New Construction Duplex subdivision/condo plat Start to finish
Ok so back in 2009 I acquired a failed multifamily subdivision from our local bank. It had 2 four plexes on it and septics in for next 2 buildings. It was plotted for 6 more I sat on it until about 2018/19.
So first thing I learn is the town I am building in had adopted county wide zoning. County wide zoning did not recognize RM (rural mulity family).It is now zoned RR rural residential. Only duplexes permitted.. It was an over site by the town and the county.
So First lesson is. Make sure your zoning lines up with what you have in mind. A variance is expensive and time consuming.
Ok so we now know we can build duplexes. So I hire a surveyor. We discussed my intentions (build 4 duplexes). He pointed out a few of the county ordinances that were going to be road blocks. (We exceeded density limits after 2 duplexes and would have to put in a paved road with curb and gutter, I had figured gravel drive). The solution was a condo plat. I could side step this ordinace and build as I planned.
After our plan was set. We got on the agenda for the town to propose the project. It helped we worked so closely with the county this really just became a formality to the process. Everything went through as we proposed.
We had hoped for a november 2019 start.. An early frost and the amount of leagal work to actually record the plat didn't make that feasible.
So we targeted May. It gave me adequate time to jump through all the zoning and legal work to set up the plat. My attorney,surveyor and the county did most the work. During this time I did invite a few different contractors to bid.I also Stayed in contact with subs on design Ideas. I brought on a different plumber and redisgned the heating systems with my Hvac contractor.
So now I know I can do it. I have my desired design. I have all my subs on board. I have the contruction financing in place.
So next step is to pull permits. I'll back up a bit here... When I called my inspector months earlier to talk about my intentions, he had an issue with my intended foundation. I wanted slab with exterior frost protection. He said NOPE!! He wold only permit 4' frost walls or full basement. I politely told him frost walls for this project would add additional 65k to the project, basements would add 120k. I would have to change the design to a multi level design or shrink the square footage of living space for it to make sense from a cost perspective. I said I wouldn't do either because neither is what the market needs. (They needed 3/2/2 on one level)..He didn't disagree and said I tell you what you have your slab engineered I'll approve it! Geat news. 500 bucks to an architect we have an engineered slab and we are good to go.
Lesson there is reach out to your inspector as you design. They all interpret codes differentily.
So first permit is sanitary, I had to spend a little time with excavator/septic contractor on design during the winter down time,we had our design ready to go and had the permits without question.
Next permit was land use. Due to all the up front design with the plat we already know were good.
3rd permit was the building permit. This is issued by the inspector. I made sure I had in print the blessing on my foundation plan before I sent the 6k for these permits.
So its May 1 and all permits in hand! I'll share construction progress/challenges in the next post.