Hypothetical: Why get shed electrical permit?

[remagenman]

Just had the question because: I paid about $120 about 6 months ago to get a electrical permit for installing 2 exterior 220V receptacles from the panel box. Inspector came, did a very cursory look (didn't even open the panel box) and gave me my permit. I think it wasn't even 5 minutes of "inspection".

So, I am finishing up my shed and want to run power and can do this proficiently (only 110V power) and wondering what you all think if this is just another city money grab or if any inspectors can tell me the reality of things.

Thanks.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If you ever sell the place and there is unpermitted work found in the inspection, it can cause big problems with the sale.

Also, if the AHJ finds out, it can get you a red tag which means more fines.

Since the inspector has been on your property recently, it may not be a good idea to forgo the permit.

 

[Shiftless]

If you ever sell the place and there is unpermitted work found in the inspection, it can cause big probl md with the sale.

Also, if the AHJ finds out, it can get you a red tag which means more fines.

Since the inspector has been on your property recently, it may not be a good idea to forgo the permit.

Good advice!
If I were you, I’d get the permit.

 

[Rc_Guy]

If you ever sell the place and there is unpermitted work found in the inspection, it can cause big problems with the sale.

Also, if the AHJ finds out, it can get you a red tag which means more fines.

Since the inspector has been on your property recently, it may not be a good idea to forgo the permit.

I did the whole lower level of our split entry myself with no permit, we sold the house in 2016 and I answered yes to the question from the realtor if any work done without permits, house sold in 2-1/2 days.

Not that no permit is the right way but it didn't hurt my sale.

 

[Jim greengo]

Depends on what's being done and if you know what you're doing.

 

[sberry]

I am always suspect when it's called 110 and 220.

 

[rlitman]

If you ever sell the place and there is unpermitted work found in the inspection, it can cause big problems with the sale.

Also, if the AHJ finds out, it can get you a red tag which means more fines.

Since the inspector has been on your property recently, it may not be a good idea to forgo the permit.

An OPEN permit will certainly cause issues with a sale. Unpermitted work generally doesn’t, unless it’s an obvious addition, but a shed (unless is has an encroachment issue) and electrical additions are not likely to hinder a sale.

 

[Bretny]

You will need a really really good home inspector to find un permited well done electrical work. Its not like they have a wire diagram and go around checking things. They usualy bring a gfci checker and a flashlight.
There not going on the roof, in the attic or checking for underground issues like septic, burried oil tank or underground wires.

If your capable do it your self with out a permit and let the town inspector do there job...but dont help them.

 

[remagenman]

Thanks for the insight. Houses are selling within a week here, I don't plan to move anytime soon and the last electrical inspection just seemed like an excuse to charge $120 for a colorful 8x10 paper permit.

Yet cops let the homeless live wherever they want, trash downtown because the same city tells them not to enforce the laws when it comes to homeless but will nickel and dime the middle class with every friggin fee imaginable!

I digress but its the issue that got me thinking about where the city's real priorities lay.

 

[remagenman]

I am always suspect when it's called 110 and 220.

What else would you call it when you are trying not to confuse the masses with too much tech jargon?

 

[remagenman]

I did the whole lower level of our split entry myself with no permit, we sold the house in 2016 and I answered yes to the question from the realtor if any work done without permits, house sold in 2-1/2 days.

Not that no permit is the right way but it didn't hurt my sale.

Yeah, sell me a house with a bigass shed in the back that is wired for electrical, permitted or not, I bet the husband is just going to have a fit about that detail!

 

[Mr. T]

What else would you call it when you are trying not to confuse the masses with too much tech jargon?

120 and 240 because that’s what they are.

 

[mm08822]

You will need a really really good home inspector to find un permited well done electrical work. Its not like they have a wire diagram and go around checking things. They usualy bring a gfci checker and a flashlight.
There not going on the roof, in the attic or checking for underground issues like septic, burried oil tank or underground wires.

If your capable do it your self with out a permit and let the town inspector do there job...but dont help them.

I know someone who got caught with uninspected electrical branch circuits.

Home inspector saw colored-jacketed romex and that dates the home right there. When the inspector was told it was "existing" wiring he went up and read the DOM printed on the cable.

He needed to have it inspected to get it off the list.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

What else would you call it when you are trying not to confuse the masses with too much tech jargon?

tech jargon?

umm how about saying the correct voltage

I guess you dont care about getting things correct.

 

[engineer2]

If you ever sell the place and there is unpermitted work found in the inspection, it can cause big problems with the sale.

True in CA, but it depends on where you live. Around here avoiding permits is an art and a science to prevent taxation. Of course you would get one for projects that are obvious or involve contractors.

Previous owner put a permitted $1200 wooden deck on the house. Property taxes immediately went up $150/yr. The deck lasted 20 years. Do the math.

 

[Norcal]

What else would you call it when you are trying not to confuse the masses with too much tech jargon?

Because if someone do not know the correct voltages of what you are working on, it is sure sign of them not knowing what they are doing, 110V and 220V are pre WW II voltages. 110V is required for portable tools on construction sites in the U.K. each leg is 55V, that is the only place 110V is still used.

 

[enochian]

So everytime you add an outlet, you have to get an inspection?

 

[Mr. T]

that is the only place 110V is still used.

I don’t know, I’ve seen 110V at receptacles before. Wasn’t supposed to be 110V but when you don’t care about voltage drop it can happen.

Also, the 110/220 vs 120/240 thing is a pet peeve of mine but I know some skilled electricians that still refer to it as 110/220. Most likely because they learned from guys that learned from guys that actually worked on those systems.

 

[Norcal]

So everytime you add an outlet, you have to get an inspection?

Just about everything requires a permit.

 

[Jim greengo]

120 and 240 because that’s what they are.

Depends on where you're working at anything between 115-120 is common in the areas I work.

 

[Jim greengo]

Just about everything requires a permit.

Depends on where you work,and how much the project costs.
Around here a permit is not required on most jobs up to $500.00
I had a ***** plumbing inspector give me grief over a piece of sewer pipe that was around 18" in the ground and about 36" long I didnt pull a repair permit on after an *** kissing buddy of his drive by and saw it.
So I started calling in repair permits on every little service call I did after that in his part of town.
He got tired of crawling inside vanities to check stop valves and p traps and started bitching at me about it,I told him he started the game I just finished it.
The city ended up firing him not too long after that for screwing with too many people .

 

[checkthisout]

So everytime you add an outlet, you have to get an inspection?

Yes.

As a matter of fact, you also have to get a permit if you replace more than 3 switches or outlets (here in Washington state) like upgrading from old style switches and plugs to new style decora or whatever.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Depends on where you work,and how much the project costs.
Around here a permit is not required on most jobs up to $500.00
I had a ***** plumbing inspector give me grief over a piece of sewer pipe that was around 18" in the ground and about 36" long I didnt pull a repair permit on after an *** kissing buddy of his drive by and saw it.
So I started calling in repair permits on every little service call I did after that in his part of town.
He got tired of crawling inside vanities to check stop valves and p traps and started bitching at me about it,I told him he started the game I just finished it.
The city ended up firing him not too long after that for screwing with too many people .

well that bit him in the ***!

 

[David0858]

tech jargon?

umm how about saying the correct voltage

I guess you dont care about getting things correct.

Like spelling don't? A lot of us grew up calling it 110 and 220 and do it without thinking about it but know what it is.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Like spelling don't? A lot of us grew up calling it 110 and 220 and do it without thinking about it but know what it is.

The problem is this board is available to people worldwide and countries other than the US use 110v and 220v. Many members do not put their location on their profile and then make a thread talking about 110v and 220v.

Then others are left up to guessing whether the OP is in England or the US or somewhere else.

It has happened in the past where someone turned out to be in another country(location was not on profile) and they were using 110v and 220v to describe the situation. several people assumed OP was in US but turned out they werent

Never assume when it comes to electrical.

When it comes to discussing electrical systems on an international board, one should be accurate in their comments...

 

[reader2580]

Five minutes for an inspection is slow. I had a rough-in done in less than 60 seconds once. Guy climbs the stairs, takes a quick look around, says "It looks like you know what you are doing.", and signs the permit.

The guy who did the inspection when I installed my standby generator spent about 20 minutes. He took all the covers off everything and verified neutrals and grounds bonded or separated, and all that.

 

[reader2580]

He got tired of crawling inside vanities to check stop valves and p traps and started bitching at me about it,I told him he started the game I just finished it.
The city ended up firing him not too long after that for screwing with too many people .

Doesn't the AHJ require plumbing permits for that kind of stuff?

 

[Jim greengo]

well that bit him in the ***!

Yes Rich Rybin has left the building at the city of Omaha permits and inspections, been a lot of years but still makes me happy to think about it.

 

[Farmall450]

So you can donate money to the city, of course. Governing isn't free!

 

[purplezr2]

I guess the question is if you believe you are proficient at the work that needs to be done, why wouldn't you get a permit, seems like the obvious thing to do. The cost isn't even that much.

Curious, does unpermitted work affect insurance pay out in the case of fire?

 

[Jim greengo]

Doesn't the AHJ require plumbing permits for that kind of stuff?

It's considered a repair up to a certain point,and inspectors dont worry about it.
If the city had to follow service Van's around all day looking at every $100-$500.00 service call nothing would ever get done in this town.
Youd be waiting a month to get a plumbing rough in inspection on a remodel because the inspectors would be busy signing off on wax rings and closet bolts.
Same for electrical and hvac inspectors,if every electrician pulled a repair permit for changing a light fixture or changing out some outlets in a room youd cripple the city.
Would you want to wait for an inspection on a new blower motor installed in your furnace before it could be turned on in the middle of blizzard?

 

[mark#3]

I was told that if there was not a permit, insurance wouldn't cover the structure

 

[jask]

Because ..... that is the only place 110V is still used.

Unless the OP lives in Guam, Haiti, Belize, Taiwan, or most of the Virgin/ Caribbean islands.

 

[like2wheel]

I was told that if there was not a permit, insurance wouldn't cover the structure

By whom?

 

[reader2580]

I guess the question is if you believe you are proficient at the work that needs to be done, why wouldn't you get a permit, seems like the obvious thing to do. The cost isn't even that much.

I know that a lot of people won't get permits for things like finishing basements because they don't want government increasing their property taxes.

In Minnesota, there is a minimum electrical permit fee of $35 if only a final inspection is required. If a rough-in and final inspection are required the minimum fee is $70.

 

[Jim greengo]

I know that a lot of people won't get permits for things like finishing basements because they don't want government increasing their property taxes.

In Minnesota, there is a minimum electrical permit fee of $35 if only a final inspection is required. If a rough-in and final inspection are required the minimum fee is $70.

If theres no rough in inspection,a final inspection doesnt make sense in most situations.

 

[Jim greengo]

By whom?

 

[PelicanPines]

It's also a liability issue... unpermitted work causing an accidental fire, death, injury will be denied an insurance claim.

In the end ... is it a dollar grab by your town? Maybe. Should you gladly pay it. YES

 

[checkthisout]

It's also a liability issue... unpermitted work causing an accidental fire, death, injury will be denied an insurance claim.

In the end ... is it a dollar grab by your town? Maybe. Should you gladly pay it. YES

Yeah I dunno. I would like to see some examples of this.

Insurance not paying due to negligence. They would never pay. Anything and everything can be blamed on human misstep and error.

 

[b-boy]

I know that a lot of people won't get permits for things like finishing basements because they don't want government increasing their property taxes.

This is very true. 2 months after my pole barn was built, my assessed home value went up the exact value I put on my permit application. Of course, my taxes went up as a result.

Coincidence? I think not.