When was the last time you were at the building permit office? Do you remember what the cost was just to make a seemingly small update? I imagine it probably felt as if you were being ripped off. Why should you even NEED a permit to do that?
The permit alone is more than what you might want to pay, plus add on the actual cost of the update. You are looking at a somewhat expensive endeavor.
If you are considering making bigger repairs without getting the proper permits, I am begging you to reconsider. The cost of the fines, much less that of any other consequence, isn’t worth it. A better option is to sell your home to a cash home buyer instead of making the repairs.
How can that be? Let me explain:
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Fewer Problems Long Term
Eventually, you may want to sell your property. How does having non-permitted repairs affect the sale of your home?
If the home inspector, closing agent, or anyone else finds out about the unpermitted repairs, it can easily cause your home to be sold at a lower price.
There are all kinds of official paperwork that will indicate if something major has changed in your home. If there aren’t supporting documents indicating that those changes were cleared by the city then it is kind of like buying a car with a salvaged title. Yes, some people will do it but by and large, most buyers are going to back out after they find out.
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Fines for working without a permit are enormous
As mentioned earlier, fines for unpermitted work are astronomical. The fines are always more than the cost of the original permit, that’s what encourages people to actually go get the permit in the first place.
Everyone thinks that they aren’t going to get caught but I’ll tell you an industry a secret: building inspectors look for homes that are undergoing any kind of construction. They are walking the streets, driving through neighborhoods trying to find individuals who are skirting the law.
Uppity neighbors may even be wanting to turn you in for possibly working without a permit. The risks are clearly there and you will most likely get caught, extending the amount of money and time for the project.
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Saving Cash Long Term
Did you know that you have to completely stop construction if you can’t hand over your permit on demand? Yes, you do.
All of your completed work will then be inspected to see if you have met local codes. But what if you haven’t? You risk having the city order you to demolish the work. Obviously, it is more expensive to do the work twice than just a single time! Selling your home for cash instead of working without a permit though means you won’t need to worry about the risk.
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Funds for contractors who want to work with you
Selling your home means more funds to work on your place. And you won’t have angered the construction industry so they will want to work with you.
Working without a permit usually angers professional contractors. The contracting business adheres to local policies and procedures because they must. Most don’t want to be associated with anyone who goes outside of those policies, it’s bad for business.
Final Thoughts
Starting any type of construction project without proper permits can seem like a cost effective easy way to increase the value of your home but it isn’t worth it.
You run the risk of ridiculous fines, angering the contracting industry, and actually devaluing your home by working without getting a permit first.
Instead, if you sell your home as is, we take care of all that. We flip your home for a new owner the right way while you get to sip tea on the front porch of your new place. Truly it is a win-win for all parties involved.
Alternatively, you can contact us at (877)-990-7774 to reach a phone representative.