{"id":1062,"date":"2020-11-06T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=1062"},"modified":"2024-04-25T23:20:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T03:20:28","slug":"diy-renovations-everything-you-wanted-to-know-or-not-about-permits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/diy-renovations-everything-you-wanted-to-know-or-not-about-permits\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Renovations? Everything You Wanted to Know (or Not) About Permits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bought a fixer-upper? Sprucing up your house to sell? Yes, a\nbuilding permit (and the fee that comes with it) might be mandatory for that\nnew fence, deck, or electrical work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small faucet or disposal fixes, interior painting and minor\nstucco repair, as well as ordinary air conditioning maintenance, will probably need\nno permit. Once you get beyond basic upkeep, though, you\u2019ll want to call the\nlocal building and licensing department first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re told a permit is necessary, consider calling a pro\nto pull the permit and do the job. Why? A permit represents a legal\nresponsibility to precisely meet the code. Skipping a permit today could come\nback to bite an owner tomorrow \u2014 if someone or something gets damaged, or when\nthe time comes to sell the home. A seller with home improvements on a survey or\ntitle search, but without the right records, can face major problems. And sometimes\na permit makes the difference between getting homeowner\u2019s insurance to cover a repair\nor not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply stated, it\u2019s a violation of your local and state laws\nto carry out work without a necessary permit. So, check with your local\nbuilding department when you\u2019re making renovation plans. Get familiar with the\nway the relevant inspection process works. Permit inspections at key phases of\nthe work prevent errors and solidify the value in your home improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without further ado, here are some of the most common\ndo-it-yourself projects that could need a permit. There are many more projects\nthat could, so consider this a brief intro to the topic. We hope it raises\nawareness and helps guide our readers\u2019 next major home improvement plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Installing a Fence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fences are common DIY jobs. Yet building or replacing a fence\nshould be planned right. A fence not only needs to be installed according to\nthe rules; it also needs to be precisely placed. First, check your survey. If\nyou have no recent survey, consider having one done. You need stakes on the\nboundary line, connected with strings to guide your fence positioning just inside\nthe stakes. No one wants to make a fence for the people next door. Your fence\nmust be within<\/em> your property lines. Not too far within, though. Losing\nland through adverse\npossession<\/a> is unlikely, but avoid creating an unclear property line.\nIf you do have a shared fence, both owners may need to be involved in an\napplication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the deed to know if you own the land \u201csubject\nto\u201d recorded restrictions<\/a>. Check for easements and setbacks, especially\nalong roadsides and sewer or utility lines. Your public works department will\nneed to approve a fence on their storm drain easements. If you build a fence\ntoo close to any public property, the local code enforcers could take the\nopportunity to have you reposition it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, find out if your county or community association requires permits or other approvals for the work. For example, Prince William County in Virginia requires zoning approval for all fences<\/a> but no building permit \u201cunless the fence is required for pedestrian safety or used for the barrier of a pool.\u201d Some locales and associations impose aesthetic rules. Some even insist on a new survey before you place a post or do other work near your property line!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip:<\/em><\/strong> Live in an area with a lot of\nwildlife? Avoid spiked metal. Township law enforcement can tell you that some\nof their most distressing calls involve the combination of \u201cspear\u201d fences and\nlocal wildlife attempting to jump over fencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repairing a Roof<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re putting a new roof on your house, patching your roof, or adding equipment, find out if a permit is needed first. The Planning Department of Omaha, Nebraska<\/a>, for example, offers a website to check for permits and contractor licensing. Only hire licensed contractors to work on your home. They\u2019ll obtain the permit and you\u2019ll pay for it as part of the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philadelphia\u2019s Construction Services Division<\/a> require permits for ordinary roof replacements, and plans are required for substantial changes. Allentown, Pennsylvania<\/a> requires permits for roof replacements (as well as walls, decks, fences and many other projects), whereas rules in New Jersey<\/a> have been relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need an electrical permit to place solar panels on your home<\/a>, and the contractor must adhere to your\u00a0state\u2019s public utility regulations. The local utility company must approve and inspect grid connections. Antenna<\/a> and dish permits may also be required. Where cable TV may be installed without a permit, the contractor has rules to follow, like using wiring with the right level of insulation.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you live under a Homeowners\u2019 Association restrictions,\nyou\u2019ll need to know the rules for changing doors or windows, exterior walls, or\nroofs. Read the association\u2019s covenants, including rules designed to keep a\nuniform look throughout the community. Many of these associations bring in\ncontractors familiar with the property and its restrictions, and the owners pay\nfor the work through their monthly HOA fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working on Electrical Systems and Outlets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Electrical work that involves replacing appliances of\nmore than 30 amps, or work that takes you behind the drywall, typically\nrequires a permit. You\u2019ll likely need a permit for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n