New Construction As A "remodel"

RyanDe680

We are having some difficulty with a county (client lives in unincoporated county outside Chicago) giving us a permit by passing a perc test.

I have spoke with some others in the area that are encouraging me to consider the project a "remodel" instead of a new construction. There is an existing home that will be demo'ed, however, I was told that if and existing wall or some part of the existing home is kept up, that the project can be deemed a remodel and thus avoiding a lot of the permit issues with new home construction.

Normally we build homes on lots that we own and thus I know that they are vacant so this is somewhat unfamiliar.

Any suggestions or anyone heard of this in your respective areas?

Thanks.

mickeyco

If you're planning on building a new home, it's a new house, are you using the existing foundation, if you are rebuilding the existing one it's a remodel. If you want to build a new home and a perc test is required (and it is, unless there are sewers) and it failed either you have to remedy the problem or not build a new house, are there any problems with the existing septic? Regardless you have meet their requirements, it sounds like you're looking for a loophole, I doubt you'll get around it. The only advice I could think of his hand dig the holes for the test, they'll drain better. If it's in DuPage you'll be doing what they want, or not building, unless you're the son of a prominent politician.




.

__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

BKFranks

Here you have to leave the foundation and one wall. Tearing everything else down is ok.

__________________

rbsremodeling

same here foundation and one wall usually the front facade

__________________

RyanDe680

With regard to the existing septic, nothing is really known about it, which is why the owner wants it replaced.

Not looking for a loophole, but rather an understanding of how an existing structure can be considered a remodel in building a new home. I'll have to readdress the plat to see the positioning of the new home with respect to the existing structure.

Unfortunately, this is in DuPage.

The owner's other option is to bring the sewer to the home, at a cost of about $90k. My question then becomes if the town/county will allow construction on the new home to begin (if we went that route) at the same time as the sewer construction begins.

RyanDe680

Out of curiosity, improvements can be made to the existing foundation for support correct?

BKFranks

Yeah, it can be underpinned, gradebeams, or whatever is necessary.

__________________

mickeyco

There are ways to remedy the situation for a lot less than a $90k sewer (post in excavation), there are also special septic systems for poor drainage (don't know if DuPage accepts them though, ask) and if the new house is going to have more bathrooms, or more square feet you may be forced to replace the septic anyway so you'd be back where you started. I don't know if you're planning on building larger than what is there or adding stories, that would require foundation work and an engineer. Unless it's more than just a drainage problem (location in regards to wells or easement, etc.), to me it sounds like the best thing to do would be to see what it would cost to remedy the drainage problem, and start from scratch.





.

__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

nadonailer

Here, it's save 50%+ of the original framing even if you have to sister frame in a bunch of crap.....

__________________
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

wyoming 1

Here in wyoming we have a lot of flood irrigation systems which overwhelm the leach system. We have done alot of dose tanks and evaporation beds maybe an answer for you if you have the room

Bodger

My current project in Venice, CA turned out to be a complete teardown, but we still maintained remodel status by leaving only one square foot of the original foundation, and that was removed, set aside, and replaced into a new grade beam that was poured, just to keep things official I suppose. There was so much confusion in the LA Building Department on the issue of what percentage has to remain of the old structure, they eventually just signed me off as a remodel even though there was only that one chunk of concrete remaining. I was amazed.

Halo

We are in the middle of build where we used/modified the old foundation. The previous structure and chimney were removed. The local municipality calls this a remodel the assesor calls it new construction.

wellbuilthome

Hear in NY we can leave a foundation in most towns and build a new house around it .In my neighborhood lots use to be 80x100 and my house is built on 5 lots . 10 years ago we needed 5 acres now we have 10 acre zoning law. I built a small house last year and just left the deck in place. Then the deck fell over and we had to rebuild it. ( I didn't hit it with the track ho) The septic can be rebuilt with no plans If you replace the tank first and then the leach fields later. But all towns are different. I'm building a florist shop now and The existing building was 20x31 with a 12x14 rear addition We added 18x 44 across the front some curbs sewer x leader drains under ground electric parking lot . The building had to stay up so we stripped it in side and out and re graded it . Getting all the guys with the hard hats on the same page is the hard part . It seem like every one at the job is a engineer but me.