If you live within the limits of a city, like Cape Coral or Bonita Springs, you must abide by the city rules that often go above and beyond the federal and state laws. For instance, Cape Coral doesn’t allow solicitors to knock door to door in order to sell something. This also comes into play when it is time to get certain remodeling work done. Let’s dive deeper into this so you have a better understanding of what this means for you as a homeowner:
Why do I need a permit?
Some of these requirements may seem like unnecessary government intrusion, but regulations are generally enforced for safety purposes. If you stop to think about it, it’s comforting to know that your next-door neighbor is less likely to burn down his house (and yours!) with his homemade wiring projects or ruin your property value by trying to add a room on to his home by himself. As well, the city must take in taxes in order to provide the kind of services that make your community a nice place to live. You pay your taxes based on the square footage of your home, and adding on an extra bathroom or converting a garage to a den changes the livable square footage of your house.
When do I need a permit?
Rules vary from city to city, but you are likely to need a permit for any project beyond basic repairs and maintenance or simple aesthetic upgrades. For example, refacing the cabinets in your kitchen won’t require a permit. However, replacing the roof or adding new square footage onto your home generally requires a building permit. The same goes for changing the use of existing space, such as converting your back porch into an under-air game room.
How do I get a permit?
If you are paying any professionals to work on your project, have them pull the permits, too. This will be much simpler for you, since someone who works in the industry is accustomed to doing this sort of thing and can therefore finish it quickly and with less mistakes than you might be able to do on your own.
What happens if I don’t get a permit qhen I need one?
Because of the cost involved and apprehension of dealing with the government, some homeowners are tempted to skip the step of getting the proper permits for a home remodel. That is not a good idea. There are a lot of things that could happen. For one, if you are discovered doing work without a permit right away, the city may force your work to stop. Even down the line, you could be discovered and forced to pay a hefty fine. This may come back to haunt you in your homeowners insurance premiums as well if an inspector comes out and sees it. Even years later when you are ready to sell your house, potential buyers and their real-estate agents will likely require proof of inspection and permitting for your work. When they find out you don’t have it, there goes your sale!
Again, your needed permits may be different if you live in Cape Coral as opposed to Sanibel Island. This is why you need the help of experts in remodeling and construction to help you every step of the way. You should be very leery of a company who offers to do work without the proper permit. This is against the law. If they are willing to break the law here, essentially making them criminals, what else are they willing to do? And are you okay with having unscrupulous people inside your home? The answer to that is pretty clear!
If you’re considering a remodeling project of any kind, and are wondering about the permits and other necessary paperwork involved, we would love to talk to you about it. Beattie Development prides ourselves on not only the best-made products, but keeping everything we do to the highest quality of craftsmanship. That means doing everything legally and above question. Call our Remodeling Manager Kenneth at (239) 980-3801 or email him at Kenneth@beattiedev.com to find out more.