Rehab in Miami

We purchased a house near El Portal Miami Florida on November 2013. The property had several violations. Had I been aware of how difficult it would be to remove and remedy the violations I would not have made this investment. Do not invest in property with violations, at least not in Miami Florida. There are too many houses sitting around in Miami Dade County that could use some rehab, but I imagine that they will sit just as they are and continue to be a cancer to their neighborhood because getting through the permit system and making them better is simply to costly both to your pocket book and time. The county should work to remedy the issues with foreclosed, improperly updated properties. There is a lot of illegal construction in the properties around Miami Dade County and I almost feel as thou the county works against rehabbers, who are in fact out to make a buck, but at the same time improve the properties in the county that need to be made better. As an investor, I can afford to buy this home and rehab it, but someone looking for a house to make a home most likely could not and would not embark on such a task. 

 I recently received my building permit, after months of going back and forth between Miami Dade County and my Architect. Lesson #1 was learned - A good Architect is hard to find, the simple fact that an individual has an Architectural degree does not imply they actually know what they are doing. I requested this permit as an Owner Builder, I expected that my Architect would assist me in the process of obtaining my permit, I expected they knew how the system worked and I was wrong. Not once did my Architect go into the county and speak with a plan reviewer. I had to go back and forth between my Architect and the plan reviewers. The plan reviewer explained to me what was expected, the Architect would argue with me that the plan reviewer must be wrong and so that is how this process proceeded for months. I couldn't tell you at this point whether the plan reviewer was mistaken or whether it was my Architect. The building codes in Miami change often, I'm not even sure the plan reviewers/engineers and architects are truly aware of most of them. Basically, from what I could gather, what needs to be done and how it should be done simply depends on what plan reviewer you got and who is inspecting the work. It's hit or miss. In spite, of all the hardships and revisions I went through to obtain this permit, I am at least glad that along the way I learned a great deal. I may have learned more than Architects and Engineers would like their customers to know. I once had an Engineer change the size of the windows on a home because they were not up to code, he failed to mention that because the house was built in 1968,  it was not necessary to meet today's code. It was a job that could have cost me a lot less  had I just popped out and popped in new windows in the same whole. Instead I broke into my walls, enlarged the window size and had to reinforce each one. It was an expense I would have avoided had I been aware that the house was not required to meet the new code. 

Rehabbing is not easy, at least not for me. My first rehab was when I was 23 years old, it was a house in Little Havana that I actually managed to sell for a profit. I loved learning how to build a house, I still have a long ways to go, but as a landlord, knowing how the plumbing, electrical, A/C systems, etc are wired, built and work is of a great advantage to me. I have had to learn the hard way, but at this point I know that the "hard way," is the best way. I'm still trying to recall what I ever got from my business bachelor that I've actually implemented in the real world. I've been cheated by contractors a few times, and too often chosen individuals that are simply not qualified, but I am learning. Learning that nothing gets done in government the way I had pictured, but most importantly I've learned that if I want to anything get anything done, I may as well jump in and get used to it. 

Pictured above is the illegally enclosed garage converted into a bedroom and bath. This house is still on septic, in order to get it on sewer it has to be connected to the pipes across the street. The  road would have to be closed and sliced in order to do this. The septic tank is only large enough for one bathroom, we were hoping to legalize the bedroom in the garage and keep the second bathroom, but its too costly. Before purchasing this house I never bothered to check whether a property had been connected to sewer or not and what the repercussions of that might be. Lesson #2 learned.

The house is also protected by the historical preservation association in Miami Dade County. Lesson #3 learned. I'm spending way more than I expected on Windows for this house, simply to comply with the wishes of the Historical Preservation Association. At least this time around I was aware my windows wouldn't have to be resized to meet the new codes. This house was built in 1938. I'm installing casement windows, so that they will comply with what is required by the county, but resizing and reinforcements were avoided. 

There is one too many "Travas," as my father would say in spanish, meaning the house has too many obstacles to surpass to get it in order. I'm working on it and will do my best to make this a good home, its in a nice neighborhood that is definitely improving and at the very least I have the satisfaction to be a part of that.