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WHAT KIND OF HOUSE CAN YOU BUILD?
Warwick has very strict zoning and building regulations, but not so onerous that you can't create the perfect home.We did it.The "strictness" means no trailers or sub-standard structures, which protects your investment. Some surrounding communities permit as many as six to eight houses per acre. Not in Warwick. For those who prefer living where you can reach out your window and touch your neighbor's house, you won't be happy in the Town of Warwick.
We put up a 'stick-built' contemporary house with a lot of modern features (metal roof, radiant heat, fibre-cement siding). You can hava a Victorian, ranch, Cape Cod, or whatever you desire. The only serious restrictions here: it can't be painted day-glo pink, be 4 stories high (ours is 3), or have excessive outdoor lights (we are in the elevated Ridgeline District, which means people can see outdoor lights from the surrounding mountains). The Building Inspector for Warwick was highly professional and a pleasure to work with. We had no problems or objections from the Town in any way.
If we were starting all over, it is likely that we would now do a modular house. If you are not familiar with them, these are houses that have been constructed in sections in factories, trucked to the site and then assembled with a giant crane and a crew. Having been vastly improved since first introduced 20 years ago, they are now in many cases superior to traditional 'stick built' construction.They are not 'cookie-cutter' type projects and can be completely customized -- you name it, it can be done. There are at least five modular houses within 2000' of our home and they are quite impressive. We toured one near us as it was being put together and got the chance to see the building systems (plumbing, electric, HVAC) before they were closed in. In some cases it was superior to what we had used in our own house just five years ago.
We can provide you with referrals to local modular firms or to traditional 'stick builders' if you need help with this. Since we worked jointly with our construciton manager on our house, we have a pretty good bank of referrals and leads. We know exactly which contractors do and don't take off the first day of deer season!
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