Chapter 2 Index

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• Inspections
• Planning - Looking at the Big Picture
• Additions
• Hiring an Architect
• Doing it Yourself vs. Choosing a Contractor
• Permits

Before the work begins

Just the thought of preparing for a rehab project, addition, or purchase of an older home can be overwhelming. It's a bad idea to rush into any project without an objective opinion and clear idea of what is ahead. Getting inspections, planning the project, hiring professionals, and acquiring permits are all important parts of this process. The following recommendations and ideas are a good place to begin.

Inspections

If you are considering the purchase of an older home or if you need help with a maintenance plan, it might be a good idea to get a building inspection. A quality inspection can detect flaws in a property that would normally be ignored. For example, structural flaws, hazardous material problems, or insect infestation are often overlooked except by a trained eye. An inspection might save you money and help you prepare for your future maintenance and repair needs.

There are plenty of professional inspectors, architects, engineers, and builders willing to evaluate your older house and its plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. But remember, not all professionals are interested or well-versed in what is best for the older home. A thorough inspection includes every area of your house from the cellar to the attic, especially any area that is difficult to get to. If you need a recommendation, ask other old-house owners or call the Landmark Society. If you want to conduct your own inspection, refer to the Home Inspection Checklist in the appendix.

Planning - looking at the big picture

Talk to nearly anyone who has rehabilitated an older home and they'll all tell you to take your time and get to know your house before you make major changes. It might be helpful to live through a full year of seasons to fully understand exactly what you want. Is the kitchen dreary in the morning? Is the living room drafty and cold? Notice where you spend most of your time; if the kitchen has enough working room or cabinet space; if circulation patterns are simple or cumbersome; and if doors in halls or small rooms open in annoying directions.

Before making any plans, it also helps to evaluate the architectural character of your house-decide what makes your house special. This means looking at your house from a distance, from up-close, and on the inside.

>By looking at your house from a distance, determine the features that make it stand apart or blend in with others around it. For example, in some neighborhoods all of the houses might be stucco, close to the street, or have hipped roofs or porches. Houses might be located on spacious lawns with mature trees or in rows of similarly spaced homes. In any of these cases, you're identifying characteristics that should probably be left alone, because these features blend with and ultimately enhance the streetscape.

>As you move in closer, you'll notice other details-the layout and details of the windows and doors, porches, bays, overhangs, and cladding materials. These details are just as important as the overall picture and should be considered carefully in any rehab plans.

On the inside, evaluate the floor plan, the individual spaces, special features like trim, doors or built-ins, and finally the finishes and materials. With perhaps the exception of bathrooms and kitchens, most houses built in the last 100 years are very "livable." You may need an extra bathroom, but putting it at the end of the entrance hall or at one end of the living room could be a terrible solution. It's best to think about it for awhile.

Additions

Additions are a popular way to gain living space, stay in a familiar neighborhood, and avoid the expense of purchasing another home. Additions can complement your property and add value to it or they can look like a wart on your nose. Here are a few general rules that make good sense.

1. Additions should not interfere with the principal elevation (side) of your house. In some cases, secondary elevations are also too important to obscure or alter with additions. Additions should be subordinate to or smaller than your house in size and scale.

2. Always preserve the significant or special materials and features that characterize your house. For example, preserve porch details and make repairs that match the original work-it won't complement your house to replace round fluted columns with square pressure treated posts. Investigate methods to improve the efficiency of windows and doors; don't make quick judgments about thermal replacements.

>3. Additions should harmonize with your house in form, scale, color, materials, and character. That's not to say that additions must mimic every original detail and snub contemporary design. In fact, a good design complements your house but remains identifiable as an addition and not an historical part of the structure.

Hiring an architect

After becoming familiar with your house and after developing a priority list, you must decide what professional services, if any, you will need. Hiring the services of an architect may or may not be necessary for your project. Simple decisions on issues like moving a door, installing cabinets, or basic repairs are usually handled by you or your contractor.

On the other hand, additions and rehabilitations that might affect the architectural integrity of your property or involve major changes to the floor plan and exterior appearance should be reviewed by an architect familiar with old houses and their special problems. The City of Rochester's building permit office requires an architect or engineer's stamp on all projects over $10,000.

• Architects offer a variety of services that can be tailored to your needs. Below is a list of options:
• Conceptual, schematic, or preliminary designs are a good way to look at various options that you might consider. These drawings usually give an overview without spending significant time and money on details.
• The design development phase refines the preliminary concept with drawings, specifications, cost estimates, and project scope plan.
• Contract documents include working drawings and specifications that are used for competitive bidding and for the actual construction work.
• In addition to these services, your architect might provide a list of competent contractors and provide periodic site visits to review and certify completed work and to monitor work in progress.

Doing it yourself vs. choosing a contractor

"Doing it yourself" often seems like an appealing option; after all, when you're finished, you can stand back and proudly wag your finger at the job-well-done. But to find out if this option is for you, think about the following questions:

• Do you have the expertise to tackle complex building problems?
• Can your building acumen predict every angle, space, and fraction so that after the first board is laid, the remaining work from stone to plaster will fall exactly in line without having to begin anew, ruining expensive materials, and wasting precious time in the process?
• Do you have the time, the patience, and the tools needed to complete the work?
• If you are acting as your own general contractor, will subcontractors respond to your needs, requests, and budget as they would for a familiar contractor?
• Would you be better off doing only that portion of work that you are proficient in or jobs that require few skills? (This is called "sweat equity" on the TV home repair shows.)

If, on the other hand, you intend to hire a contractor, there are still important decisions to make. Consider the following guidelines before you sign on the dotted line:

• Always choose a contractor who has demonstrated expertise in a project similar to yours. Extensive old-house rehab experience is important because no two projects are alike, and it takes years to understand and master this special area of construction. Contractors should provide a reference list of completed projects and clients that are nearby and accessible.
• Always get at least three estimates. This helps you determine what the price, scope of work, and materials for your job should be. Estimates should also include detailed descriptions of all the work to be completed, notes of any verbal agreements made during the estimating process, a date to commence work, a time schedule, and the contractor's licensing and insurance information.
• Detailed estimates and work descriptions always help clear up misunderstandings that arise mid-way through a project. For example, a contract that reads, "Contractor will paint walls," might be intentionally vague. This kind of wording does not specify the quality, brand, sheen, or type of paint to be used, nor does it specify the number of coats or method to apply the material. Anything done above the very minimum may result in extra charges.
• Avoid suspiciously low bids. Some contractors purposely bid low, knowing that once they are on the job, they can ask for more money for work not specifically mentioned in the bid, thus another reason for a detailed estimate of costs.
• Get all change orders or extras in writing as soon as the verbal change or agreement is made. In many cases, it is impossible to foresee all the circumstances that will arise to affect the cost and outcome of the job. This is especially true in old-house work. For example, everyone on the job wants to trust everyone else, but sometimes simple verbal agreements are not understood or remembered the same by every party. Written change orders and extras ensure that the end of the project will be as pleasant as the beginning.

The amount and practice of marking up the cost of subcontracted labor and materials varies from one contractor to another. You have the right to know how much this mark-up will be. Charges from 10% to 40% are typical.

Unless you are very familiar with a contractor and his reputation, it is unwise to advance start-up or prepayment money. If an advance is given, it should not be a substantial amount. Incremental payments for work completed (draws) are normal and permissible provided the contractor does not ask for an amount exceeding the work completed. You should also retain enough of the final payment to ensure that all the work is finished. Ten percent is typically reserved for this reason.

More information on choosing a contractor.

Permits

The purpose of a building permit is to preserve life and property. Through the building permit process, the City of Rochester assures that construction work meets the New York State Building Code, the Fire Prevention Code, and local zoning and insurance requirements. You obtain a permit for your own safety. Failure to obtain a permit when it is needed can have devastating results. Fines, Stop Work Orders, failure to receive a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), and loss of insurance are all possible.

In Rochester, building any kind of structure requires a building permit. In addition, alteration to the interior floor plan, structural change, plumbing or electrical work also requires a building permit. If you're not sure, call the Permit Office at 428-6526.

If a contractor is managing the construction project, he/she will file for the building permit. If you are acting as the general contractor, managing subcontractors, or this is a do-it-yourself project, you will file for the permit. In either case, you, the property owner, are ultimately responsible for obtaining the building permit. For more specific information about building permits, refer to the building permit section in chapter VIII or call the Permit Office and ask for their pamphlet, "When Do You Need a Building Permit?"

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