Adding windows to DC rowhouse
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Anonymous
| I live in a DC rowhouse where one side of the house is next to a church parking lot. Could I add windows to this side of the house or does that break DC code? Adding windows would bring in a lot more light into the place. |
Anonymous
| It's a free country |
Anonymous
| Can't you put in skylights? Whole lot easier. |
Anonymous
| Where do you live? If you live in a historic district there are specific guidelines on what you can change. |
Anonymous
|
If you're the end unit, then you should be able to do this if your not otherwise restricted by being in a historic district.
Is your house would frame or masonry/brick or brick veneer over wood framing? Putting a new window in a solid masonry/brick wall is a super dusty, expensive process. |
Anonymous
Solatubes are even easier to add than skylights. |
Anonymous
| We wanted to add windows to the end of our semidetached rowhouse, but we're told we couldn't because of zoning. You have to own several feet of land past the wall of the house to install a window. |
Anonymous
Thanks for the info! Have you added Solatubes to your place? Down to the 1st floor? Could you pls share any cost info? |
Anonymous
| If the church sells the lot to a developer they could build up to your house if that side of the rowhouse is on the property line. That could result in a fire hazard for you, since there will be breaks in the wall. |
Anonymous
| Original poster: Did you ever seek a permit or try to get an official answer on your question? I have the exact same issue. |
Anonymous
| One of the contractors I got an estimate from six years ago said we could - it was a good chunk of change though. Can't remember, definitely multiple thousands per window (but he was the expensive quote). |
Anonymous
| you realize that in DC, the owner of the parking lot may have the right to build adjacent (as in attached) to your wall or within 1 or 2 feet. There is a reason a lot of end units are windowless. they are considered "at risk" and you will have no recourse if that parking lot if developed. |
Anonymous
| Who cares what the zoning people think. What are they going to do, make you fill in the windows? |
Anonymous
No they won't make her fill in the windows. But when adjacent lot gets developed (and it will)-that property owner may have the right attach a building to her house or within one or two feet. the OP need to decide if the cost of the windows now is worth the loss of them 5 or ten years from now. She will have no legal recourse to stop the adjacent property either since OP would be in the wrong. She needs to head to DCRA AND Office of Zoning for a definitive rulling on this. |
Anonymous
|
Probably not legal since the parking lot could be re-developed and they could build up against your house. And yes, they could require you to go back and fill in the windows since it would constitute a fire hazard.
Not worth the hassle, IMHO. You know what you were getting when you bought the house, OP. |