City of Laguna Beach What if Property Improvements Were Done Before Design Review Existed

Are you ready to renovate your house? Possibly you take decided to pull the trigger on that new bath. Perhaps you lot are thinking most finishing your basement or redoing your kitchen. One of the first things you'll need to do before you start is get permits. Or do y'all?

Maybe yous've had a architect, remodeler, or handyman walk through your house and give you an estimate. Perhaps he or she has said that the work could be done quicker and a piffling cheaper by not pulling any permits.

Or maybe you plan to do the work yourself and recall nobody would even know if you did it without permits. After all, it's your house! And how bad can information technology be if yous got caught, anyway?

Ultimately, the choice to go permits is yours. Only in this post, I volition go over why obtaining the proper permits is benign in the long run. I'll as well walk you through the likely consequences you'll face up if y'all ignore the rules.

Come across too: 10 Means to Make a Remodel Go Faster in Seattle

Permits exist for a reason: Safety

Before I mention the consequences you could face by not getting a let, let me explain why permits exist. They are there for a reason: safety.

When y'all apply for permits, not merely volition the permitting authorisation usually review your plans, simply they will send inspectors to make sure everything is done right. A allow not only likely include a review of your design, but it volition get you lot an inspector to check your project for safety during construction.

If you have hired a contractor, these official inspections help ensure that the people doing the work aren't cutting corners when it comes to rubber and compliance with local building codes.

See besides: Are Permits Required for a Bath Remodel in Seattle?

Imagine if we had no edifice permits and inspections

Permits can sometimes seem like a nuisance. They are an added expense, and applying for permits can sometimes exist a long process.

I get information technology. You lot want to save money and go started on your project right away. However, imagine what construction would await like if nosotros didn't have the safeguards of pattern review, permitting, and inspections in place, or if building codes weren't enforced.

Y'all can see the results in the news, when a place with lax permitting and pattern-review standards suffers an earthquake or a fire. Buildings constructed of substandard concrete crumble to the basis, and innocent people are trapped in buildings without proper fire escapes.

See also: Are Permits Required for a Kitchen Remodel in Seattle?

Consequences of building without permits

Even though the permitting process tin can sometimes seem similar a nuisance, it'southward there to protect us all. But peradventure you call back that your ain risk is depression and that you're going to simply trust your handyman who says he tin practice the piece of work without permits. If you decide to practise unpermitted work, exist aware of the following potential consequences.

Consequence #1: Rubber

As I mentioned above, this is the main reason the permitting procedure exists. Yet it is sometimes difficult to see how doing a small remodel project could really compromise your safety. After all, you lot're not building a large multi-family building, you're simply updating your kitchen or bathroom. True enough. Nevertheless, the cumulative furnishings of unpermitted work add up over the years and can pose a very real prophylactic risk to your family unit. This is especially true when it comes to electrical piece of work. You really don't want an unqualified person messing with the wiring behind your walls and never having their work inspected. It's easy to encounter how this could lead to fire or electrocution.

Meet also: How Long Does a Whole-House Remodel Take in Seattle?

Consequence #2: Resale value

If yous e'er decide to sell your home, y'all're going to wish yous had pulled those permits. Even if you "become away" with not getting a permit when you initially do the work, you never truly become abroad with information technology. Sooner or subsequently, you're going to hit a metaphoric brick wall for that literal brick wall you congenital without a allow.

Let'southward say, for example, that y'all want to sell your business firm. Almost buyers will exist wary of buying a house if there are renovations done without a permit. If they don't immediately walk away, they are either going to ask you to remedy the state of affairs past going dorsum and pulling the proper permits (a costly procedure), or they will lowball you  because most renovations without a permit aren't appraised into your house'due south value. Either way, y'all are going to end up with much less money from the deal than you might accept been counting on.

As the seller, you will be required to fill out a form on which you lot must disembalm any unpermitted piece of work. If you fail to disembalm anything, the buyer tin can later sue you for damages.

Come across also: Are Permits Required to Stop or Remodel a Basement in Seattle?

Consequence #3: Complications getting a loan

Perhaps you have no plans to sell your firm, and you remember you lot don't care about appraisals. Well, think again. If y'all ever want to refinance your habitation mortgage, you need to get an appraiser to check your house. And that's when your unpermitted remodel will catch up with y'all.

Not only will you not get a loan for your house's value (because information technology won't exist properly appraised), you may be disqualified completely. If y'all remodeled without a let, you might get turned down by the bank.

Finally, if you purchase a home with major unpermitted work, and your mortgage lender finds out about it after the deal closes, they could require y'all to immediately repay your loan. It's a scenario that doesn't happen oftentimes simply is a nightmare when it does.

Consequence #iv: Insurance

Your insurance visitor might reject to pay for any damages acquired by unpermitted remodeling work. Imagine if your new unpermitted bathroom floods your entire house, causing damages upward to thousands of dollars. Or if a faulty stove in the kitchen starts a fire.

Likewise, if you build a new improver without a permit, and a visitor slips and falls in that room, your homeowner's policy may not encompass your liability.

Result #5: City penalties

Let's say you lot don't need to sell your house, you don't demand a loan, and you're lucky enough to have a solid structure even if the visitor y'all hired was willing to cutting corners. That'south extremely lucky! Lucks tends to run out, though.

Your lucky streak will exist over when the city finds out. Perhaps your city's assessor will observe an actress bump-out improver when doing your annual property tax assessment. Or your grumpy neighbor volition have caught wind of your shady remodeling work and will call the city to report you.

The metropolis can and volition fine you for it. And it's not a cheap fine either. For instance, the city of Seattle will issue a stop-work order (if you are in the midst of structure) and fine yous $500 per day for edifice without a permit. If they discover the work after it'south completed, they will nonetheless fine you lot and require you lot to apply for the proper permits.

Consequence #6: Wasted time

The permitting and inspection process does take time. Notwithstanding, if you lot are in a hurry to get your renovations completed, consider this: It'south going to take a lot more time if you start your remodel without a let and the metropolis requires y'all to cease construction or, worse, open up walls or tear out the new work so it can be properly designed and inspected. Yous terminate up with nothing to bear witness for all the time and money you spent. Talk almost bad decisions.

See also: Can You Remove a Wall?

So what do you practise?

I hope it'due south articulate by at present what a bad idea it is to remodel your home without a permit. Here are some additional thoughts on how to continue if you find yourself facing permitting dilemmas.

What to practice if y'all are in the process of buying a home and find out information technology had unpermitted work?

The good news is that you discovered this before you closed on the deal. Depending on how hot your existent estate market place is, this can give y'all significant leverage. The simplest form of activity is to walk away from the bargain if your home inspection uncovers unpermitted work. If y'all truly dear the dwelling, the price is correct, and the piece of work was minor, then you take ii choices: i) ask the seller to get back and become the proper permits earlier closing; 2) accept the house every bit-is merely negotiate a lower cost. Keep in mind that you will be taking on the bedevilment and potential fines and permit fees of the unpermitted work yourself. You will also accept to disembalm it when you lot go to sell the home someday, which will lower the selling price of the home.

What if you lot purchase a home and detect out years afterward that information technology had unpermitted renovation work?

Sorry, that's bad luck. It is possible to contact your city's permitting authority and retroactively permit the work. Depending on how major the renovation was, it may require yous to hire an architect, open up walls, or even demolish parts of your domicile if, for instance, an improver was built likewise close to your holding line. Continue in mind that, as the new possessor, you will be responsible for whatever fines. If the seller failed to disclose unpermitted renovation work at the fourth dimension of the sale, and you lot incurred damages remedying the problem, y'all may be able to file a ceremonious suit against them or reach a settlement agreement. But don't put the problem off. States accept a statute of limitations for how long after the fact you lot tin file a suit. In Washington Country, for instance, information technology'due south three years. In many other states, it'south only ii years.

What if my general contractor/handyman/plumber/electrician says I don't need a allow to remodel?

Nigh reputable contractors and remodeling companies will be upfront and honest with you near the permits that are required by police. Subsequently all, it'south in their best interest to follow the rules so they don't become fined, shut down, or lose their license. However, there are some less reputable companies that will offer to exercise unpermitted piece of work. As the homeowner, it's in your best interest to verify whether the remodeling work requires a permit or not. If you lot find out that you are required to go a let and the company you hired is willing to go on without one, y'all might need to ask yourself where else they are willing to cut corners. An offer to practise unpermitted work where a allow is required is a big blood-red flag. I recommend you lot find a more reputable contractor.

What if my remodeling project is very small? Do I even need a permit?

Cheque with your local building or permitting department. Oftentimes, they make exceptions for very pocket-sized projects. Here's the guidance from Seattle'southward Department of Structure & Inspections:

Minor repairs or alterations. Y'all don't demand a permit for small repairs or alterations that toll $half-dozen,000 or less in any 6-calendar month period. The $6,000 limit is based on fair market place value of labor and parts, fifty-fifty if you lot do the work yourself.

You need a permit for any piece of work on load-bearing supports, changes to the building envelope, and work that reduces egress, lite, ventilation, or burn resistance no affair how small-scale the project.

Keep in mind that even if you practise non need a building permit for your pocket-size renovation projection, y'all may still need an electric, plumbing, or other permit. In that location are usually exceptions and subtleties to the rules, and then information technology's e'er a good idea to requite your local edifice department a call to brand sure you're correct in your understanding that you don't need a permit.

What if I am selling my habitation that had unpermitted remodeling work?

When you list your home, your agent will ask you to fill out a disclosure form. Answer the questions honestly. If yous don't, yous take chances sabotaging any potential deal and opening yourself up to civil lawsuits later on. If you did any remodeling work without a permit, state that on the form. If previous owners did any such piece of work that yous know well-nigh, state it on the form. If yous honestly don't know if past work was performed with a permit or not, reply, "Don't know." Confirm with your real estate agent or attorney, but in many cases, you are not required to go sleuthing around for by permitting violations that y'all don't already know about. The buyer's home inspector or bank appraiser will likely find these and written report them to the heir-apparent.

Are you lot set to remodel the right way?

Looking to renovate? Hire a reputable company that follows the law and protects the safe of your family (and your investment in your domicile). At CRD, we have dedicated ourselves to remodeling Seattle homes for more than twoscore years. If you are prepare to alter your house for the better, contact us for a consultation. We are always happy to try to assistance.

Article Categories: Remodeling

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Source: https://www.crddesignbuild.com/blog/what-happens-if-you-get-caught-remodeling-without-a-permit

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