The Power of Permits
An acquaintance of mine came home from work to see a “stop work notice” posted on her front door. Two years ago, she submitted plans to build a second story addition and remodel her existing kitchen and bathrooms. She went thru the planning commission process and the application was approved. Due to the economy situation, it was decided not to go ahead with the addition.
Recently, they decided to go ahead with just the kitchen and bathroom remodel. Apparently, a neighbor called the city which resulted with a stop work notice even though the previous plans were approved, the application expires a year from the approval date.
I attended the meeting with the code enforcement officer, who met the homeowner, and I was pleased on how he interacted with them. It is a very intimating to have a stop notice on your door, and a city official in your home scrutinizing all the work that is in process. Even though they were in violation, the officer went thru the house, and told them what they needed to do to get back on track. The good thing is that most of the work (wiring, plumbing) was exposed, and they do not need to rip out any cabinets and walls.
They still need to come in with new drawings, etc, and there will be added costs, yet in the long run, with approved permits, they have the peace of mind that everything is up to code and documented correctly. The inspector had mentioned that there are many homes that are in escrow and have been delayed or fallen apart due to nonconforming issues.
Before you start a project, make sure you check with your local building department. If you are getting ready to sell your home, you may want to make sure that you house is in order and that permits are on file. If you are purchasing a property, you may want to check with your agent if there are nonconforming issues. They should be able to help you check for the necessary permits.
Terry Birt
Prudential California Realty
www.TerryBirt.com
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4 Responses to “The Power of Permits”
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Stop work permits and code violation notices are very scary looking on your front door! This is really good avice!
Terry,
Great Subject.
To save time, frustration, and money in the long run, do it by the rules instad of taking shortcuts.
We especially know that in today’s marketplace when a beautiful improvement will not be recognized by an appraiser because there is no building permit for it.
Brian Boisson
Great topic – permits are so important
Great blog Terry! Incredibly important to get permits for work done on homes. I see many of my buyer clients hesitate or outright stay away from homes that might have rooms (esp bathrooms and kitchens) without permits. It’s really to the advantage of homeowners (who are thinking to become home sellers at some point) to get the necessary permits so they can maximize the number of potential buyers (which can help result in a better sales price).