Why Permitting Matters
It might seem like a lot of legwork to make sure you have the proper permits in place before, during, and after construction. But taking care of the permits right away can save a lot of hassle down the road. Unapproved constructions, or work completed by contractors who don’t have the proper permits, can actually decrease the value of your home and could possibly make you liable to repay and become engulfed in a lawsuit by the new homeowners.
Not only that, but because your property taxes are generally based on the value of the improvements made to the land, failure to get the appropriate permits can leave you on the hook for unpaid property taxes later on.
So, as you can see, permits can have a big impact on your finances if you ignore them. For example, if you don’t have an electrical permit on file for any electrical modifications in your home, you couldn’t collect insurance if the cause of a fire is determined to be non-permitted work. Permits help when it’s time to sell a home since potential homebuyers will want to be sure the appropriate permits exist for any modifications or additions to the home.
Most importantly, building codes and permits are put in place for your health and safety. They set forth minimum requirements for the types and sizes of materials to be used to meet safety standards.
These are all really important reasons why the permitting process works in your favor. If you’re hiring a contractor to build your addition, then ensuring that your builder is working with the necessary permits is a pretty great clue that they’re a legit company doing quality work. Win-win!
Example: Permitting for a Kitchen Remodel
You don’t have to add to your home or construct an entirely new building on your property to require permits, though. In some cases, even an extensive remodeling project will require permitting.
This is especially true of kitchens and bathrooms, where the renovation may place significant demands on your gas, electrical, water, and/or plumbing systems.
Below are some examples of the kinds of permits that might be required for an extensive kitchen remodel:
- Structural: This is necessary if you’re making major modifications that include blowing out walls or building new ones.
- Electrical: Even if you’re just moving one plug or installing any new fixtures, you need an electrical permit. If you’re doing an electrical upgrade, make sure you bring everything up to current building code standards.
- Plumbing: If you are adding a redesigned laundry room that includes a new location for the sink, you will need a plumbing permit.
- Gas permit: If your new stovetop has a gas grill, you will need a gas permit to run a new gas line. If it’s electric, it will fall under the electrical permit.
- Local permits: You will need any other permits required by your township or municipality.