Your home is one of the largest and the most important investments in your life. There fore it is very important to understand, plan and be prepared on what you have in store for yourself during the process of building, remodeling and maintaining your home. You would also have to know what may or may not crop up in the midst of this process and how to overcome them, be they overdue dateline, contractor problems, building site problem, etc.
Permits
A building and remodeling permit is required when a building, structure, or any system thereof is erected, constructed, modified, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, remodeled, converted, or demolished (this includes lighting, electrical, HVAC, infrastructure (i.e. water, sewer, gas) and systems (plumbing, electrical, etc.). A permit is also required for using hot work equipment. Hot work equipment includes, but is not limited to, oxygen/fuel gas welding and cutting, ARC welding and cutting, and metal cutting equipment.
A permit is required for new construction, or adding onto pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. These work must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. You are liable for fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code.
Not every remodel will need a permit. Any type of work that is strictly cosmetic won’t require a permit, so if you’re repainting your house or putting in a new faucet in the kitchen, you won’t need permits.
The following are some of the things you will need permits for when doing a remodel:
- Adding rooms or other structural additions to your home, such as a garage.
- Removing or tearing down walls
- Installing any kind of appliance, fan, or vent that requires ventilation
- Installing any type of electrical device or wiring, or converting electricity from a fuse to circuit breakers
- Building decks, fences, or sheds outside
- Replacing water heaters or changing plumbing, or any type of remodel that requires you to move your existing plumbing
- Cutting or widening new or existing door and window openings
- Tearing off an existing roof
- Replacing the roof
- Building stairwells
- Finishing basements or garages
- Installing or replacing a driveway
- Replacing water or sewer lines
- Installing irrigation or sprinkler systems
- Building a swimming pool or tennis court in your yard
- Installing fireplaces or wood stoves
Check with the city council for permit requirements before you start any remodeling project as they may vary according to city and county. Make sure you get the permits in your name. This is because if you end up changing contractors in the middle of the project or if the existing contractor quits mid way, and since most contractors doing the work for a major remodel will get the permit in his name, you may end up having to pay for another one.
Follow all instructions regarding your permits, for example, if you are finishing a basement and have it wired, have your wiring inspected before you install the drywall. Likewise for plumbing etc.
Be wary when your architect or contractor tells you that you don’t need a permit. This could be a red flag that your architect or contractor is trying to cut corners. Getting a permit involved you paying a fee based on the value of the project. (Do not overestimate the value of your work, or you will pay more than is necessary.). It ensures oversight of your contractor’s work (or yours). An inspector’s scrutiny can guard against mistakes and shoddy workmanship and ensure that the work adheres to building codes.
If building officials discover you have done work without a permit, you could be required to dismantle your remodel and start over again. If you sell your house, you may be legally obligated to disclose that you have remodeled without a permit, and the buyer could demand that you bring work up to code.
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