Building Or Remodeling In An Old Neighborhood
One of the biggest problems with building a new home in
an area that's already built out is that you can't find any lots to
build on. Your only option is tearing down the old house and building a
new one. Your options are limited in areas where land is too expensive
or are there aren't any vacant lots available.
This is where remodeling starts to become attractive. If you fall in
love with the neighborhood, but can't find the exact home you're looking
for, you should start to seriously consider remodeling. I don't
recommend that you tear the entire home down and start from scratch,
because this could get expensive.
Before you do any of this, check with your local building and safety
Department to make sure that you're even allowed to do any remodeling or
tear the entire house down. Some older neighborhoods are considered
historical areas and you're not even allowed to change the building
exterior with out someone's permission.
Another problem with building and remodeling in older neighborhoods is
that the plumbing and electrical services to the existing house might
not be sufficient and would need to be upgraded. One of the best things
you could do is contact a few contractors in the area, to get their
opinion about remodeling or starting from scratch and building a new
home.
I've done it all, torn down new homes all the way down to the ground and
remodeled homes all the way from the foundation up. If money is not an
object, I would recommend tearing the entire house down and starting
from scratch, but if funds are limited, remodel what you can and enjoy
what you got.