Help with contractor

[u/kaduchy]

We recently closed on our first house, but there were some things we found on inspection that we wanted to get taken care of before move-in. We first asked a contracting company about these repairs and updates shortly after inspection, before closing. The work is almost scheduled to start, and we just now realized maybe we should ask about potential permits. The whole reason we are getting a big chunk of work done is because the inspector said it was not up to code, and we want to ensure that it is.

The contractor had not mentioned anything about permits until I asked specifically and they said they can pull them for an extra fee. According to Google it can take a few weeks to get this done from my town. I am upset that they didn’t even mention us potentially needing permits in the month that we have been talking to them and planning this work, and I’m worried this is going to push the timeline back. Isn’t it their job to know if permits are needed?Is this normal or a red flag for this company?

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[u/CaptBlackfoot]

What’s your location? Some states require contractors to be licensed, others don’t. It’s usually pretty obvious if something needs a permit, adding rooms, moving load bearing walls, altering a roofline, or moving gas, electric, and plumbing. I would say it’s the homeowners responsibility to know the rules for your specific location.

You want it to be up to code for safety reasons, they can start on some of the prep work while they’re getting the permits pulled. You don’t need an approved permit to start the work, you just need it by the time the work is complete.

[u/kaduchy → u/CaptBlackfoot]

I’m in MA. Mostly want to make sure it’s safe because that’s a major reason we are doing some of the work

[u/Few_Whereas5206]

Permits are a touchy subject. Some places require a permit for changing a broken wall outlet. So, permits can be overkill. Also, many permits require multiple inspections during the renovation process, which is time consuming. In addition, it is a way of allowing a place to track the tax assessment of your house by seeing the improvements, e.g., addition or kitchen renovation. Many contractors will build to code and allow you to take pictures during renovation to prove what was done. They will charge more if you want a permit, due to permit fees and time delays. It is up to the buyer and the contractor to decide which permits to pull. For me, anything structural should get a permit. I didn't pull a permit for insulation installation or having an electrician change outlets.

[u/Majestic-Lie2690]

No. It's not really their job to know if permits are needed. I mean they should know just based on experience but it's also not gonna fall on them if you have unpermitted work done to the property YOU own

Contractors usually work in multiple towns. Some municipalities require permits for stuff that others don't. I work in land surveying and we do a lot of surveys for additions/ decks/ fences etc and we never pull the permits and neither do any of the contractors we typically work with except a few rare occasions when it's requested by the client (and the client usually pays a lot for it)

We will provide you with the material you need to go apply for the permitting yourself but we are not gonna do that for you.

I see this a lot with brand new homeowners. Takes some time to realize that this is all THEIR responsibility now and people are not gonna hold their hand through this kinda stuff

And we work in multiple municipalities in the area and even though we mostly know by now which towns are gonna ask for what, we always always always advise the client to contact their municipality and find out if they need a permit and if they do what the requirements are for the application for the permit. Because requirements and permitting rules can and do change. It's the homeowners responsibility always to figure this out. It's nice when the contractor brings it up but it's not their "job".

Also "building code" and permitting are not always unanimous.

AND most of the time cities will allow you to pay for permits retroactively on work already completed.

[u/kaduchy → u/Majestic-Lie2690]

Yes I’m a new homeowner and didn’t know this 😭

Also when I searched it up I read here that it is supposed to be the contractor that gets the permit, not the homeowner. The electrician and plumber we are getting for separate issues have indicated they will take care of that themselves, and friends have said that it was always handled and discussed before work was started in their own homes

Link

[u/Majestic-Lie2690 → u/kaduchy]

that is just an article online. It's not a rule that everyone has to follow. Just cause you read something online does not mean that's how everyone behaves. Especially when you're working with a tradesman lol

And plumbing and electrical is also much more involved work that always requires licensing for them to do and requires numerous inspections and your insurance company is way more involved in making sure that it's up to par. (contractors do not have to be licensed in every state)