So You Think You Don't Need A Building Permit/Inspection??

"You're opening up a can of worms you don't want to" "It's YOUR basement...you don't need someone's permission on what to build in it" "Hey, EVERYBODY constructs without getting a building permit" "You'll NEVER get anything accomplished...they'll stick it to you at every turn" "Ha Ha Ha!! You're gonna REGRET that move" You know, at first I wasn't even going to do this post, but if you take the time to read the story below, maybe you'll understand why I did. :oops: I waited to post this until I got resolution for this situation. Some of this situation is from ignorence, some from laziness, heck, some is even from anxiety concerning the COST to "redo work that's already been done". Thing is, from reading info on this site...it gave me KNOWLEDGE and changed my perspective. The statements you see above were the things I was told when I decided to get a permit and inspections. I had family and friends all telling me these things. Believe me I felt like I was on an "Island by myself"... The story below is 100% all true... Here I am trying to make plans for my studio spending HOURS on this site gathering info. I've got a lot going on (as we all do) but to add on top of everything, my daughter is staying out TOO late so I have to put a lid on that! (she straightened things out and finally started coming home on time though :) ) Anyway, we already had some construction work done finishing our basement. The walls were all up, and the bathroom was set up to. The design turned out pretty good if I say so myself. :D We went ahead and had what I found out was called a "rough-in" electrical inspection. (I knew enough NOT to take a chance with THAT!) In the meantime I noticed some of the drywall work wasn't that good. I couldn't leave it like it was, so I decided to "clean it up" myself. THIS has taken some time for me to do and it delayed us from finishing the other rooms in the basement. (Blessing #1) During this time, I began reading info on this site about building permits, inspections etc. There were even some articles about disasters that occured due to negligence or work done that was not according to code by owners of a structure. I even read where there is a "possibility" (depending on the situation's circumstances) an insurance company MAY not pay if a fire or disaster occurs due to work done that was against code or something similar. I knew someone who sold insurance, so I decided to inquire about it myself. He said, "it's possible depending on the circumstances, but I've never heard of that happening". Just knowing the "possibility" an insurance company may not pay was worth SERIOUS thought! :shock: If we ever sold the house, we may be required to SHOW paperwork for a building permit and inspections. Just think of the cost of demolition work (in order to sell the house) to prove things were built according to code! I ran this by family and friends and as I stated above, those are the responses I got. Initially, Nobody...I repeat, NOBODY told me I SHOULD get a building permit even though I explained about the "special construction" that had to be done in the studio and the fact that I would be taking a "gamble" by NOT getting a permit & inspection. I KNEW I was going to get a permit and inspection for my STUDIO, but since the rest of the basement had been about 70% finished, I now needed to get a permit and inspection for what had ALREADY been done! (and I was PAST the rough-in inspection!) I figured, "when an inspector comes to check my studio, all he has to do is ASK me if I got a permit for the rest of the basement then I'm dead meat". I'm on my Island by myself... (I should note that there was 1 good friend of mine whom I later talked to who told me I SHOULD get a permit and get it inspected) I was at odds with myself. "Should I get one or not"? (Not for the studio, but for the rest of my basement) I really didn't know what to do even though deep down inside I "knew" what I "should" do. I was trying to take the most popular, the most EASY way out...(Even as a Christian trying to get his life right I can and DO stumble) Finally, one Friday morning I Prayed for GOD to show me what I should do. I asked HIM to show me a sign or something right away so I would know what to do. I asked HIM to show me something that would let me know "without a shadow of a doubt". That Friday night (Early Saturday morning) my daughter was late coming home. (Remember, she WAS coming home on time) As she drove by the back of the house, she noticed something strange. When she pulled up to the house she walked around back to see what was up. The next thing I knew, I woke up from a sound sleep and heard the door slam open and her screaming "Daddy the deck's on fire!!" I went downstaris and sure enough it was on fire. We called the fire dept, but I finally got it put out before they got there. The fire got within about 1 foot from the house. One more foot and it would have begun burning the siding and would have SURELY caught the house on fire. It burned about a 3 ft by 3ft hole that went completely through my deck to the ground below. Evidentally, the wood had been treated which kept the flames low and from spreading faster. (Fire was caused from BBQ coals that were "supposedly" put out.) Had my daughter come in on time or even later...well, you can figure the rest out. Anyway, for ME...I got the sign I Prayed for. I was getting that permit and inspection no matter what ANYBODY said. I called down to the Planning Commission and got the paperwork. I explained what I had already done in the basement (not including the studio...I will be applying for a seperate permit for that), and that I had not got a building permit. They told me to come there and apply for one, then go from there. I even spoke with a building inspector and explained the situation to him. I GOT my building permit. :D I then had to schedule for the building inspector to come. I was apprehensive about the inspector coming because of what I might be facing from not "doing what I should have" from the beginning. Well, today he came... He told me one of the most important things I got was the electrical inspection. He then began his inspection. There were some areas he could still see framing etc. to make his evaluation. Yea, I was sweatin' bullets, I admit it. When it was all said and done (along with some, er, "talk" from him :roll: ) I passed the rough-in inspection! :D Oooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Do I feel relieved! :o I'm writing this to hopefully steer someone away from "skipping the permit/inspection" process into "doing the right thing" and getting one FROM THE BEGINNING. My situation worked out ok. The building inspector was pretty understanding. I was Blessed, pure and simple. Be STRONG when you hear people telling you the things they told me. You see what I went through JUST to get a simple inspection...DON'T go down the road I did!

Stan, thank you so much for sharing your most amazing and most personal story. I can only imagine the struggle and emotional turmoil you were going through, let alone the actual fire that broke out on your deck that threatened your house and your family's life. Amazing testimony indeed. I hope you don't mind my linking to this thread from the "Permits, Codes, Licenses -- and WHY YOU SHOULD CARE!" thread. --Keith :mrgreen:

Thanks for this little thread Stan. As a Christian myself, I feel that the encouragement given to me by reading this thread was an answered prayer.

Stan, I think you story points out another subtle detail about life in general concerning your daughter: EVERYTHING happens for a reason. I've had the same problem with my teenage step-daughter and I've often asked the question "Why me?" Why can't she just do what she's told? Every black cloud that hovers over our lives does have a silver lining that we (more than likely) will never understand, or at least not for a long time. Her "misbehavior" is possibly what saved your house and lives. However as a word of advice, I'd make sure she doesn't turn this to her advantage and say "See, I SHOULD be staying out later!" :-) Thanks for sharing that story with us all. I got everyone of the same quotes and warnings you did about getting my permit (and a few more that I can't repeat), and mine too went like a breeze. I also looked at it like this: if they find something that wasn't up to snuff, was dangerous or marginal at best, I was in a position to fix it with the least amount of trouble and cost. NOT getting it inspected wouldn't have made it any safer and if you don't have enough confidence in your building skills and design, maybe you shouldn't be doing it anyway! Fear of failure (or a bad inspection) shouldn't be used as an excuse to avoid getting a permit. Thanks again!! len