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Hands down the stupidest house style ever built. I refused to even step foot in one when I was looking for my first home. They where built to save $$ on excavation and foundation costs. Should tear them all down and build something normal. Hey let’s get a house where 50% of the house in 25% below grade and has no basement.
That’s more than dormering in some of those examples though.
I had a ranch and looked into adding a second floor. That meant adding stairs, building an entire second floor and rebuilding the roof, and moving all the mechanical stuff for the AC. Ended up being so much that it would be cheaper to sell the ranch and buy a colonial.
So maybe that’s what a “Ranch Colonial” is - someone who did a conversion.
That’s more than dormering in some of those examples though.
I had a ranch and looked into adding a second floor. That meant adding stairs, building an entire second floor and rebuilding the roof, and moving all the mechanical stuff for the AC. Ended up being so much that it would be cheaper to sell the ranch and buy a colonial.
So maybe that’s what a “Ranch Colonial” is - someone who did a conversion.
Earlier someone mentioned buying a lot and building whatever the buyer wants. Has anyone does this on LI? How does the cost compete with buying a completed house? I know this is a generalized question that will illicit generalized answers, but the commenters here seem knowledgeable.
The cost ultimately depends on where you buy and what you build. New construction taxes are another issue to consider.
Earlier someone mentioned buying a lot and building whatever the buyer wants. Has anyone does this on LI? How does the cost compete with buying a completed house? I know this is a generalized question that will illicit generalized answers, but the commenters here seem knowledgeable.
I've heard a lot of nightmares from people who buy vacant land/houses to tear down. The biggest complaints are:
1) You will be in permit beauracracy for a long time. A builder can build a house in a few months since they know who to pay off in the town. If you hire someone to do it, it could take several years to build.
2) You get a crappy contractor that steals from you/doesn't build what they promised so the costs skyrocket.
This is why a lot of people would rather buy a house from a builder who purchases the land/tear down and builds the new house themselves. If you buy it while it's being built, you can add your personal touches to the house.
Earlier someone mentioned buying a lot and building whatever the buyer wants. Has anyone does this on LI? How does the cost compete with buying a completed house? I know this is a generalized question that will illicit generalized answers, but the commenters here seem knowledgeable.
As others mentioned taxes and permits.
If it’s in Nassau your F’d with taxes. I’m in as western Suffolk as you can get, I’m in Nassau in under 2 min by car. My taxes are 16k before star and I’m going to get them lowered as they assessed me 100k over appraisal. Taxes are really dependent on SD. My home in 3 other districts that touch my town would would be 6k, 10k, 12k more.
Permits are the big headache. Even with a expediter there is just tons of stuff. Architect plans, surveys a bunch of other paper work. In suffolk you will need Board of health approval. Once foundation is built another survey. Then all the building, plumbing and electrical inspections. A final survey, final Board of health approval, hers rating test. Approval from highway dept for curb cut and to open road if you need a gas line or to connect to municipal water. A few bonds for stupidity in regards to roads and they will make you plant some trees also.
Price is all up to you. It will be comparable to a tear down. You will get to do exactly what you want. You can somewhat control taxes as there is no sale price so you can get a appraisal and use it against the tax thief’s to show its worth less than they say.
Time frame My vacant lot took 4 months to build the house. Permits and other BS took a year. I had to move a few times in the end we don’t regret it. We got exactly what we wanted and chose every thing in the house down to outlet covers.
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