do this anymore unless you remove a lot of the floor framing. Also, I DO NOT KNOW all the loads and other scenarios happening from above. Another issue you now have is that you can't just cut back the truss to add the 35' trusses to frame the opening. Trusses are calculated and not designed to be modified easily. Can the opening become smaller so that a girder truss is placed on the inside of the opening? This allows for all the truss members to remain in place but may destroy the stair design. 

You can also have a dropped beam but I don't think you will want that as the ceiling will no longer be flat and it may drop too low. Is this a flip, rental investment, or your home? I ask because if it isn't your dream home where you will live for 30 years then you may need to compromise. For a rental investment or a flip, it may not be a big deal to have some type of wall or post in that area if it doesn't affect your returns. At this point as much as I hate to say it you may need to compromise for something you may not want to do and take it as a lesson learned for the next project. 

@Leland Smith I’m an architect and designed an open floor span with 24” wood trusses that spanned 35’ the entire length of a 60’ house. However, I used a structural engineer and we went back and forth for about three months on how to accomplish this. We looked at strength, beams, point loads, foundation support, and so on until we determined the best solution for the design and price.

With that big of an opening I am surprised your Architect or permitting jurisdiction didn’t ask for a structural engineer. This should have been figured out before construction started. However, the contractor should not have built that wall without your permission. Anytime they deviate from the contract plans they need to get your permission first. Your contract (I’m assuming this) is with the contractor and not the framer so it is the contractors fault that their framer did this.

With that said maybe what was designed was not going to work. As I mentioned above we used 24” floor trusses. Do the plans allow for such a big floor package? Maybe it does but then will the stairs fit within the space provided with the added height? If you add steel you might have to change the foundation. Trying to figure this out during construction was a bad way of doing it. Did they already build the second floor?

Right now you need to get the Architect, GC, and framer together at the job site to figure it out. Even better would be to also have a structural engineer at the meeting. Once a solution is reached then you can play the blame game and see who owes who money.

Gold luck.

@Syed Younus I use Jason Osser, https://ossercpa.com/. He has STR and long term investments. Good luck!

@Mike Warder

Did your handyman get a building permit to dig a window well or is it to make the basement room a legal bedroom? It would be safer to say it is legally being changed to a bedroom for document purposes. Just be sure the window sill is less than 44” from the interior finish floor and the window and egress sizes are per code to be considered an egress well. Here is a good link, https://buildingcodetrainer.com/egress-window-requirements/.

As far as $1,500 goes for the permit that sounds fair for this area. If he submitted the plans with your approval then he should be paid. If he did it without your approval then it is up to you if you want to fight. The construction cost sounds reasonable but it depends what your are doing? If the egress well is a concrete wall or block it should be more. However, if it is a prefabricated metal half circle type of installation then that sounds right.

Good luck.

@Russell Brazil thanks for the mention.

@Franky Aikens I am the Architect to a few high end homes in the DC area. My biggest so far is a 12,000 SF home near BWI that will be a net-zero home. In DC I have a few between 5,000 to 9,000 SF. One of them has a roof top Pool so the owner can enjoy the 4th of July fireworks from his hot tub. There are also a few in NOVA and one near Harpers Ferry that is 10,000 SF on 15 acres of land. It isn’t so much the size but how the design is laid out to maximize the space.

When I lived in Southern California I worked at a firm that designed ultra modern homes in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Malibu and so on for a homes that sold between the low price of $10 to $50 million dollars. Even those clients had budgets.

I’m happy to answer any questions you have about Building in this area. When you build a high end home the likely hood is that almost everything has to be upgraded. That includes items such as a bigger water meter, work in public space, updating the energy efficiency, fire sprinklers, and so on. If the design involves the BZA (board of zoning appeal) or historic the process just takes that much longer. BZA is backed up five months so it takes around 6-8 months to get a building permit if BZA approval is required. Good Times.

@Kimberly L. knowledge through experience is the best way to learn. I know you won't make the same mistakes again. I've also learned if you pay a little more upfront for detailed plans and estimates you will save a lot during construction. Better yet, you will stay within your budget. I have another client who is a developer who is also deaf. We are always in communication to see which properties make sense for him to invest in. I can put you two in contact if you would like. 

There is a lot that goes into separating a SFH into two-dwelling units. Construction costs can range from $100k to $400k. It depends on what you want to do. Some clients only separate the basement with a simple remodel. Other projects involve adding a 3rd-story, making each unit 2 stories, adding more SF at the back, and so on. At that point, it is basically all new. The location will tell you how much you can sell each condo for and at what size. You have to work backward. Once you have that selling price we can discuss how to convert the SFH to two-dwelling units. I suggest working with a realtor that understands these price points.

The big difference in costs are in the following areas; separate utilities for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing, most likely the need to upsize the water meter and meter lateral (Will need a DC Water and DDOT permit), fireproofing between units, and a sprinkler system in one or both units. In some RF-1 zones they may be historic and you will need to have HPRB (Historic Preservation Review Board) or BZA (Board of Zoning Adjustments) review the plans. 

@Kimberly L. for a cellar to be considered a cellar the BHMP (building height measuring point) has to be less than 5'-0" from the first-floor elevation. If it is more then it is a basement and considered a story. The BHMP is the existing grade height at the middle of the front facade of the building. For example, the BHMP is shown as 0.0 on an elevation drawing. Then the first floor can only be 4'-11" higher.

In regards to adding a story, it depends on what zone you are located in. DC zoning for residential use is usually dictated by height, story limit, and lot occupancy. Other zones are usually height, lot occupancy, F.A.R., and other requirements. If you are in the RF-1 zone the height limit is 35'-0" from the existing grade and/or 3 stories. 

Making the cellar deeper only works if the BHMP is lower than 5'-0". Most rowhomes are. 

@Joseph Ayoub I have worked as an architect on four projects that were considered blighted. Actually, 3 and one was about to become classified as blighted if they didn’t act to improve their property. I even had my leg fall through a floor and another time a rug was hiding a 3’ diameter hole on the third floor. So there is a lot of work involved. A lot! The other project the existing structure was so damaged we had to raze the home which lead to a lot more restrictions being a new build.

It isn’t hard but get it in your mind that a blighted house will basically be a new house in regards to your budget. Everything will most likely be replaced. Even the joist and every pipe and wire and so on. Only the party walls and exterior walls will remain in place. Actually, you only need to keep 40% of the exterior walls above grade to be considered existing and you can get creative. You do have to be careful about DDOT and DC Water issues that can drive up the cost.

There are also a lot of individual owners on those lists that you can reach out to. Once a house in DC is classified as blighted the property tax is ridiculous. One client bought a vacant house that once he bought it the DC tax office changed it to blighted which raised the property tax from $6k to close to $30k. Luckily he was able to prove that he was going get a permit for a new home so they waived the fee. Don’t go into buying a blighted property without building ASAP.

@Abigail J Steinert there is an e-myth book for real estate investors. Actually there are numerous e-myth books for different types of businesses and professions. Here is a link in Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Real-Estate-Investor/dp/0983554269.

The thinking is to have systems for all your decisions. For example, always have the same type of flooring for a specific price point so you don’t waste your time looking for flooring for every project. This also allows you do know the budget much quicker. In the first few projects you will have to figure out what works and eventually the decision making process goes a lot quicker and smoother. Also, who do you hire and what do they do? Is it worth your time to make small decisions, build a cabinet, or find investors? You can’t do it all so you have to build a team. Find out what you are strong at and fill in the holes with other people.

The goal of e-myth is that you are not doing everything. You don’t want to work 80 hours a week. You want to make the money and delegate to others.

I hope that helps.