Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Homeowners, and now apartment building owners, will find it easier to construct accessory dwelling units (aka granny flats) in West Hollywood with the City Councils revision tonight of current rules and regulations to bring the city into compliance with new state laws.

The changes will permit construction of accessory dwelling units and also junior accessory dwelling units on any residentially zoned property, whether it is zoned for single-family homes or multi-unit buildings. The revisions will also permit such units on property zoned for a mix of commercial and residential use. Currently West Hollywood allows ADUs only in areas zoned for single-family homes. An ADU is defined as an attached or detached residential dwelling unit, which provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. ADUs include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same lot as the primary residence. A junior ADU is a unit that can share a bathroom with the main house on the property.

The Council adopted several other changes to comply with the state laws, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. If the Council had failed to adopt the changes, the citys current ADU regulations would be voided and state law would apply. The other changes include:

Allowing an ADU in a converted garage without requiring that parking in the garage be replaced, which currently is a city requirement.

Requiring the city to give the property owner a building permit within 60 days of application. Currently, the city has 120 days to approve an ADU in a single-family zone and issue a building permit.

Setting limits on the size of accessory dwelling units based on the number of bedrooms. City law now states that an ADU cant be more than half as large as the house it is attached to, with a maximum limit of 1,200 square feet. The new state laws allow the size of an ADU to be limited to half the square footage of the main dwelling but with no maximum square footage. And the city must, at a minimum, allow studio and one-bedroom ADUs to be at least 850 square feet and ADUs with two or more bedrooms to be at least 1,000 square feet.

Ensuring that the property owner gets a building permit if the ADU meets the basic criteria. That saves the property owner from having to take a proposed addition through the citys complex approval process, which in some cases can include reviews by the citys Planning Commission and its Design Review Subcommittee.

The new state laws also bar cities from using subjective design standards, like those used by the West Hollywood Planning Commissions Design Review Subcommittee, in deciding whether to permit an accessory dwelling unit. But they do allow use of objective design standards in deciding whether the accessory units design is acceptable.

The laws, which include Assembly Bills 881 and 68(1) and Senate Bill 13, are the latest in a series of laws enacted by the state legislature to override restrictive local laws that have caused the states housing crisis. The State of California ranks 49th in the nation in the number of housing units per person, with only Utah having fewer. State Sen. Richard Bloom, whose 50th District includes West Hollywood, is the author of AB 881.

City Council members Lindsey Horvath and Lauren Meister argued for postponing a vote on the revisions until there was more clarity about some of the states requirements.

I hate to see us jump to have to accommodate a really badly written law, Meister said.

Meister said that it wasnt clear whether or not a building owner would be allowed to convert a carport into an accessory dwelling unit, thus removing parking spaces. She also expressed concern that the state law would require the city to permit construction of a studio or one-bedroom ADU of at least 850 square feet and a unit with two or more bedrooms of at least 1,000 square feet. Meister said smaller-sized units would likely be less expensive to build and more affordable to rent.

Horvath expressed concern that the proposed revisions said that a second story or two-story attached ADU may not exceed the height of the primary dwelling, a limit not included in the state law. The Council agreed to remove a provision from the proposed revisions that would put that limit on the height of an attached ADU.

Another issue was the requirement in the citys revised ordinance that leases of accessory dwelling units be for one year or more. In a letter to the city, Californians for Homeownership, a non-profit associated with the California Association of Realtors, said while the state law allows a city to require rentals of longer than 30 days, it doesnt specifically require a one-year minimum lease

The CAR noted that recent revisions in the citys laws now require a minimum lease of one year or more for apartment rentals but allow the rental of houses or condos for as few as 31 days. Because the minimum lease term does not apply to all residential units in the city, it is not a residential leasing rule of general applicability, and it cannot apply to ADUs, the CAR argued.

Mayor John DAmico said he supported allowing two-story accessory dwelling units. DAmico also said he supported converting carports into dwelling units. He said that would make apartment buildings sitting on top of surface-level carports more sturdy and less vulnerable to earthquake damage. DAmico also argued that removing those carports would mean removing the driveway associated with them and allowing placement of parking spaces on the street.

Councilmember John Heilman pushed for the Council to adopt the proposed changes, noting that if the city didnt do that by the end of the year, construction of accessory dwelling units would be governed solely by state law. Heilman said it also was unlikely that the city would see an immediate surge in construction of new ADUs and that it could always revise its ADU laws in the future, so long as it complied with state requirements.

The Council adopted the proposed revisions but stipulated that converting carports into ADUs was not permitted. The approval came in a four-to-one vote, with Meister voting no.

CORRECTIONS: An earlier version of this story erred in saying the changes required by state law would allow the owner of an ADU to sell it separately from the house. City staff is exploring that as a possibility. But in fact, an ADU can only be sold separately as an affordable unit through a non-profit organization. The story also has been updated to clarify that the city will not limit the height of a two-story or second story attached ADU to the height of the primary dwelling.

Read this article:
Forced to Comply with State Law, the WeHo City Council Eases Restrictions on 'Granny Flats' - WEHOville

Photo provided

By CANDY NEALcneal@dcherald.com

HUNTINGBURG Work has been progressing on the workforce housing project at 319 N. Washington St. in Huntingburg.

Contractors have been working at the site since mid-July, and has the foundation down and the plumbing installed for the four buildings that will be on the site.

You had a wet summer down there, said Gary Ritz of Paragus, the Indianapolis company that is developing the site. So we had a lot of delays initially, because the site was too wet.

The $8 million project that will produce 56 housing units on the former Wagon Works site has been progressing since.

Were in the process of putting in the storm sewers, and then we will be bringing in the utilities to the site, Ritz said. That is the work that is currently happening now.

Ritz doesnt believe the weather will delay construction.

If we do, it would be for a short period of time. We expect be able to work through the winter, Ritz said. Your winter construction weather in Huntingburg is generally better than winter construction weather in Indianapolis, and almost always better than the winter construction weather for Fort Wayne, for example. And we have built in Fort Wayne before where we have built right through the winter with no delays.

The wood for the buildings will be delivered to the site around the first of the year. So you will see the wood framing start going up in early 2020, Ritz said. Youll see a lot of activity going on on the outside, with the framing going up. And then that work will turn to the inside, with a lot of the work occurring on the inside of the buildings.

But here in the next 30 to 45 days, youll see a lot of change from the outside.

Once completed, the Wagon Works development will have four buildings: three apartment buildings and a clubhouse. The complex will have 28 studio, 24 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments in three housing units on the site. The site will have bike racks, a fenced dog-walking area, a picnic area, a parking space for each apartment and on-site management. Each apartment will have curtains or blinds; a porch, patio or balcony; a garbage disposal; dishwasher; and hookups for cable and for a washer and dryer.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority granted the development $794,541 in rental housing tax credits, mainly due to Huntingburg being one of the states Stellar Communities. Huntingburg has granted the project a 100% abatement for 10 years.

We expect to have the first apartments ready for occupancy in the spring, Ritz said, The first apartment building should be done in May, and the second one should be done a month or so after that, and the third one will be done later. We expect the entire job to be done in October of next year.

The rest is here:
Work progressing at former Wagon Works site - The Herald

Michael DeRosa / Michael DeRosa Exchange, LLC

If youve ever watched Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate a home and thought, I could do that, nows your chance. While this deal doesn't come with its own HGTV camera crew, you could get a historic New York mansion for just $50,000and all you have to do is come up with the best plan to restore it.

Michael DeRosa / Michael DeRosa Exchange, LLC

According to real estate agent Michael DeRosas listing, philanthropist James Sheldon Seymour built the home in 1861, when he was 70 years old. It's located in Auburn, NY, near the Finger Lakes and the city of Syracuse. The city of Auburn later acquired the property through a foreclosure, and 2019 Property Tax Assessment valued the estate at just $162,100.

Michael DeRosa / Michael DeRosa Exchange, LLC

Located at 113 North Street in Auburn, the listing shows that the property features 10 bedrooms, three bathrooms, two half bathrooms, and four fireplaces. The three-story brick Victorian mansion is a whopping 6,000 square feet and includes a two-story carriage house.

Michael DeRosa / Michael DeRosa Exchange, LLC

The proposal application is two pages long, and along with the request for a plan for restoring the home, it includes questions about the intended use of the property, the restoration timeline, tax credits, and funding for the restoration.

The home drew interest from artist and baker Christine McConell, who creates terrifying delicious confections in her sweetly haunting Netflix show called The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell. Although she ultimately decided the home wasnt for her, she shared a rendering on Instagram of what the house could look like when restored.

Michael DeRosa / Michael DeRosa Exchange, LLC

To apply for the mansion, fill out and submit this form by December 18 at 5 p.m. EST. And please invite us over once the project is complete?

Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.

Read this article:
This 10-Bedroom New York Mansion Could Be Yours for $50k If You Have the Best Plan to Restore It - HouseBeautiful.com

By: Paul Davis Restoration | 3Shares 29Reads

December 17, 2019 // Franchising.com // Jacksonville, FL. - Paul Davis Restoration, a leading provider of fire, water and mold damage emergency and restoration services for residential and commercial properties, offers the following tips to help make the holidays safe. Winter is the most prevalent season for house fires and knowing the facts and implementing safety tips can make this time of year and the holidays more enjoyable and safer for friends and family. Additionally, Thanksgiving can signal the start of a peak time for home fires due to cooking accidents, electrical failures, dry trees, space heaters, fireplaces, candles, fireworks, and holiday lights, plus residents and visitors who choose to smoke in the home, to name a few.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA.org), home fires can occur during the holidays more than any other season. Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens present fire risks which may quickly turn the celebratory time of year into a devastating one.

Current statistics indicate that U.S. fire departments responded to an average 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of three deaths, 15 injuries, and $10 million in direct property damage annually. Also, more than one-third or approximately 37 percent of home Christmas tree fires start in the living room, family room, or den. The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Years Day and New Year's Eve.

For more information and a fire safety tip sheet, among others, visit the NFPA safety website at https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Winter-holidays.

According to Paul Davis, here are a few tips to help avoid winter season and holiday fires:

Safety Tips

Emergency Plan Forms for family, home and business:

For more than 50 years, Paul Davis Restoration Inc. has restored residential and commercial properties damaged by fire, water, mold, storms and disasters. The experts at Paul Davis understand the complex process of recovering from property damage and provide complete services; there is no need for the expense and confusion of hiring multiple contractors. Paul Davis is a one-stop shop for disaster damage and restoration. Paul Davis Restoration has more than 300 independently owned franchises in the United States and Canada. The professionals at Paul Davis are certified in emergency restoration, reconstruction and remodeling. For more information, visit the company website at http://www.pauldavis.com.

SOURCE Paul Davis Restoration Inc.

###

Read more here:
Paul Davis Offers Holiday Safety Tips to Prevent Accidents and House Fires - Franchising.com

A bass guitar stolen Saturday from a 1970s chart-climbing band has been located and is headed home.Exile, known for its hit song, "Kiss You All Over" was playing at the Ludlow Garage in Clifton. Shortly before the band took the stage, Sonny LeMaire noticed his custom-made bass was gone.LeMaire said the guitar was not the most expensive he owns, but it was one of his most prized.It was a guitar made by a dear friend of mine, just for me. It was just special, LeMaire said. When it happened, I was sick to my stomach.On Monday, LeMaire put out a plea to find the guitar.On Tuesday, a guitar restoration shop owner in Northside realized he had just bought the distinctive bass and wanted it reunited with its rightful owner.Chris Sisson, the owner of Restoration Guitar on Hamilton Avenue, said most of his work is fixing guitars.The satisfaction of doing this is helping musicians make the art. Sisson said.When he saw a picture of the stolen guitar, he said it was so unusual, he knew he had it.Oh yea, no question about it, Sisson said.In a FaceTime meeting, Sisson and LeMaire talked about the person who sold the guitar to Sisson.What was his story? LeMaire asked.His story was that he had a studio, and he was closing his studio, and he was going to have a cleaning service. So, he wanted to sell it, Sisson answered.Amazing. Amazing. Im glad you got it. Im glad its there, LeMaire said.The two are making arrangements to get the guitar sent back to LeMarie.

A bass guitar stolen Saturday from a 1970s chart-climbing band has been located and is headed home.

Exile, known for its hit song, "Kiss You All Over" was playing at the Ludlow Garage in Clifton. Shortly before the band took the stage, Sonny LeMaire noticed his custom-made bass was gone.

LeMaire said the guitar was not the most expensive he owns, but it was one of his most prized.

It was a guitar made by a dear friend of mine, just for me. It was just special, LeMaire said. When it happened, I was sick to my stomach.

On Monday, LeMaire put out a plea to find the guitar.

On Tuesday, a guitar restoration shop owner in Northside realized he had just bought the distinctive bass and wanted it reunited with its rightful owner.

Chris Sisson, the owner of Restoration Guitar on Hamilton Avenue, said most of his work is fixing guitars.

The satisfaction of doing this is helping musicians make the art. Sisson said.

When he saw a picture of the stolen guitar, he said it was so unusual, he knew he had it.

Oh yea, no question about it, Sisson said.

In a FaceTime meeting, Sisson and LeMaire talked about the person who sold the guitar to Sisson.

What was his story? LeMaire asked.

His story was that he had a studio, and he was closing his studio, and he was going to have a cleaning service. So, he wanted to sell it, Sisson answered.

Amazing. Amazing. Im glad you got it. Im glad its there, LeMaire said.

The two are making arrangements to get the guitar sent back to LeMarie.

See the original post:
Bass guitar stolen from member of popular 1970s band soon to be reunited with owner - WLWT Cincinnati

President Paula Mae Weekes. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

PRESIDENT Paula-Mae Weekes said she was aware of a public dialogue on the cost of restoring Presidents House but said the improvements lift national pride and have tangible benefits.

On Tuesday night she hosted guests for the reopening of the historic house, which had been out of service since its roof collapsed weeks before the 2010 general election.Weekes confided that last June she had hosted the Ghanaian President, but in a cramped and inappropriate setting. No suitable venue was available to host a dinner for her visitor, she lamented.Recalling her visit to Jamaicas Governor General, she quipped, My brown eyes turned green with envy at his stately, colonial home.She thanked the Government for returning President's House to a state befitting the dignity and status of the office of President.

It is an occasion for celebration.

She led guests in a toast to the renovated edifice, "the 21 century edition of President's House."I wish you a season filled with all good things.The Prime Minister earlier told guests he is not often overwhelmed but was now.

The media tour of the President's House Restoration Project, guided by officials of Udecott and Unicom Limited, President's House, Queens Park Savannah, Port of Spain. - ROGER JACOB

This edifice is TT at its best, he said.

He thanked the President for her co-operation in the repairs. He saluted the architects, managers, labours and everyone else involved in the work.

Dr Rowley admitted that initially the repairs had seemed daunting and had faced slight delays. But now, he said, Once restored, it had restored the missing jewel in the crown. This is the largest jewel in the crown apparently referring to the other historic buildings around Queens Park Savannah. I hope you feel the same sense of pride I do. After years we are able to do business at the house of the President.

It could not have come at a better time. Merry Christmas.Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell told Newsday the restoration would attract many tourists.

A very large cruise ship is coming to TT on Christmas Day, and there are walking tours.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley greets President Paula Mae Weekes.

Saying tourists like to visit the Savannahs historic buildings, he said the Government has done great renovations to Stollmeyers Castle and Whitehall, with work now under way on Mille Fleurs.

And now the jewel in the crown is Presidents House. This abuts on the Botanical Gardens, a favourite with tourists. It is marvellous and only improves our tourism product and boosts national pride.

Mitchell said Presidents house tells the story of TT and so helps visitors get to know the country.

Im proud. Im proud to be a member of this government, which takes national pride and heritage with the seriousness it deserves and gets things completed.

See the rest here:
Weekes: President's House will boost pride in TT - Trinidad News

Restoration works continue at the Red House on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain on November 20. - Jeff Mayers

HOUSE Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George said the Red House restoration is scheduled to be completed this month and Parliament will complete its move to the location in January.

She was speaking at the opening of the sitting of the House on Monday.

"The Red House is the home of TT's Parliament and the seat of democracy."

She recalled that this "monumental and historic" building required urgent restoration and in 2011 a decision was made to temporarily relocate both Houses of Parliament and all auxiliary facilities to the current location at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.

She said the House had been informed that restoration and refurbishment of the Red House and the adjacent Cabildo Parliament Complex would be completed by December 31, 2019.

"This means that over the next six weeks the process of relocating the Parliament of TT, its auxiliary facilities and staff from Tower D to the Red House and the adjacent Cabildo Parliament Complex will take place."

Annisette-George said this "arduous task" will require all of Parliament's resources, particularly its staff, to ensure a smooth transition. She stressed that the relocation will result in a temporary disruption of the auxiliary services usually at members' disposal. She reported that sittings of both Houses and committee meetings will stand adjourned and administrative services may become temporarily unavailable during the transition period.

She said it is anticipated the move and the resumption of all services should be completed by January 20, 2020. She expressed the House's heartfelt appreciation to the Clerk of the House, the acting Clerk of the Senate and the Parliament staff for sacrificing their holiday season to complete the relocation project. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi later reiterated that after the building is vacated it will be used for civil courts.

The Red House restoration was done by Udecott and cost approximately $441 million.

Read more from the original source:
Speaker: Parliament in Red House by January - Trinidad News

Parliament will make its long-awaited return to its home at the restored Red House by January 20, 2020.

House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George made the announcement as she gave an update on the relocation of the Parliament.

Parliament has been housed at Tower D at the Waterfront Complex since 2011 while restoration works were carried out at the historic Red House.

During Mondays sitting of the Parliament, Annisette-George said full restoration works on the Red House and Cabildo Parliament Complex are scheduled to be completed by December 31.

She said it would take six weeks to relocate the Parliament, auxiliary facilities and staff.

This would result in a temporary disruption of some auxiliary and administrative services, while some sittings of both the Upper and Lower Houses and some committees would stand adjourned during this transition period.

The House Speaker advised, however, that the move and the resumption of services would be completed by January 20, 2020.

Annisette-George assured that the Clerk of the House will make every effort to keep the members of the Parliament up to date on all developments concerning the move.

She extended thanks to the Parliament staff and the Clerks of both the Upper and Lower houses who will have to work through the Christmas season to ensure that the relocation remains on schedule.

More:
Parliament back at the Red House January 20 - Loop News Trinidad and Tobago

The spectacular stained glass at Sherborne Abbey is only part of what makes this building one of the grandest in England, as John Goodall explains.

Every Tuesday afternoon, we delve into the Country Life archives to find something special from the magazines illustrious past.This week, we look back at the 2013 Christmas special issue, in which our architecture editor John Goodall explained the history of Sherborne Abbey.

In 705, Sherborne had been chosen by King Ine as the seat of a vast bishopric that extended across the modern counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Berkshire. From 909, the see underwent the first of several transformations when it was subdivided by the foundation of a cathedral at Wells, wrote John.

Under its founding bishop, St Aldhelm, Sherborne was served by a community of priests or canons, but, in about 990, one of his successors, Wulfsin (or Wulfsige), re-formed the community as a Benedictine monastery. Soon after Wulfsins death in 1001, miracles were reported at his tomb and Bishop Aelfwold (104558) created a great new church as an appropriate setting for his predecessors relics.

That church was re-developed byBishop Roger (110339),Justiciar of England and Chancellor of Henry I, who was clearly impressed by what was there before. There could be no more powerful testimony to the grandeur of the Anglo-Saxon church than the fact that Roger did not raze it to the ground (the usual approach of Norman rebuilders), wrote John.

Sherborne Abbey. Credit: Dr John Crook/Country Life

The full article explains more of the machinations following the buildings history, from the day in 1437 when it was burnt down by local residents and how it survived the Dissolution. On this page, however, were focusing on what it looks like inside as it stands today a story which John expanded upon in the final section of his piece:

In its present form, the interior was shaped by a series of restoration campaigns launched in 1848 and absorbing an estimated 36,000 over the subsequent 40 years. A fundraising campaign instigated by the vicar, Rev John Parsons, and supported by the enormously rich Earl Digby permitted the restoration of the nave and transepts under the direction of R. C. Carpenter.

Earl Digby died in 1856, but, the choir was restored in his memory by W. Slater, a pupil and partner of Carpenter, at the expense of his nephew and heir George Digby Wingfield-Baker. This project culminated in the creation of a spectacular decorative scheme that includes a cycle of stained glass by Clayton and Bell: a Passion cycle in the east window and a huge array of saints, bishops and kings in the clerestorey windows.

Stained glass at Sherborne Abbey. Credit: Dr John Crook/Country Life

Across the walls and vault extends a complex scheme of painted decoration executed by J. G. Crace. Laid before the high altar are three memorial brasses made by Waller of London, one to the Earl and two to his distant forebears. Finally, in 188485, the tower was again restored.

Further changes have followed in the 20th century. The medieval Lady Chapel fell out of use at the Dissolution and was partly rebuilt as a war memorial in 1921 by W. D. Care. More recently, another major restoration campaign was brought to successful completion in 1983.

Among its modern curiosities, Sherborne has the heaviest eightbell peel in the world and includes one recast bell reputedly given by Cardinal Wolsey. Its inscription runs: By Wolseys gift I measure time for all/To mirth, to grief, to church I serve to call.

There is also a fire bell dated 1653: Lord quench the furious flame/aris, run, help put out the same. In the light of history, the legend could be read as a collective pledge of the parishioners to cherish the abbey as they clearly do and not to burn it down again.

John Goodalls full article, was published in Country Life on December 2013.

Iron can be wrought into the most delightful staircase balustrades. John Goodall chooses some favourites from Country Lifes outstanding archive.

There are many nominations for the oldest home in Britain in this piece from the Country Life archive, John Goodall

New discoveries in the archives at Belvoir are fleshing out the history of this outstanding castle. John Goodall delves into

Link:
Sherborne Abbeys stained glass: The spectacular Victorian addition to a building with 1300 years of history - Country Life

Installing carpet on the floor has become much cheaper and easier due to the advanced technologies that are in use now. Carpet installation work is now an easy thing. It has been in demand for a long time and few enhancements make the carpet installation job much faster and affordable.

Homeowners are removing their old designs of carpet to opt for the new one. They are getting the best deal from the carpet installers. Modern carpet installers are doing their job in a very skilled way so that they can provide extra benefits to the homeowners including dreamy bedroom, insulation and muffle sound.

The carpet installers are decorating the homes with carpets that are adaptable to any weather such as cold winter morning and sweaty summer days. Any subfloor in good condition is getting a suitable solution for carpets. If the floor is made of concrete, the carpet installers are installing a vapor barrier that prevents moisture from coming up.Cheap carpet installation Philadelphiaservices involve a carpet pad that has many functions including absorbing shock and making the surface softer. Most of the pads are now between 1/4 and 7/16 inches thick and can withhold six pounds of weight.

In the current architecture market, the carpet installers are averagely charging $18 per yard. They are using synthetic carpets such as Triexta, Nylon, Polyester, and olefin. These materials are good choices when it comes to stains and cleaning.

Nylon and Triexta carpets are coming in many patterns, colors, and thicknesses. Such carpet installation projects are being carried out by skilled technicians. They are taking only a few days to install carpet in a single room or a set of rooms.

See the original post:
Carpet Installation has Become a Lot Cheaper and Homeowners are Going for it - Seekers Time