Remodeling Contractor in Kent, NY

Westchester & Putnam Home Remodeling Service Serving Kent

Kitchens, baths, additions, roofing and year-round conversions for homes in Lake Carmel, Kent Lakes and Kent Cliffs. Guardian has worked across Putnam County since 1980.

From Summer Colony to Year-Round Town

Much of Kent’s housing began as seasonal cottages. Lake Carmel was developed as a summer colony with small lots around the lake, and the Kent Lakes area grew the same way. Over the decades those cottages were winterized, raised, expanded and sometimes replaced, so a single street can hold a 1930s bungalow next to a modern colonial.

Toward Kent Cliffs and the reservoir side of town, the lots get larger and more wooded, with wells, septic, ledge and long driveways. Both settings need a contractor who reads the survey before talking about finishes.

What the Town of Kent Asks For

From the Building Department’s permit requirements, Town Hall, 25 Sybil’s Crossing:

Plans & survey

Two sets of plans (one paper, one PDF or USB) and a survey showing where the work goes.

Stamped plans

Required when the project costs more than $20,000, stating the current NYS code year.

Contractor license

A Putnam County contractor license, insurance and workers’ comp for any contractor hired.

Setbacks

R-10: 15 ft front, 20 ft rear, 8 ft side. R-40 and R-80: 40 ft front, 50 ft rear, 20 ft side.

Bedrooms

Any additional bedroom needs Putnam County Board of Health approval.

Electrical

Electrical permits go through Putnam County Consumer Affairs, not the Town.

Working on Lake Carmel Houses

Small lots around Lake Carmel leave little room to grow outward, and the R-10 setbacks are tight. Many of our Kent projects go up instead: a second story, a dormer, a raised roof. Others focus on making a cottage work year-round with insulation, a modern bath and a kitchen that fits the space.

Septic capacity checked with the County before any bedroom is added
Planning Board approval first when work is within 100 feet of the lake or a stream
Detached garages can’t have living space above without Planning, Zoning and Board of Health approvals
Accessory buildings limited to 15 feet in R-10 and 20 feet elsewhere

Services for Kent Homes

Kent Remodeling FAQs

My Lake Carmel lot is smaller than the zoning minimum. Can I still build or expand?

For a vacant lot, Kent’s rule is that a lot below its district minimum (10,000 square feet in R-10, 40,000 in R-40, 80,000 in R-80) needs a Zoning Board of Appeals variance before a building permit application. Additions on existing houses are judged against the setbacks, so we check the survey first.

When does a Kent project need the Planning Board?

When work is within 100 feet of wetlands, ponds, streams or watercourses, disturbs more than 5,000 square feet of soil, or brings in or removes more than 100 cubic yards of material. Planning Board approval comes before the building permit.

Do I need stamped plans?

Kent requires a stamped set of plans when the project costs more than $20,000, including labor and materials, and the plans must state that they meet the current New York State codes.

How long does a Kent permit take?

The Town says permits generally take 14 to 21 days to process, and larger projects can take longer.

Does it matter if an older Kent permit was never closed?

It can. The Town of Kent has required building permits since 1960, and a permit is closed out with a Certificate of Occupancy or a Certificate of Completion. Before new work starts, we check the property file so an old open permit doesn’t hold up the new one. For exterior work, see our siding in Kent page.

Nearby Towns

We also work throughout Carmel, Mahopac, Patterson and Putnam Valley.

Remodeling in Kent or Lake Carmel?

Tell us about the house. We’ll check the zoning district, setbacks and septic questions first and send a written estimate.

Guardian Remodeling Corp · 143 Lake Shore Dr W, Carmel, NY 10512 · 914-912-0385 · Frank@guardianremodelingcorp.com