Permits

[69CHARGERMD]

Can I get a list of all permits and inspections ( and in what order ) I will need to deal with as I go thru the install process for a 40x50 red iron building.
I did obtain a zoning permit before I ordered the building.
I will need to have concrete work done, have building erected and electrical.
Thanks for any positive comments.
Doug.

 

[Will Allen]

Can I get a list of all permits and inspections ( and in what order ) I will need to deal with as I go thru the install process for a 40x50 red iron building.
I did obtain a zoning permit before I ordered the building.
I will need to have concrete work done, have building erected and electrical.
Thanks for any positive comments.
Doug.

Your local government can give you that. It varies from place to place.

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

^^This^^

I'm rural and my county zoning office was very helpful. YMMV

 

[woodscaper]

Positively confident the local ahj has the only opinion worth considering.

 

[Will Allen]

I've been in places where you don't need a permit for anything.
Here in Minneapolistan you need a permit to apply for a permit and then a permit for the stapler to post the permit on the site.

 

[JoeMcGov]

I've been in places where you don't need a permit for anything.
Here in Minneapolistan you need a permit to apply for a permit and then a permit for the stapler to post the permit on the site.

He's ^^^ right you know.

 

[Bert_]

Yea... I can build anything I want and don't need a permit/inspection for anything other than the electrical.

It's going to vary...

 

[Dustball]

I searched your other posts and you mention the Asheville NC area.

This is a good start-

https://www.ashevillenc.gov/departm...es/residential-permits-and-development/apply/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwiuki_A1aM7vFfnorCXQkllX3b7JQ4M/view

 

[Northislander]

I've been in places where you don't need a permit for anything.
Here in Minneapolistan you need a permit to apply for a permit and then a permit for the stapler to post the permit on the site.

My last recreational home build was like the above. After selling that my next land purchase was only going to be outside inspection areas. Was able to find a piece i liked only permits required are septic,electrical and gas. But with no building permits to wave a red flag that i'm building we could fly under the radar and not get these permitted. But I will.

 

[nadogail]

Too paraphrase on of my favorite movies. "Permits?, We don't need no stinking Permits".

 

[HPRifleman]

I certainly agree with being able to build in the way I want without having to ask government permission.

But.....

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Again, I'm on the side of the less intrusion the better. But I was wondering if the outlook changes regarding the guy next door.

 

[Will Allen]

I certainly agree with being able to build in the way I want without having to ask government permission.

But.....

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Again, I'm on the side of the less intrusion the better. But I was wondering if the outlook changes regarding the guy next door.

Whether it is a good idea is a sensible debate. Same goes with zoning requirements. Here in Minneapolistan they eliminated single family zoning. That means if you live in a nice single family area someone could knock down the house next door and build an apartment building.

Isn't it Houston Texas that doesn't have zoning? You could have a single family house next to an amusement park next to a factory.

 

[gsmith22]

responses above are correct in that your local government is going to decide what you need to do
worst case scenario:
1. zoning permit to make sure what you are building fits within the local laws regarding land use (don't want a gas station in a residential area, etc.) and impervious coverage
2. engineering (or whatever your town calls this) permit: defines how if anything the slope of the land is being modified and where draingae is now going to be directed. typically limits slopes too so as not to create runoff/soil erosion issues.
3. building department: reviews the foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, etc. components of the building to make sure they are in compliance with the building code
4. health department: if what you are building requires a septic system or well water, both of those could fall under their jurisdiction
5. local utilities: not really a local government permit but you probably have to interface with your local electric, gas, and water utility providers if any of these are included and separate from the residence.

 

[jh87]

I certainly agree with being able to build in the way I want without having to ask government permission.

But.....

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Again, I'm on the side of the less intrusion the better. But I was wondering if the outlook changes regarding the guy next door.

I’m no expert, but generally speaking, most places that have minimal permits are rural areas where the neighbors are not on top of each other. If their house burns down, it’s ugly, or whatever, has a limited affect on another persons property. That being said, even in locations that have extensive permitting, who’s to say the homeowner is actually getting permits for work they’re doing? I’ve personally done lots of work that technically required permits, but I didn’t get them.

 

[steve308]

http://images.fieroforum.com/2020/PERMITS.jpg

 

[Wes Tex]

i have found the best thing to do is make friends with whoever does the inspections and issues the permits. I always approach the people in charge with "I sure do need some help on my project." And listen carefully to what they say.

 

[tfinniii]

Always check your deed to see if it has any restrictions in it.

 

[69CHARGERMD]

Thank you for the links and info. Appreciate it.

 

[finn]

The county building inspector should have a permit checklist.

It should be available online if your county has entered the 21st century.

Otherwise, you may have to stop in at their office.

Sometimes a simple phone call will get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[gayler]

I certainly agree with being able to build in the way I want without having to ask government permission.

But.....

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Again, I'm on the side of the less intrusion the better. But I was wondering if the outlook changes regarding the guy next door.[/https://www.bcsportbikes.com/threads/build-to-fail-fail-to-build-what-is-this-i-dont-even.146566/page-69
Here’s a whole thread about a shed built without a permit.

 

[denis4x4]

Flying under the radar is all well and good until you go to sell. I looked at a place built by an “anti permit” guy and I offered 50% of the asking price due to what it would cost to bring it up to code. Didn’t buy it and its been on the market now for more than two years. Any time you go through escrow, the first thing they do is check permits. A lot of deals are killed because of the lack of a certificate of occupancy that comes with the permitting process.

 

[Don1357]

I certainly agree with being able to build in the way I want without having to ask government permission.

But.....

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Again, I'm on the side of the less intrusion the better. But I was wondering if the outlook changes regarding the guy next door.[/https://www.bcsportbikes.com/threads/build-to-fail-fail-to-build-what-is-this-i-dont-even.146566/page-69
Here’s a whole thread about a shed built without a permit.

Not really. Here in Alaska and specially out of the cities, if you care you move to an HOA subdivision. Everybody else takes a live and let live view of things. This right there translates into your property values not getting dinged if your neighbor is a bit overly enthusiastic about his prerogatives... then again, like everywhere else there are the special cases...

 

[Joemctag]

That’s true about Houston, but most neighborhoods built in the last 60 to 70 years will have “deed restrictions” by the developer which have the effect of zoning.

 

[bigdav160]

If you are in an area that requires no/minimal permits, that goes for your neighbors as well. What if your neighbor builds some monstrosity, wires it himself with some cable he had lying around, and uses liberal amounts of duct tape to hold it together. Does the attitude towards permits change? Does property value enter into the equation?

Doesn't bother me at all and I haven't seen any evidence that it effects property values.

Like the poster above. Houston/Harris County is one of the most populous places in the Country. There is no zoning and only recently entered into the permit/inspection racket. So it's common for homes to be under an HOA. In my large development there are a couple dozen homes that voted themselves out of the HOA. The homes on those blocks sell for roughly double the home inside the governed neighborhood.

At my rural weekend place the County has no permit/inspection process except for septic. If you are on 10 acres or more you can even put that system in yourself. I haven't seen any devaluation of property due to lax rules.

 

[rburke65]

Building department could help you with that

 

[dcg9381]

It varies so much.
Around here, we call a "required permit" that isn't accompanied by an inspection by one name: "Taxation".

We haven't run into escrow issues because no one can keep track of when anything is built, when permits are required, and they don't validate the inspection and release of those permits. If you're in an area that requires a CO, I get it.. Or if there is a permit validation process. The NEC is always changing, so a house that's compliant this year won't meet code next year - that's the nature of the beast.

The only exception to this is septic - we're near a lake and the existing owner is liable for any changes to a septic system that were not permitted. So when property changes hands, you've got to pump the septic tank, get it inspected, and sign a document that says it's unmodified... If you modified it or it's non-compliant, it's massive liability.

Basically - it varies drastically depending on where you live.

I love it when people say that HOAs "increase value" - in my experience, it's the opposite. No one wants a neighbor telling me what color to paint my house. I literally paid 300% more to GTFU of an HOA controlled neighborhood - and I was on the board...

 

[ddawg16]

I've been in places where you don't need a permit for anything.
Here in Minneapolistan you need a permit to apply for a permit and then a permit for the stapler to post the permit on the site.

You forgot about the permit needed to apply for the permit needed to apply for the permit.

And don't forget about the permit and inspection needed to spot the location to post the permit.

Last I heard, you needed a permit to bang your wife.

 

[dcg9381]

That’s true about Houston, but most neighborhoods built in the last 60 to 70 years will have “deed restrictions” by the developer which have the effect of zoning.

In central Texas, deed restrictions are there, but in order to enforce them, private action is required (IE, I have to hire an attorney to sue my neighbor). They also tend to get violated over the years setting "precedent"... So they are only as good as the neighbors that are willing to abide by them and the neighbor that's willing to spend money to enforce them...

 

[65ranchero]

When I lived in NJ there was a permit for every thing from reroofing to complete tear off on the roof to building a garage to complete bath or kitchen remodel,
I got them all helped me to sell my house in 3 days at a big profit

Here in VT rural only permit needed was to add a garage just for taxes in my town and when I added a new septic and that permit was from the state. other wise no electrical inspection (I had a lot of electric work done by a licensed electrician just for insurance reasons) or plumbing.
But if your in a town, local permits are required

 

[b-boy]

I put up my pole barn in November 2018.

I got a permit.

In January 2019, I got a nice fat tax increase, because my property was reassessed. It went up by 25K, which is the exact value I put on my permit for the new pole barn.

Coincidence?

 

[nadogail]

The Permit and Building Code issue is, IMHO, like a coin; on one side nobody is telling you what you "have to do" and on the other side the inspections assure that the minimum standards have been met.

 

[dcg9381]

When I lived in NJ there was a permit for every thing from reroofing to complete tear off on the roof to building a garage to complete bath or kitchen remodel,

Ahh, the only state where we're not allowed to pump our own gas. Makes sense that you need a permit for everything. Thanks, Tony Soprano.

 

[Innovate1]

Ahh, the only state where we're not allowed to pump our own gas. Makes sense that you need a permit for everything. Thanks, Tony Soprano.

You are wrong on that. Can't pump your own gas in Oregon either. I grew up there. They relaxed the law a bit for rural areas a few years ago but for most people the rule still stands.

The permit issue definitely has two side. I don't mind a few reasonable rules. Where I am I can do any of the work myself if I want, even hooking up gas and sewer, main power panel, etc. Some places force you hire people for just about everything.

 

[greg13]

Your Codes officer has the first and final say on your build. Sit down with him (or her) and talk about the build. It is much easier to work WITH him than to play catch up.

 

[MushCreek]

I put up my pole barn in November 2018.

I got a permit.

In January 2019, I got a nice fat tax increase, because my property was reassessed. It went up by 25K, which is the exact value I put on my permit for the new pole barn.

Coincidence?

In many areas, the pole barn would have showed up on your assessment eventually. When we lived in FL, every change we made visible from the outside showed up on our assessment, even though we didn't pull a permit. They look at satellite pics to see what you've added. They never dinged me for not getting a permit, although some places do.

 

[Norcal]

Got a permit to replace the siding and a couple of windows on the front of my rental, they jacked up the property taxes a $100 bucks but my taxes are cheap compared to my neighbors.

 

[Bigbandguy]

You forgot about the permit needed to apply for the permit needed to apply for the permit.

And don't forget about the permit and inspection needed to spot the location to post the permit.

Last I heard, you needed a permit to bang your wife.

You forgot the environmental impact statement covering the damage to the tree the permit is stapled to and the cost of referral to a social worker in case the tree's feelings are hurt or its dignity damaged by having a permit stapled to it.