Conservation Boards in Westchester: How Wetlands and Steep Slopes Affect Your Project

Architectural Review Boards review what your house looks like; Conservation Boards review where your project sits on the land. This guide maps which Westchester towns regulate wetlands, steep slopes, and protected trees, how those layers interact with NYS DEC and your building permit, and how to design around environmental constraints from the start rather than retrofitting compliance late.

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Westchester, Permits & Code Brandon Cavanagh Westchester, Permits & Code Brandon Cavanagh

Architectural Review Boards in Westchester: Which Towns Have Them and What They Look For

Architectural Review Boards across Westchester villages go by different names — DRC, BAR, ARB, HPC — but they share a function: reviewing exterior renovations for compatibility with village character. This guide maps which villages have active boards, what each one reviews, and how submission quality and architect experience determine whether your project clears in 30 days or stretches to 90.

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Westchester, Project Planning, Case Studies Brandon Cavanagh Westchester, Project Planning, Case Studies Brandon Cavanagh

What a Whole-House Gut Renovation Actually Looks Like: A Project Plan for Westchester Homeowners

A whole-house gut renovation is one of the most complex projects a homeowner can take on — and when you add a basement finish and a garage-to-ADU conversion to the scope, the sequencing decisions matter as much as the design decisions. Here's what an actual project plan looks like, phase by phase, for a project of this scale in Westchester County.

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Insurance & Resilience, Westchester Brandon Cavanagh Insurance & Resilience, Westchester Brandon Cavanagh

Flooding in Westchester: How to Harden Your Home and Cut Your Insurance Premiums

Flooding in Westchester is getting worse — Ida, Henri, Ophelia, and Debby all delivered record rainfall in the last few years, and homes outside FEMA flood zones are getting hit just as hard as those inside. Here's how to harden your home, what insurance to buy, and how to cut your premiums by up to 45%.

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Westchester, Permits & Code, Project Planning Brandon Cavanagh Westchester, Permits & Code, Project Planning Brandon Cavanagh

Finishing an Attic in an Older Westchester Home: The Code Requirements That Catch People Off Guard

Finishing an attic looks like one of the cheapest renovations available — the space already exists, the roof is overhead, and the floor structure is in place. The code work required to legally call older Westchester attic space habitable typically involves more than the "just put up some drywall" mental model suggests, and this guide walks through the five IRC gates that catch homeowners off guard along with 2026 cost ranges by scope.

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