Another stop work order on a renovation on Preston Street. The upstairs has been gutted, new firewalls built, wiring and plumbing ... who would have thought a permit was necessary?
I gather the old Paradise water garden store will become an Indian grocery store.
Do renovators just try to do things without a permit to "beat the cost" of buying a permit? Or is to avoid the "rules" that might be in place (like zoning, permitted uses, FSI, etc) by hoping an as-built will get the go ahead that might not be possible for an application made in advance? Or is it that the City's building permit process is so slow that rennovators/builder'stennants cannot afford to wait for so long to get their permits?
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The city is legal required to respond to a permit application in 10 bussiness days so time is generally not a huge issue assuming you have a decent set up plans together.
ReplyDeleteI think cost and getting around restrictions are the main resons not to get permits. And of course, contractors who's work won't pass inspection.
Thanks for the news on the city's response period. On a related matter, I hear permits/renovations to another building near the ones featured in these two posts, have been hung up because the city has "no record" of the building existing, although it has been taxed.
ReplyDeleteFolks renovating their own home may not know that they need a permit. The only reason I know it's necessary is because I have friends in the building trades.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I don't own my own residence. =)