Custom Home Builder in Kent, NY
Westchester & Putnam Custom Home Building Service Serving Kent
New houses around Lake Carmel, Lake Tibet and Kent’s wooded hillsides. Lot evaluation, septic and well, Planning Board review and construction managed by a Guardian project manager.
Lakes, Rock and Reservoir Rules
Kent is lake country. Lake Carmel, the town’s largest community, was built out as a summer colony, and many of its lots are small, close to the water and served by individual septic systems. Away from the lakes, the land rises into rocky, wooded hills around Lake Tibet and toward Fahnestock State Park. Much of the town drains to the Croton system that supplies New York City.
Those conditions shape almost every new-house project. Lot size, distance to water, ledge rock and septic setbacks usually decide what can be built before style or square footage does.
Five Things We Check First on a Kent Lot
- Zoning district. R-10, R-40 or R-80, and whether the lot meets the current minimum.
- Water. Distance to any lake, stream or wetland, which sets Planning Board review and septic setbacks.
- Disturbance. Whether clearing or earthwork will pass 5,000 sq ft or 100 cubic yards.
- Septic and well. Soil tests and well location, designed for Putnam County DOH approval.
- Rock. Ledge near the surface can affect excavation and foundation design.
Once those are clear, we can tell you honestly whether a new house, a home addition or a full renovation is the better investment.
Common Kent Projects
Seasonal-cottage replacement
Replacing an old Lake Carmel cottage with a year-round house, usually with a new septic system.
New house on acreage
Custom homes on larger lots in the R-40 and R-80 districts.
Design-build rebuild
A tired house replaced on a proven lot, with one team from design through the certificate of occupancy.
Our Kent Process
1. Site visit and survey review
Zoning, water and rock assessed on the ground.
2. Septic evaluation
Required for a teardown, and the starting point for a vacant lot.
3. Design and pricing
Stamped plans developed and priced together.
4. Approvals
Health Department, Planning Board or ZBA if needed, then the building permit.
5. Construction
Licensed, insured trades supervised by Guardian, with Town inspections through the CO.
Kent New Home FAQs
Do I need stamped plans to build in Kent?
Yes. Kent requires plans stamped by a New York licensed architect or engineer for work over $20,000, which covers any new house. The Building Department is at Town Hall, 25 Sybil’s Crossing.
When does the Kent Planning Board get involved?
Planning Board review is required for work within 100 feet of a lake, stream or wetland, for disturbing more than 5,000 square feet, or for moving more than 100 cubic yards of earth. On many Kent lots, a new house meets at least one of those.
Can I build on an undersized lot?
Possibly, but a vacant lot that doesn’t meet the current minimum for its district (R-10, R-40 or R-80) generally needs a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. We check the lot against the district before you commit to a design.
What about the reservoirs?
Much of Kent drains to New York City reservoirs. New septic absorption fields must stay at least 100 feet from watercourses and wetlands and 300 feet from a reservoir or controlled lake, and the Putnam County Health Department reviews the design under its agreement with NYC DEP.
Related Pages
We also build new homes in Carmel, Mahopac and Putnam Valley.
Planning a New Home in Kent?
Send the address and lot size. We’ll review the zoning, septic and Planning Board picture and follow up with a written estimate.
Guardian Remodeling Corp · 143 Lake Shore Dr W, Carmel, NY 10512 · 914-912-0385 · Frank@guardianremodelingcorp.com
