Permits Are Your Friends
Fitzpatrick - Peg, I don’t think clients and the public at large appreciate the permitting process. Folks tend to think it’s the government butting into what they do on their private property. These types tend to be the same spoiled whiners who complain about taxes and regulation while enjoying the benefits of (relatively) clean air, clean water, safe roads, timely mail delivery and healthy beef on their dinner plates. Try getting all of those in Mexico City, Bolivia or even Italy.
But if my neighbor gets a wild hair and removes a wall, like your client did, he may have no idea if that wall is load-bearing, i.e. holding up the roof. Let’s say it is, he removes it, and the roof begins to collapse. Let’s say his gas line runs though the attic. Let’s say it’s broken when the roof finally fails, sending his house into flames and then engulfing mine next door. Yes, it’s a long shot, but not as long as most people think.
Building codes are in place to protect the safety and welfare of human life, yours and your family’s, as well as those of neighboring families whose private property may be affected by what you choose to do on yours. Contrary to what neoconservatives tend to spout, private property doesn’t exist as a discrete entity inside a vacuum. We all share the earth, water and air, and to a considerable extent, what happens within a few hundred feet of our homes.
Permits are required to insure that repairs and improvements you make to your property follow these codes. Believe me, it’s in your best interest and worth the time and money to get a permit for work you do on your own house, or to make sure that your contractor does. (One problem with hiring a Home Center to do your job is that often, even if they do pull a permit, you may not know enough to ask for a copy.)
A permit and an inspection insure that whoever is doing the work, does it right; or redoes it. This is increasingly important in our litigious society. If I was considering purchasing a house that had extensive remodeling done, I would demand to see the permits (that should be part of the disclosure on the part of the seller). If there were none, I would demand an inspection and/or a reduction in the price, because you can’t be sure a mistake wasn’t made that may burn down, or flood, your new home and your neighbor's. Doing it Yourself without a permit? Will your homeowner’s insurance pay off if you did something improperly and disaster happens?
Permits are your friends; tough-love friends, but they’re watching out for you.
But if my neighbor gets a wild hair and removes a wall, like your client did, he may have no idea if that wall is load-bearing, i.e. holding up the roof. Let’s say it is, he removes it, and the roof begins to collapse. Let’s say his gas line runs though the attic. Let’s say it’s broken when the roof finally fails, sending his house into flames and then engulfing mine next door. Yes, it’s a long shot, but not as long as most people think.
Building codes are in place to protect the safety and welfare of human life, yours and your family’s, as well as those of neighboring families whose private property may be affected by what you choose to do on yours. Contrary to what neoconservatives tend to spout, private property doesn’t exist as a discrete entity inside a vacuum. We all share the earth, water and air, and to a considerable extent, what happens within a few hundred feet of our homes.
Permits are required to insure that repairs and improvements you make to your property follow these codes. Believe me, it’s in your best interest and worth the time and money to get a permit for work you do on your own house, or to make sure that your contractor does. (One problem with hiring a Home Center to do your job is that often, even if they do pull a permit, you may not know enough to ask for a copy.)
A permit and an inspection insure that whoever is doing the work, does it right; or redoes it. This is increasingly important in our litigious society. If I was considering purchasing a house that had extensive remodeling done, I would demand to see the permits (that should be part of the disclosure on the part of the seller). If there were none, I would demand an inspection and/or a reduction in the price, because you can’t be sure a mistake wasn’t made that may burn down, or flood, your new home and your neighbor's. Doing it Yourself without a permit? Will your homeowner’s insurance pay off if you did something improperly and disaster happens?
Permits are your friends; tough-love friends, but they’re watching out for you.
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