A Permit After 19 Years?

JulieMor · 07-19-2012, 04:50 PM

Nineteen years ago I bought a hot tub. Before I did I called the building department and asked if a permit was necessary. The hot tub was considered portable and therefore they said no.

Now, 19 years later, I get red tagged for not having a permit for the hot tub. This was an adder to being red tagged for replacing the treads on my front stairs and putting a new roof on the gazebo.

The inspector was at the park next door looking at a job and must have seen the gazebo roof was new. She then came over and decided to write me up for that, the front stairs and the hot tub. She tried to red tag me for a temp scaffold, calling it an addition to the gazebo, until I explained to her what it was.

Before I did any work I checked the codes.

Repair and replacement of normal wear and tear are exempt from permitting. The inspector said not the front stairs (there's nothing in the code to support her).
Re-roofing less than 25% overall requires no permit. The inspector said she's never heard of that. I gave her the section number. She didn't care.
I told her the hot tub was put in 19 years ago. She said there was no permit. I told her when I installed it I was told no permit was necessary. She said she's been there 17 years and she's never heard of that. I told her this was 19 years ago. She didn't care and I don't have the 1993 code or the name of the person who said no permit was necessary.

Now I have to go into the building department to argue my case.

chrisn · 07-19-2012, 05:45 PM

That is freekin nuts!

That lady needs a good whack up side the head

rusty baker · 07-19-2012, 07:41 PM

Not surprising, it has been my experience that most codes inspectors are dumb as a box of rocks.

**oh'mike** · 07-19-2012, 08:05 PM

I must agree---

Fix'n it · 07-19-2012, 10:00 PM

didn't you know, that government employee's can make up their own rules as they see fit ? ESPECIALLY around chitcago.

rusty baker · 07-19-2012, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix'n it

didn't you know, that government employee's can make up their own rules as they see fit ? ESPECIALLY around chitcago.

That's universal.

garethcooper9 · 07-20-2012, 05:33 AM

They are all the same everywhere. I can't imagine how many teams we've heard different opinions. I wonder how come they interpret the same rules in a different way. They surely got some imagination.

ThatDaveGuy · 07-20-2012, 07:06 AM

You find the same **** everywhere, ALWAYS get something in writing, even if it's something that doesn't apply like this. My wife works in local govt. and there seems to be a definite trend lately to use code enforcements, etc., for "revenue enhancement".

Just Bill · 07-20-2012, 08:31 AM

I just did a demo on a porch done, maybe 45 yrs ago, w/no permit. It did not show up on any county drawings/plans. Therefore it did not exist. Being a proper contractor, I inquired about a demo permit. Absolutely I was told. But technically it does not exist, so why do i need a permit to tear out something that is not really there???????? Permit was $75, that's why. It also required a plot plan for the property, $400 to the owner.

And as a side note. It hasn't rained here(in any amount) for months, so I now have a hole dug for the footers for the new addition........yep, 2-3 days of rain ahead. I should send my rainmaking bill to the governor.

JulieMor · 07-20-2012, 09:33 AM

When I was building the house, in 1986, I had the inspector out for the rough. At the time our water was not metered. But just in case it ever was, I ran a 3/4" section of copper pipe horizontally, after the water line coming from the street, before I ran it up into the basement ceiling.

The inspector walked through the job and when he came to this little piece of horizontal copper pipe he asked me, "Where is the jumper?" I told him no meter was being installed. He looked at me and asked how the ground current was going to flow to the street. I pointed to the pipe and said, "Right through that solid piece of 3/4" copper pipe." He hesitated then said, "I'll let it go this time."

They have one inspector for everything, plumbing, electrical, framing, roofing, etc., etc. but not for HVAC. They don't inspect that. And all these years the thing that has been the Achilles heel in this house is the HVAC.

chrisn · 07-20-2012, 05:19 PM

[quote=ThatDaveGuy;970066]You find the same **** everywhere, ALWAYS get something in writing, even if it's something that doesn't apply like this. My wife works in local govt. and there seems to be a definite trend lately to use code enforcements, etc., for "revenue enhancement".[/quote]

gotta love THAT term

I could think of something else to call it , but being a family site and all

pjm30043 · 07-21-2012, 09:02 AM

We are talking about the most inefficent institution around. That would be government. Can we expect any less?

Fix'n it · 07-21-2012, 09:21 AM

its quit simple. they are "praying on us". they do everything they can to "justify" their jobs. they are NOT public servants, as they were hired for. they are SELF SERVANTS

7echo · 07-22-2012, 08:01 AM

In our area the permit has become what chrisn and ThatDaveGuy commented on, revenue enhancement.

For the most part they want the permit fees.

I am sure this is somewhat a common 'feature' of the inspection process- A trade will always leave something for the inspector to find so he/she feels like they are doing their job, but the something is easily corrected.

**kwikfishron** · 07-22-2012, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7echo

I am sure this is somewhat a common 'feature' of the inspection process- A trade will always leave something for the inspector to find so he/she feels like they are doing their job, but the something is easily corrected.

Not in my world…All I want is a signature so I can move on.

I can’t imagine leaving something out for the inspector to find just to make them feel good.