Should You Remodel, Add On, or Build a New House in Coral Gables? A Coral Gables Home Renovation Architect Explains How to Decide

United Architects, a Coral Gables architect, designed the additions and remodeling to this house. Click on photo for more information

If your Coral Gables house is just old and dated, and you dislike the existing kitchen and floor plan, do you want another bedroom or larger primary suite? Or are you trying to determine whether the existing house is worth saving?  Then, this article is for you.

Coral Gables

If you like your location, it’s impossible to find an empty lot in Coral Gables, so can you work around what you have.  This is probably one of the primary considerations.

Can You Add onto the Existing House? First-Floor Addition vs. Second-Story Addition

Have you considered an addition on the back or possibly a second-story addition?  I always recommend, when possible, a rear addition. A second-story addition is complicated.  First, you have to increase the size of your footings, then you may have to reinforce the walls, and lastly, you have to remove the existing trusses or joists where you will place the new addition.  And, if it rains during the construction of the 2^nd story addition, even if the contractor is very diligent and covers everything with a tarp, if rain gets in, you may well have to replace all the drywall, the flooring, and even the electrical outlets. So given the option of building on the first floor or building a two-story addition, building on the ground floor is much preferred. Of course, you always have to check the setbacks and the two calculations that Coral Gables requires – the maximum lot coverage and the maximum allowable square footage so that you can indeed add space to the house.  You can read about these two calculations here.

Is Your Coral Gables House Historic?

One of the most important Coral Gables considerations is whether the house is historic. According to the Department of Historic Resources, all substantial demolitions have to be reviewed by their department.  Any addition or exterior remodeling of a historic property also has to be reviewed by their department.  Here is more on that:  https://www.coralgables.com/department/historical-resources-cultural-arts/historic-preservation They have a map denoting areas that Coral Gables considers historic, but your house may be considered historic even though it’s not on that map.  Review this issue carefully, consult with them before preparing any plans.

Sewer or Septic Can Change the Economics

Then, there is the issue of whether your house is tied to a sewer line or is presently on a septic tank system.  If you will be adding additional square footage and bathrooms, you will likely either have to connect to a sewer line or provide a new septic tank.  This is a critical issue because Coral Gables is in the process of installing sewer lines in the streets, but if they have not gotten to your street yet, you may still have to provide a new septic tank although the sewer line installation may be just months away. For your information, a new septic tank can represent thousands of dollars in additional project cost.

Sometimes Interior Remodeling is the Best Answer According to Coral Gables Home Renovation Architect

As a Coral Gables home renovation architect, designing an interior remodeling is much easier than an addition, simply because you don’t have to present your design in front of the Board of Architects.  They can be exacting in their critique of your project, and you may not like what they have to say.  So, if there are just a few walls to move inside the house, an interior renovation is a very feasible project to undertake in Coral Gables.  Updating a house and bringing it to modern standards can be a much easier process that may get you the design that allows you to relax completely in the family room or give you more space to entertain your friends, or a kitchen that is so comfortable to cook in that you will love preparing your best dishes while your family eats in instead of going out all the time.  The best answer is not always the project that produces the greatest square footage; it is the project that gives the homeowner the house he actually wants to live in.

Check Flood Elevation Before you Decide on Either Remodeling or Addition

Now, don’t forget to check FEMA and your local jurisdiction for the required floor elevation. This can be done when you order your survey, make sure you get an elevation certificate with it.  Read more about this issue here.

Some areas of Coral Gables are located within FEMA-designated flood zones, particularly lower-lying and waterfront areas. For homes in these locations, flood-elevation requirements and FEMA’s substantial-improvement rules can become important factors when deciding whether to remodel, substantially renovate, or build new.

Even though FEMA has restrictions on what you can build or remodel depending on the elevation of your present house, there may also be a perfectly legal way to establish a more realistic value for the existing house.  Rather than relying only on the building value shown in the property appraiser’s records, the owner can obtain a professional appraisal that considers the current value of the structure, including today’s construction costs, its age, condition, and depreciation.

In some cases, this produces a significantly higher—and more realistic—value for the existing

building. Since FEMA’s substantial-improvement limitation is measured as a percentage of the

building’s value, an appropriately documented appraisal can sometimes allow a considerably larger renovation or addition, while remaining fully within FEMA and local floodplain regulations.

When Demolition and a New House Makes More Sense

Now that I have given you several considerations, and you really don’t see yourself fixing all the issues your present house has.  For example, you don’t have space at the back, or you want to leave that space for a future pool, or the structure has so many deficiencies that would need to be corrected.  Or maybe you hate the façade and don’t see how to fix it.  Then, for sure, consider demolishing the house (assuming it’s not historic).  We can help you build a new house as well.

An architect can evaluate these alternatives before you commit to a major construction project – looking at zoning, lot coverage, allowable floor area, flood elevation, historic status, existing structure, and your space requirements.

Contact Information

Just call me, Maria Luisa Castellanos, R.A., a Coral Gables architect and principal of United Architects, Inc., at 305-439-7898 or email me at MLC@UnitedArchs.com . I can help you make this expensive decision correctly.