Taxes - porch (assessor, how much, houses)

[Sunshine3344]

Hello!

Does anyone know if your taxes increase if you add a front porch onto your house? Thank you!

[BBCjunkie]

It does increase your total assessment, which in turn will increase your taxes. The amount of increase will depend on the size of the porch and also your tax rate.

Until recently my house had a covered porch and it was reflected in the Assessment record. The record showed it as a 4' x 47' covered porch. In reality it was 8' x 47', lol. Last year I had the porch part removed but kept the roof. I "casually asked" the Assessor how much removing the porch part would reduce the taxes and was told that since the roof was being retained, it would be considered a portico instead of a porch (because there is still an 8x8 covered front stoop) and was told it would probably only make about a $50/year difference, if even that. Not worth the potential can of worms by letting them know I changed something without getting a demo permit, yadda yadda.

You can call your Town assessor, tell them the size of the thinking-about porch, and they will give you a ballpark figure of how much it may up your taxes.

[nuts2uiam]

You need to define porch. Prior to our moving there were people walking around and looking at the front of the homes for the county. I stopped the person and engaged him in a conversation and he asked how long I had my porch. My then home, had 1 step and a landing to enter the house, it was 4 feet wide and had wrought iron railings on either side. Where I came from on LI this was called a stoop. In county lingo, apparently it is called a porch.

If you are talking about a room or wrap around unenclosed there will be a difference. You need to consider the set back requirements too.

[BBCjunkie]

Good point about the setback. If the front of the house is already at the minimum front setback (say for example 40 ft) without a porch, then a variance is theoretically required in order to add a front porch because it would then encroach on the setback.

Saying "theoretically" because it's not unknown for people to add things first and legalize later (when selling). But a front porch is pretty blatant, if the Powers That Be are going around looking for such things.

I have sometimes wondered about the whole porch-versus-covered-stoop thing myself. I've always had houses that either had a covered porch OR an uncovered stoop (just steps and railing), until now. My current setup, after renovation, is a full-width roof, 8 ft deep, but the only 'structure' under it is an 8x8 brick "stoop" with three brick steps leading up to it. So I have no idea whether the masonry structure considered a "stoop" or a "covered porch." I sure wouldn't consider an 8x8 landing a "front porch" but who knows how the Town thinks. To me it's an oversized stoop (or as I prefer to spin it, an "entry door landing", LOL)

The remainder of the area under that roof area is a combination of stone mulch and plants, so it's defininately not a porch nor a patio (which would require some kind of hardscaping other than mulch.) That's why I think 'portico' is probably what they'd consider it.

They actually call an uncovered stoop a "porch" in Delaware? That's a bit of a money grab,LOL

[nuts2uiam]

[quote=BBCjunkie;54745931]Good point about the setback. If the front of the house is already at the minimum front setback (say for example 40 ft) without a porch, then a variance is theoretically required in order to add a front porch because it would then encroach on the setback.

Saying "theoretically" because it's not unknown for people to add things first and legalize later (when selling). But a front porch is pretty blatant, if the Powers That Be are going around looking for such things.

I have sometimes wondered about the whole porch-versus-covered-stoop thing myself. I've always had houses that either had a covered porch OR an uncovered stoop (just steps and railing), until now. My current setup, after renovation, is a full-width roof, 8 ft deep, but the only 'structure' under it is an 8x8 brick "stoop" with three brick steps leading up to it. So I have no idea whether the masonry structure considered a "stoop" or a "covered porch." I sure wouldn't consider an 8x8 landing a "front porch" but who knows how the Town thinks. To me it's an oversized stoop (or as I prefer to spin it, an "entry door landing", LOL)

The remainder of the area under that roof area is a combination of stone mulch and plants, so it's defininately not a porch nor a patio (which would require some kind of hardscaping other than mulch.) That's why I think 'portico' is probably what they'd consider it.

They actually call an uncovered stoop a "porch" in Delaware? That's a bit of a money grab,LOL[/QUOTE]

No, not in Delaware, that is where I moved to. On Long Island in NY. AND you have that right too.