Is it Permitted?
May 30, 2007
Back in the old days (probably before 1970) "do-it-yourself" was popular. Homeowners converted garages, enclosed patios, covered patios and took out walls to create larger rooms. Back then, there were no disclosure laws and sales were pretty much "Buyer Beware".
In California in the early 1980s, the laws changed and it became necessary for homeowners who were putting a property up for sale to disclosure alterations and additions made without the necessary permits. Both property owners and real estate professionals had to educate themselves as to which additions and alterations required a permit.
I asked a building department official to give me a rule of thumb to use. Essentially he said that anything that had the potential to harm someone would require a permit and inspections to determine that it was properly built or installed.
Section R105.1 of the International Building Code states:
"Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permits."
Pretty comprehensive, isn't it? Does it cover installing a ceiling fan? or a new oven? It probably does. Best to keep track of those little improvements so they can properly be disclosed to a potential buyer.
Back in the old days (probably before 1970) "do-it-yourself" was popular. Homeowners converted garages, enclosed patios, covered patios and took out walls to create larger rooms. Back then, there were no disclosure laws and sales were pretty much "Buyer Beware".
In California in the early 1980s, the laws changed and it became necessary for homeowners who were putting a property up for sale to disclosure alterations and additions made without the necessary permits. Both property owners and real estate professionals had to educate themselves as to which additions and alterations required a permit.
I asked a building department official to give me a rule of thumb to use. Essentially he said that anything that had the potential to harm someone would require a permit and inspections to determine that it was properly built or installed.
Section R105.1 of the International Building Code states:
"Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permits."
Pretty comprehensive, isn't it? Does it cover installing a ceiling fan? or a new oven? It probably does. Best to keep track of those little improvements so they can properly be disclosed to a potential buyer.
posted by shirley harry at 8:08 AM
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