Don't let permits and inspections scare you or worry you. I remember this was a big mental hurdle in my mind to getting started. The words alone seem so daunting. Do you have permits for your basement? Did you pass inspection? Crap! What happens if I don't? Jail time? Huge fines?
Chillax. There are no fines and you won't do time. Try changing the vocabulary from" permits" and "inspections" to "announcements" and "reviews". The permit is really just an announcement that you are going to do some work on your house. The inspection is really just a review of your work by a licensed and experienced person who is just checking to make sure everything is safe.
Permits for finishing your basement
If you're finishing your basement yourself you can actually start without one. I built a couple of my walls before I made it official and purchased my "announcement" (permit). I don't even have permits as one of my 8 steps to how to finish a basement.
Now, if you're planning to have a huge back hoe outside of your house to dig up some dirt and install a basement window, then you may have a neighbor or two who start to ask some questions and in that case you want to have your permit ready. The very first inspection visit is the framing inspection so as long as you have the permit before then, you're good to go.
Every area is different but in my county permits can easily be obtained by the homeowner. You need a rough sketch of your design, the permit application (name, address and stuff) and you need the permit fee. You take that to the county office where a clerk checks it over and hands you a permit. In my case it was a big orange sheet of paper that you put somewhere near the front of your house.
They will want to know if you are also doing the electrical and plumbing phases, say yes, you can always change this later if you decide to hire someone. If you do decide to hire some then they need to get their own permits and handle their own inspections. The person who did the work is responsible for passing the inspection.
Should you get a permit?
Yes! If you are going to do electrical, plumbing or major structural work - you should absolutely get one. It's not that hard and it could save your life, your kids life or some family's life in the future. By getting the permit you're all setup for free inspections!
That's right, free help! Look, you've never done this before, now you'll have a guy come out before everything is closed in by drywall, and just let you know if you've done something that could hurt you or cause damage to your house. Don't look at it as a hurdle, look at it as an opportunity to improve and to learn.
Plus, if you ever sell your home, the realtor is going to ask, "Do you have permits and inspections for this great basement?" No? There goes 5 to 10 thousand bucks out of your pocket. You can probably still sell, but the buyer is worried now, no one has checked your work. If you wait until you sell to get things inspected, good luck. Codes change over time and you're expected to meet the codes that are in place at the time of the inspection. Not to mention the fact that you'll have to crack open a bunch of walls so they can see what's going on.
Finally, you'll give confidence to your family. My wife was always a bit leery when I working with electrical or plumbing and rightfully so. Electricity is no joke, it can hurt or kill you. Even though I showed her the books I'd read and explained the process and she could see the wiring and all the lights worked, it wasn't until the inspector came and put a small 2"x2" sticker on our basement door with red "approved" stamp on it, that she believed everything was safe and correct.
Das Inspections
I always kind of thought of inspections as the SS coming in to check my papers with a big growling German Shepard by their side. But really it's more like a lovable little puppy who just wants to be your friend. I was a bit nervous for that first inspecton. It was for the framing. The guy took about 2 minutes, walked through basement, asked a few questions and gave me an approval. Done.
Electrical inspection was even better. This guy was giving me tips, showing me why certain things are done and encouraging me to keep learning. I actually failed the first electrical inspection but both issues were minor, I fixed them and then he came back and I passed. He said I was actually much more thorough in my planning and execution than some of the professional electricians.
Help Me Help You
The thing to remember about the inspectors is that they do hundreds of inspections a month. They have to inspect new houses, renovations, additions and more. Respect their time. Clean up before they get there. Make sure it's easy for them to walk around and see what they need to inspect. If they're coming to inspect electrical - make sure they can see all of the outlet boxes, make sure they can get to the electrical panel.
Be Sure to Be There
Make sure that you are home when they come to do the inspection. Don't just have your wife or brother or something let them in the house. They need to talk with you. They might have questions and if they have instructions on what you need to do to pass then you'll want to hear that first hand. If you had a contractor do some of the work then try to have them with your or at least know that they are available via phone to answer questions or get feedback.
They won't inspect every single element. If you put in 20 electrical boxes for outlets, they might check 3 or4, if those look good then they assume you know what you're doing. The bottom line is that they need to trust your work and it's more difficult to trust someones work who isn't there in person.
Go Ahead, Inspect Away
I hope that puts some of those fears at ease. I know I mulled over the whole permit thing for way to long. Just go online and find you counties website, hopefully they have one by now, and check out the permit process. Then get started already, get your rough design and application finished then pick a time and go apply.
Do you have a crazy inspection story? Did you ever have trouble passing an inspection? I'd love to hear your stories. Please post them as a comment below.
Cheers -
Jason
Thanks! I am going to the town to get my inspection tomorrow. Just eased my mind a ton!
Chris - that's great! The first step is the hardest. Let us know how it went. - Jason
my question is a little different I am renting a home in Illinios and the basement has flooded for 1 1/2 years since I been here..finally got the landlord to do something about it and he rent a jack hammer to break the basement floor and install drains...does this need to have permits since he tearing up the floor and installing pcp pipes as well as a drain? If so how do I get the inspector to look at it before and after for my safety? I have called 311 and put in a request bt the work will start soon prolly before an inspector can come out !
Hey Fred - Permit requirements vary by location but my guess is that if you're digging up your foundation floor then mostly likely "Yes" you need a permit and it should be inspected. - Jason
Hey Guys! I'm a foreman for a company that waterproofs basements. Here in KY no inspection is needed for waterproofing basements. The basement floor doesn't add any structure in most basements. The only time there is anything to worry about anything is if you have block walls that go less than 4" into the ground below the floor. (If the floor is holding the bottom row of blocks the wall can cave in with ground pressure once the floor is removed.) The foundation is not disturbed when jackhammering trenches and no permits are needed because the system will not be tied into sewage. No new "plumbing" will be done. They may possibly need to drill a small hole through the side of the foundation or floor plate to discharge the water from the sump via the pump. No worries! Enjoy your dry basement!
Thank you Giuseppe, good points! - Jason
This article dances around the real reason why people don't want a permit. It has nothing to do with the cost of the permit or being afraid of the permit process or inspections. In reality the reason everyone (that i know) don't want permits is because their property taxes go up after the renovations.
The permit process does have its benefits. It ensures that anything built is structurally sound. For many DIYers this is a plus. There are lots of people that don’t know anything about building anything but that doesn’t stop them.
If there were no fines in the form of taxes after adding on to your property then more people would get a permit first.
Jason, first of all, thanks a lot for this site. It will help me a lot since I am about to start work in the basement. Have a quick question about the work performed. Did not you have to be licensed to perform the electrical and framing work etc in the basement?
Law may be different in counties where we live (I am close by you in Montgomery County MD), but I wonder what is it that I can't do myself unless I am licensed (plumbing, electrical, framing, drywall etc.)?
Thanks, ado
Ado - Great question and one I had as well. In Virginia you do not need a license to do electrical work for your own properties. You do need a license if you're going to perform electrical services for someone else. You also need to have the electrical permit and get your work inspected. I did a quick search and it looks like in MD you can do your own work but you have to pass a test first! Cool! This probably isn't a bad idea, keeps you safe. http://permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/building/ElectricalPermit.aspx
Good Luck! Let us know how it goes.
Jason
Thanks a lot, Jason - may look into this.
Hi Ado, I am in Montgomery county MD and am in the planning phase to finish basement. Were you able to do the drawings and get the permit Do you mind giving specific details involved or share any drawings?
Hi there, reading the above makes my wana live in the US ! the permit and inspection process if way complicated in canada (specially in mississauga). you expect a hound and you actually get one! feels like they want a permit even if you are hanging ur wide screen tv on the wall
the process is really complecated , you cannot do it your self you have to get professional help which costs at least $1500 they ask so many questions like site survey and all .its crazy -wish it was simple in missisauga to get permits for a basement. the city staff and inspectors are also very very unfriendly.
You're right. I guess I never considered that it might be really restrictive in other areas. In Virginia a lot of the officials that run the building code departments are elected. So they always try to keep the homeowners best interest in mind, so they can keep their job! Then again, Virginia let's you do a lot of things. Hand-gun... no problem. I guess you have to find a balance between safety for the common good and not stifling improvement and discovery. Sounds like Mississauga is a bit stifling.
Hi Jason - just learned that I will need to provide two set of architectural plans. Did you do it yourself (if you did, what tools did you use) or you hired the professional for this.
Requirements seems to be overwhelming for a newbie:
http://permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/building/AdditionsAndAlterations.aspx
Maybe it is simple, not sure.
Thanks a lot,
ado
Ado- I checked out the site and it looks like you don't need a lot of those requirements for a basement. http://permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/pdf/HomeImprovementSubmittalGuideFees.pdf
My suggestion would be to visit the building department / permit department in person and have them show you exactly what you would have to do for your finished basement. They should have examples of other homeowners applications that you could look at. I wouldn't bother doing any extra application work until you what you know what they will expect.
I know it's probably a half-day of effort but it could save you days and days of prep work if all they need is a few things. Let us know how it turns out.
- Jason
Hi Jason, I am going to visit permitting office next week - found something interesting though - not sure if you have faced this issue, "ceiling height". Not sure if I am reading it incorrectly, but the requirement is to have at least 7" height in all spots - I measured and saw that my height is slightly less than 7" near the main iron beams and ducts so even in unfinished mode the height is less than 7". Am I reading this file correct (law was changing in last 10 yrs or so):
http://permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/pdf/BCP11-02BasementCeilingHeight.pdf
I hope county is not expecting me ti dig my basement further deeper through concrete to get to this height. Wonder if I can finish it but not claim this space as "living" space.
Did not even start and am learning a lot :)
Have you faced anything similar?
Thanks,
ado
Ado - Let us know how it goes. The fact is you've already put yourself on the right path. You run into a hurdle and you start solving it. Somethings might slow you down but NOTHING will stop you. Make progress each day. Keep it up and you're guaranteed to succeed. -Jason
Regarding the 7 ft ceiling height concern, I had the exact same issue so I dug around. The IRC code referenced for the 7 ft ceiling height rule is R305.1. They like to quote only *part* of the code in those "helpful" code cheatsheets. The part you care about is the second paragraph, which reads:
Exception: Beams, girders, ducts or other obstructions may project to within 6 feet 4 inches (1931 mm) of the finished floor.
Thanks David - Excellent clarification. - Jason
Thanks Jason for this article, and for the website. I am really glad to find it!
I got a first contractor who asked for $500 to get us the required permit from the county to finish our basement, and the second one asked for $1000!
I have been to the county, got the permit by myself. I just paid the required fee which is a far less than what the contractors asked for. Thanks again.
Thanks for this website. It has a lots of helpful info.
I Just want to mention that we contacted two different contractors, months ago, who quoted us respectively $500 and $1000 to pull the permits for us. We decided to get them on our own. I have been to the county office and got the permits in no time. We filled up the forms and just paid the fee required by the county which is far less than what the contractors asked for!
Liz - That's awesome! Thanks for letting us know those amounts you received as quotes. I certainly don't mind paying for a good contractor, but I don't see why they should markup the permits so much. Now you can take that extra money and get something nice for your new basement! - Jason
Hey Jason,
We are moving into a new house in a few weeks and I plan on finishing the basement without a bathroom. My question is if I get permits will my property be assessed with higher taxes after an inspection when I am finished.
Thanks
Brian - My guess is... yes. Property is typically assessed based on square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and a few other factors. If your county/township is efficiently run then they will likely have a link between permits and assessments. That being said, I would still 100% recommend getting a permit and an inspection. Tax evasion is never looked upon kindly by our friends in government, but we all know everybody plays the game. - Jason
Most of the time, yes. There are caveats that differ by state/county though.
I had a house built and the basement was roughed and inspected by the city less than a month ago.Now i want to finish it and the city is asking for blueprints.
Jason,
Thanks for your advise on permitting. I just finished the demo and on to the permitting stage. Obviously each state/county are different. I was just wondering how "rough" your sketch was that you turned in alongside your application.
- Jimmy
Hey Jimmy - Pretty rough. Let's put it this way, I could have drawn my basement permit design with an etch-a-sketch. It was literally a few rectangles with names of the rooms. I think what they were really looking for was the room name - like did I right "bedroom" but not have an egress window. Or did I write "Sauna" or "kitchen", in which case they may have asked a few more questions than they did. Good luck! - Jason
Thanks Jason...Super helpful. I'm out in Seattle, and there seems to be a million and one details the city wants to know...That said, I plan on hiring only electrical, doing the plumbing myself(w/ the help of an experienced friend) as well as the rest of the project. Pretty similar to your parents size...minus the "huge ass" saw!!
Living in Seattle and have just purchased our home, I'm a bit nervous about starting the project w/out having a history of wether or not its a wet basement(common up here). Part of me wants to wait til rainy season(winter) to see if I dealing w/ anything before I do the work. Any thoughts? PS...I'm getting the book:)
Hey Jimmy - Great to hear from a reader in the Northwest. If the house you bought has been around for a few years (5 or more) then you should be able to spot signs of water trouble in the basement, IF there have been any. Is there a musty smell? Are there any "weep" lines or water deposits on the concrete block? Any discoloration on the floor? Does they sump pump go off a lot?
If you don't see any signs of moisture problems then you should be good to go for finishing your basement.
Thanks for buying the book and the videos - be sure to leave a comment or email if you'd like to see any new chapters, I'm about to update everything for the latest 2013 edition.
Good luck! Cheers - Jason
as every nagging wife does, I too told my husband that he needs to get a permit for the work in our basement, and he proceeded to not . . . and put up the sheetrock. Now, and investor friend of ours put him in panic mode b/c he was buying a investment property and made the seller get it inspected- who too had not got a permit for a basement finish.
Now, although the drywall is not taped, my husband has decided to get it permitted. Our goal is to number the pieces, photograph extensively, and unscrew ALL the sheetrock and stack it in the middle of the room for the inspection. Nice, I know! obviously nothing has leaked, or caught on fire in the last 6 months, but we'd hate to waste the investment when we go to sell the house and can't get the extra equity we were expecting. Sometimes nagging wifes should be listened to! - oh, did I mention I was an Architect? Yea, he forgot that vital bit of my credentials.
Cheers!
Rachel
Oouuch... your guy is just trying to do some good. Have you considered just calling the inspector and having him come out? Maybe he can cut a few holes and do an inspection without you having to rip out all of the drywall sheets in your basement. You never know. Good luck Rachel, and give that husband of yours a break! Cheers - Jason
We are starting our basement project. It will require adding another trunk to our HVAC for heat. Did you do that yourself? Or is that better left to the professionals?
Ben - I did not add any additional trunks at all. My basement felt warm enough in the winter. All I did was add a new register to an existing trunk, that I did myself. You can read about that in this post.
I'm kind of on the fence about whether or not I'd do a new trunk myself. I suppose I would, as long as I knew that the HVAC unit would still be balanced correctly. You have to be careful because you can throw your whole house out of whack if it wasn't designed for that new capacity.
Jason
I'm struggling with this idea of getting a permit. I finished my basement with the exception of the bathroom. Now that I'm considering finishing the bathroom I'm worried about calling to have an inspection/permit. My basement has been finished for 7 years with no issues. If they come to look at my bathroom plan, I'm sure they will ask about the rest of the basement. What could they ask for regarding my finished basement?
Hey David - I feel your pain. It seems like you're just inviting trouble. They could ask for just about anything. They could say they want to inspect your basement electrical or basement framing or whatever. They might also just skip it and just inspect your bathroom. It really depends on where you live and even the inspector that comes out that day.
My advice would be to apply for the bathroom permits that you need. Deal with the older work at a different time. It's not like they can haul you to jail, they'll just fail to pass you, then at some point before you sell your house you'll have to do the work to fix whatever they don't pass. Most likely, they just check for the work that's been asked to be checked. MOST... likely.
Good luck man, if you're planning to live there awhile I wouldn't blame you if you just held out. - Jason
I'm wanting to start a basement project but I'm not sure if I'll need or should get a permit. We would like to use most of our basement as an area for the kids to play and hang out with friends. We also have our washer and dryer down there. We will be just painting most of our basement but I'd like the furnace and laundry area to be walled off so the kids can't get to it and also to create a storage area for holiday decorations, camping gear, etc. We will need to frame and drywall a few sections of wall as well as add two interior doors. We wont be touching any electrical or plumbing and only one side of the framed wall will be have drywall. The other side, which will be in the storage area, will be "unfinished". It's highly unlikely that we will ever sell our house but I don't want to do or not do anything that could cause a problem later.
Tracey - Sounds like you have a good vision of what you want to do. I can see how this may be an instance where getting a permit isn't necessary. However... I'd still get one. Now what you could do is get started with your painting, etc and then get the permit down the road. Don't let that stop you from starting. I just wouldn't do a lot of framing without a permit. Good luck, have some fun with it! - Jason
Do you have to install an egress window for a finished basement that is used as a family room? There is one other small window in the basement.
Hey Jason,
So I just my own house, the biggest selling point for me was that it had a basement. The previous owner had already started finishing the basement and we discovered that they never got a permit for the work. The framing, electrical, and plumbing is done. Just needs drywall and paint and the project is done. I figured I should get a permit and inspection before doing all of that, but I have hit a few snags in the process:
1. Turns out this wasn't a basement, it was a garage converted into a basement, records still show it as a garage.
2. I live in city limits so I have to deal with the city and not the county. They seem to be a little more picky on the process, but oh well.
3. They require plans drawn up of what I plan on doing, I was able to draw the plans no problem for the framing, but I am unsure on what to do about the electrical and plumbing.
Anyways, I was hoping it would be easy to just have an inspector come out, tell me what needs to be fixed, and that be that. Any tips?
Thanks,
Mike
Mike - I would definitely start with a nice friendly chat with an inspector, onsite. Tell him your story. Tell him, you can't believe that other guy didn't respect the process and didn't get a permit. Then ask him, what can I do to make sure I'm in full compliance with city ordinances. Then report back to us here, I'm curious about what he/she will say. My guess, it won't be that bad. Good luck with your basement! - Jason
Help. I am currently working on getting permits pulled for work that I completed myself. I am having issues with getting permits pulled in Wauwatosa, WI. They are requiring that a contractor pulls the permits and will not let me pull them. I have read that other's have been able to pull permits themselves in Wauwatosa. They will not refer any plumbers and it is hard to find plumber that will come in and review the work, complete permit paperwork for the inspectors to come out and inspect the work.
Help
Hmmm... I did some quick reading on the cities website and they're claiming that you must be a licensed plumber to pull a permit. So if other people are getting them themselves, not sure how. Otherwise, you'll need a contractor who will help you pull them. You guys should lobby to get that changed. It's ridiculous that you have to be licensed to pull a permit. - Jason
V, I live in Wisconsin and I have been told that it is a state law that you do not have to get a contractor if you are the home owner. I can't imagine city could overrule a law like that but maybe they could.
Hi Jason,
I have been using your website as I get ready to finish my basement. I live in loveland, Colorado and according to their website and a simple email, I am required to pull a permit before any work is started or i could face a fine and penalty. Have you ever heard of this?
Also, if i do not contact them in 180 days for inspection my permit goes void. How can i work around this since i only have enough money saved to do one room at a time.
Thanks!
Hi I am just wondering what age you need to be to get the permits? I am 16 and want to refinish my parents basement ( to move my living space down there......My parents approve that I can do the Framing by myself, electrical with my Uncles help ( he is a Pro electrician),and Dry Wall and trim/doors By my self, I will probably Hire a pro Plumber to do that stuff...... so If I can get some help that can be great.....Thanks
Hi Caleb- That's awesome! I wish I was as enterprising as you at 16. I can't think of a reason why they wouldn't grant you a permit? The only issue might be that you need to be the owner of the house. Kind of depends on your local building department. Best thing, take a drive on over there and introduce yourself, ask a few questions. Good luck, let us know how it turns out. - Jason
Great to see this awesome site. We had some flood damage some time ago and we did the work ourselves.. Drywall repair and put i a new laminate floor. I live in PG County in Maryland. After the repairs someone from the mortgage company came out to take pictures and to make sure the work was done. They did not give me any card or anything they just said good job. Should I be concerned. After they checked the work then they released the remaining funds from the insurance claim to me.
Aq - Sounds like they approved of the repairs. For drywall and laminate you don't need any permits, so from what I can tell you are good to go. Nice job! - Jason
Really need a help ,I did my gas work in my house without pulling a permit . It will be a big problem in future, how can I prove this from city little scared.
Hi Kulwinder -
Well... you really kinda screwed-up. And of all the area, gas line is not the one to do without a permit and inspection.
What's done is done though, you wouldn't be the first person to do it. Time to own up. Time to man up. Go to the city. Tell them the straight truth. Ask for forgiveness and a plan of action to get you straight and legal. The good news is.... you're alive and your house hasn't blown up!
- Jason
Hi, first of all thanks for the wonderful site. One question- I am finishing my basement out. I did not get electrical inspection done before hanging the drywall. Can i still get the electrical work inspected now? Will they ask me to rip off the drywall? Any suggestions? Thanks.
Randy - "Usually" they won't make you rip it all down. Call your inspection office and ask nicely. It's different for different locales. Apologize, and let them know you want to follow the permit processes they've setup - that usually sets things off on the right foot. From there, keep your fingers crossed for an understanding inspector... of which most are. But definitely have them check it, it's worth the hassle.
Jason
Jason - My city folks want me to either rip off the drywall or get a letter from a State of TN certified elec. eng. certifying that everything is in compliance with the code. I am having no luck in finding an engineer who'd give a letter for residential purposes. I'm happy that they at least gave an alternative option, but no idea what to do now.
Hey Jason,
I am in agreement with everyone here, it is a bit intimidating and scary to get an inspection. I pulled my permits a while ago (but I had done some framing prior to - then realized I was supposed to be permitted so I stopped and got it) but now am a little worried that they are going to come in and make me rip stuff down ...
I guess the reality is I am an amateur DIY'er who is learning as I go.
Are the inspectors really picky or are they generally (in your experiences) fairly lenient with stuff? I want my basement to be safe for my family, however I am concerned I might be unsuccessful (lets not call it a fail :P) because of some small measurement errors.
Am I just being a bit paranoid?
Thanks again,
Chris
Hey Christ (and everyone). Don't be nervous about permits. They won't "rip" stuff down. The inspectors are their to help you. The only thing they want is a safe home addition. In fact, in many areas, the head of the home inspection "department" is an elected official. Homeowners are their top priority! The last thing they want is to not serve you, the people who elect them into their position.
When I was finishing my basement I felt the same way. IF this is 1/2 an inch off are they going to be "mad". No, they weren't at all. In fact my drywall guys said I did a much better job framing than most of the pro firms - just because I took my time and was very careful.
So don't be worried. Just take the next step. Go get your permit. If you get stuck, contact me, or call you building department. They aren't just there to inspect at the end, they also will take calls, give advice and clarify the regulations. CALL THEM!
Good luck!
Jason
Jason, fantastic site, thank you. I have a semi-finished basement (main level and bathroom completed by the builder), with three side rooms unfinished. I've begun turning one of those side rooms into a poker room and have recently finished the framing. I wasn't intending on pulling a building permit since some of the work was already done by the builder and I'm only throwing up a few walls. After reading your posts though, I'm wondering if I should anyway?
For electrical, I'm definitely planning on getting that permit before I get started pulling wires. However, I'm most likely going to need a sub panel installed (using a contractor) so which should come first? The electrical contractor and their permit for the sub panel or mine? FYI, we're neighbors (I live in Arcola) so I plan to use Ashburn Electrical based on your recommendation.
Hey Derek - Unfortunately you'll still want to get a permit. You'll need two permits - a general building permit and the electrical permit. When I used Craig (from Ashburn Electrical) he did the work under my permit. Essentially I was the general contractor. You won't need a separate "sub-panel" permit, just the one for electrical - they may ask for a rough electrical plan - you can just list that you're adding a sub-panel and then running new circuits to your new rooms.
They're mostly interested in whether or not you're building a bathroom (requires a dedicated GFI circuit) or a sauna or something crazy like that.
You may want to call the building department first to confirm this plan but I'm fairly certain thats the best way to do it (for Loudoun County, each area may have different regulations). So in summation.... Draw up your general plan (doesn't have to be fancy) - Go to the building department in Leesburg and buy permits for "Basement Finishing" and Electrical Work. Remember, permits are 1/2 tax collection and 1/2 making sure you don't kill yourself.
Once your framing is done - schedule a framing inspection. Once your framing inspection passes, call your electrical guy and have them install the sub-panel. Then run your electrical; then schedule an electrical inspection; then drywall and finish work - then final inspection to close it all out.
Hope that helps. It's not as bad as it seems, just take a bit to get started. Good luck!
Jason
Jason, so glad I came across this site when I did, I am about to finish my basement. I plan on pulling permits. The basement is unfinished with rough in plumbing for a bathroom. I am sure Ill have some more questions, but the ones that have come up so far:
1. I want to hide the support beam my masking it into a wall. The problem is when I want to add the doors to the rooms. From the concrete floor to the beam is 80 inches, so my door would be maxed out at 78". Have you ever had issues with doors being shorter than the standard height? Will that cause a problem with a permit?
2. Is a 28" door okay for a bathroom?
3. The exterior walls of the basement already are framed and insulated when we purchased the home. Our home passed inspection and appraisal at the purchase, so we shouldn't have to remove any of the exterior walls? Just wondering if there could be any issues with that.
Thanks!
dang, wish I could edit so it's not another post. One more question I forgot:
Our basement is a partially exposed (4' concrete, top 3.5' siding and exposed) does that change the requirements for egress windows? It is really difficult to understand the legal lingo used in all the requirement posts I read. I want to get sliding windows but it is tough to fit a window that is 36" height and then have one side with a 5 sq ft opening. What are some tips for windows in basements?
I have a poured foundation basement that I want to finish; walls with paneling or drywall, ceiling; and a rug. There is a small casement window. No heat or A/C; no bedroom or bathroom. This will just be a recreation room with maybe a big TV. Do I need a means of second egress? I live in Lansdale, PA.
Hi Bruce - Since you are not building a bedroom, you should be good to go. No egress window required. It's possible that your borough requires one but I dug all over their website and couldn't find an answer so you'd have to call them to confirm. Looks like the best number to start with is 215-368-1691; you want to ask them if an egress window is required when you finish your basement.
Good luck! - Jason
HI Jason. We live in rural Wisconsin. We have a partially finished basement in our newly purchased home. Electrical was done, we just needed to add a couple outlets to comply with code, no new circuits. Drywall on outer walls was done and finished by previous owner. We framed a couple walls and are essentially ready for drywall to the ceilings and new walls. I have discussed with both the county and town the need for permits, and I was only required to get a permit through the town we live in. I was issued the permit, but on the permit application I signed it says that the municipality does not perform inspections, and I waive the town of any responsibility. Should I seek someone out to do an inspection of the framing and outlet additions? I'm concerned that if we ever sell the house it will be an issue it was never inspected. I'm unsure of who to even seek out if necessary as the town does not offer this.
Hmmmm, that's a first. A permit with no required inspection? Honestly, if they say it's not required then you should be good to go. Think of it this way, worst case you could have someone inspect when and if the issue comes up - it's not impossible to inspect after the fact for such a small change.
Hope that helps.
Jason
Hi Jason,
Great site! Thanks for all the info, ideas, and most of all, the recommendation not to do my own drywall.
My question is, my basement was framed and roughed in by a previous owner, likely at the time of construction and first occupancy. Is there a way to verify this prior to putting up drywall? I guess if I'm going to pull electric, I will likely need a permit for that, and they'd check then, but if I don't need to pull any more electric, could I just hire the drywallers?
Thanks!
I purchased a house a number of years ago. The house had a lower level and was finished with a living area and two bed rooms. Now I want to sale the property. The inspection found that the owner before me did not have a building permit to do the lower level. I purchased the house as finished, paid taxes , and never thought that the addition was built with out a building permit. The future buyer will only pay for what the public record shows as before the addition. What can I do I will take $12,000 hit. CJS
Hi Conrad - Unfortunately you only have two options - 1. Sell it again withOUT the permits or inspections (if this is even still possible). 2. Get the permits and have the basement inspected. It's possible that you'll pass with non issues or just need some minor adjustments. Sorry - other dude should have gotten it inspected. - Jason
Hi there! We moved to Loudoun county two years ago. Prior to that we had finished two basements in two houses without pulling permits. It seems like it is a little more strict in Loudoun. Sadly, we didn't realize this, and we already completed drywall, electrical and plumbing. Do you have any advice about what we should do? Should we pull permits anyway at this late stage or should we lay low? I understand the safety considerations...but we would have to rip out drywall for the inspection. Please let me know what you think...Thanks!
Hi AM - I would call the County and see what you can work out. I'd imagine you're not the first person ever to do this, there's a good chance they can review it without ripping out a ton of drywall. What's the worst that could happen - they say you'll have to rip it all out so you say "okay, thank you" and hang-up - no harm no foul. - Jason
working on finishing a basement - walls are framed, electrical is up and working. drywall done on ONE SIDE of walls - could I at this point pull a permit and have everything inspected at once?
I have staggered stud walls (not load bearing) inside of theater has TWO layers of 5/8" drywall, with electrical done and working.
the only issue I think I MIGHT have is on the ceiling I'm using a resilient channel to 'suspend' the drywall for noise isolation -- because the wires can not be hit by screws from drywall on ceiling they are not bored through the ceiling joists, they're stapled across the joists AND at the primary breaker panel the wires are 'temporarily' run with about 3 feet of extra wire so I can hire an electrician later on and have my panel 'balanced' since the loads on the house have changed with lights and amplifiers etc.
does this sound like I'm in big trouble with the ceiling electrical not being bored through the joists????
Question? Doesn't getting permits significantly increase your taxes in the end?
I am buying a property in which the builder has finished the basement in 2004 for the first buyer without a permit. The second buyer bought the house with the permit and they are getting the permits and approvals before the closing for us (third buyer).
The question I have is..will the second buyer need to pay taxes for the years that he used the basement or the taxes will come into picture from the time the permit is approved?
Hello Jett. My nephew's name is Jett, great name! There shouldn't be any back taxes. The next time your home is assessed then the following tax bill will take into account the additional finished space. Hope that helps. - Jason (ps. I am not a tax professional, but this is my general understanding of how it works)
Hi Jason,
I'm just getting started on my basement and I would love to have my work permitted, but I have one major roadblock: egress. I'm located close to you in Fairfax County where new basement egress requirements were established since my home was built in 1987. The basement windows are smaller than those required for egress by today's code. I understand the rationale behind having the larger windows, but I think it's silly that the size of the windows that currently are there would be allowable if somebody had decided to put up some walls and 'finish' the basement ten years or so ago.
I plan to live in this house for a couple of decades or more, so I'm not concerned with being able to claim that I have an extra 'bedroom' in the basement for the purpose of resale. I just want to make the space more comfortable while I'm down there for the time I live in the home. Since you're in Ashburn, your homely likely was new enough that you did not have this dilemma, but I thought I'd ask anyway. I've heard that the egress requirement only applies if you are claiming to have a bedroom in that space. Do you happen to know if it's possible to get a permit that allows me to leave the windows as is and either a) complete the space without the claim to having an extra bathroom or b) just frame the walls and install the electrical circuits and leave it at that? Thanks!
Hi Nate, I am curious to know about your decision. Would you please share. I am in the same situation. Thank you!
Hi KimS,
Fairfax County actually changed the code back so that egress window requirements only apply to adding a bedroom again. Before that happened, I convinced myself it was a good idea to have the egress window. I started digging the window well and referred back to the building permit website to check the specific minimum dimensions of the window well and discovered it no longer was required. At that point, I was so close to finishing the window well that I decided to just finish it. I haven't had the window enlarged yet, but I'm sure I saved myself a good amount of money by digging the window well myself.
what if basement is already remodeled before u thought of pulling permit is there still time? or is it too late?
Hey Jess - Yes, you would still pull a permit for any work. - Jason
So it won't be a big issue that plumbing and electrical was already done before pulling permit for basement?
Nope. The permit just let's your county/town know that you're going to do some work - the inspections might cause some issues. Right after pulling permits you might want someone to come out and review what already there - they can tell you want may or may not pass. Hopefully that helps explain it a bit better. - Jason
Hi! I gotmy basment finished 1 year ago and didn't realize that a pernit shouldn't have been pulled until recently. What can I do at this point ?
Jason, first time home owner and i got a little trigger happy and started finishing pieces of my unfinished basement. I didn't do any electrical work and don't plan to in these areas, but i've framed, drywalled and painted everything. Now i'm starting on a 4th bedroom/office that i will be having electrical work done. I was just approved for the building permit, but i'm worried when they come to inspect after the framing is completed that they'll see the other work i've done and either make me take it all down or fine me. Your description of inspectors definitely does not match that of the one i'm dealing with so far. He's not been helpful and borderline insulting to me with my floor plans and some of the questions i've been asking. Whats the worst that could happen?
Worst that could happen really depends on your jurisdiction but my guess is that they might would say that they can't pass inspection on your next section until they review the old work. I guarantee you're not the first person to not have permits - I'm guessing they have a process for checking work that's already complete that doesn't involved tearing everything apart. Good luck! Please let us know how it turns out, come back to comment on the results - a lot of people would be curious to know. Thanks - Jason
Hi, I am looking to get started on finishing our basement this spring/summer. I am going to do the framing and I will hire the electrical and plumbing and possibly hvac if it's needed. I am wondering what you've heard on if it's okay to build a couple test framing walls before getting the permit just to make sure I feel comfortable doing this myself?
Also, the zoning guy at the city said that I have to show "progress" every 180 days to keep the permit. I'm worried about getting the framing done and then possibly waiting on a contractor for the electrical and plumbing. What do you think the progress means?
I would like to buy your book and videos but I think it would be helpful to your sales if you had a trailer or teaser of your videos so that we could see how they look. I am more of a watch and do type of person than read and do. Thanks!
Hi Jason,
I am new to all of this remodeling stuff and came across your website. I am taking on the project of refinishing my basement. I took all the paneling down that was previously there and want to hang drywall up in its place. The frame and everything is already there with the electrical work done. My only concern is that I don't know if the previous owner had the permit work done when they had the room done to begin with. Is there a way to find out if the permit was ever issued for the work done? Should I get a permit before hanging the drywall up? I thought it was nothing since I was basically just taking the paneling off the already framed room and replacing it with drywall.
Hi Elaine - Welcome to world of remodeling! Bravo to you for tackling this project - you can totally do it! My advice is to call your local building department and ask them if they have a permit AND a passed inspection on this wiring. Yes, you need a permit! I would get one before installing the drywall. - Jason
Hi, I am in exact same situation as Nate asked in November2015. Do you have any suggestions? I am also thinking about getting a bathroom too. Thank you in advance.
Hi Jason,
When we moved into our new construction 14 years ago, our builders had already framed out the basement and had started adding the sheetrock. We finished the sheetrock for the two bedrooms and finished out the bathroom. We finally have the time/money to finish the family room. We had assumed everything was pre-approved and needed no building permit since the builders had started and we merely finished to save money. Now that we put up sheet rock in our family room, we're worried that we should have bought a permit--since so much time has passed--and we're also worried that an inspector won't understand/believe us. Do we apply for a permit, schedule an inspection and explain our situation? I really don't want to have our sheetrock removed, etc. after all the hard work and money we've put into it. We really did think everything would have been good to go. *Frustrated & worried* Thanks.
Hi Jody - Take a deep breath, now exhale... and relax. It's very simple and you don't need to worry. Call up your friendly building department, explain the situation, they'll lookup a few records and send someone out if necessary. If they can avoid it they'll try not to need to tear anything out - they know how hard and expensive it is. The key to be safe - so make sure it's legit and legal! Good luck! - Jason
I want to bury a 48" plastic culvert in the ground under a slab I want to pour. 30x40 for a metal building. The culvert will be used later as a secret room or bug out if ever needed...will the code inspector be able to tell I have something or done something
don´t i need to be a master electrician to pull a n electrical permit?
Hi David - Nope, you don't have to be a master electrician. In most areas you just need a plan and the permit fee money, in some areas you need to take a basic electrical test. You DO need to know how to stay safe and you need to know what you're doing but it's not much different from working on your own car. - Jason
Do I need to get a permit if I'm just redoing an existing finished basement?
Hi Lana - The permits are for specific types of work. So if you plan to run electrical wire or changing the framing and layout of the rooms - then yes. Best option is to draw a rough sketch of what you want to do, then drive down to your local planning board and ask them what you might or might not need permit wise- they're usually very friendly and helpful. Make a fun afternoon of it! - Jason
My AHJ (Prince George's Co, MD) legislatively gives homeowners the right to do limited electrical work under a homeowners permit.
https://www.municode.com/library/md/prince_george's_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIITI17PULOLAPRGECOMA_SUBTITLE_9EL_DIV1ELCO_SD4EN_S9-117RIPROWPEWOOWPR
I would like to add a circuit breaker to my main panel along with subsequent branch circuit wiring to a new room that I plan to finish in my currently unfinished basement. In your opinion does this activity fall under the following prohibited categories:
The following electrical work is not permitted to be performed under a homeowners permit:
(1) Installation of New Service;
(2) Service Heavy-Up;
(3) Service Panel Change;
(4) Relocation of Service Panel and/or Meter;
(5) Relocation of Service Drop or Lateral; or
(6) Installation of subpanels.
Hi Mike - In my opinion only... no, adding a circuit breaker to an existing panel and then running a new line doesn't fall under these 6 items you've listed here. As always - consult your local building department for specific guidance. - Jason
How much does permit cost?
Hey Shawn - It depends on the location - typically they can cost between $80 and a $200 dollars - for all the permits you'll need - electrical, structural, plumbing. Good luck! - Jason
Can a homeowner pull a permit and hire contractors to do the work in Colorado
I turned an unfinished attic space into a bedroom/bathroom for my kids. I got everything permitted and got the rough inspections completed, then finished the work. I was slowed up by building a custom door for the bathroom though and never got around to scheduling the final inspections for months (along with having another baby). Since that time, I set up the bedroom and moved my two kids into it. They've been in there for a few months now and i'm finally done with the door and ready to schedule final inspections. My question is, will i be fined/penalized/failed for residing in the space prior to final inspections being completed? It'd be a huge pain to try to move everything out of the rooms prior to final inspection and make it seem as though no one has been living in it. I'm wondering if they'd be lenient, especially if everything passes final.
Hey Joel - Well... I can't say for sure but my guess is that your inspector will not care. Their job is to execute the inspection - not judge whether some is or isn't living or using the space. For all he/she knows you're a photographer for "Basement Living" magazine and you've just been staging some realistic photos. Short of your kids standing in the room singing "we've been in here for months" at full volume... I think you're good. - Jason
We hired a contractor to finish our basement 9 months ago and it is still not completed. We signed a contract stating everything will be up to code and permits obtained. The contractor has notified me that the permits have been pulled and he is walking away from the project because it's taking to long! What does it mean to pull permits? Is this even legal- he has been paid in full for work not completed.
Hi Tamara - Sorry to hear about this. Your contractor appears to be leaving you high and dry. The fact that he's "pulled permits" really doesn't mean anything except that he can legally start working on your basement, which apparently he's not going to do! You should get most if not all of your money back! Permits should be pulled in the name of the contractor - so if you hire someone else, they need to get their own permits.
Never pay a contractor in full until all of the work is done. What you should do is placed a 20% deposit down - then only pay the rest as work is completed. Again, sorry this is happening to you, it totally sucks. Let me know if you have any other questions or if I can help in anyway. - Jason
Hi Jason, I recently received a home as part of a veteran's program which has a partially finished basement. Before owning the home I was renting it, apparently the township inspector that performed the inspection rushed the job & listed the basement as 0% finished. Now that I own the home I'm in the process of renting it out myself & had to get the township to inspect it. Now the township is stating that since the wall opposite the stairs coming down into the basement has drywall that they have to list it as 50% finished. The entire basement is open with the exception that half has carpet and the other half doesn't. The basement is in the same condition as when I first moved into the house & I never finished the basement, nor was their any permit submitted. I don't have any blue prints for the half they say is supposedly finished. Would you have any suggestions on how I could proceed? They're giving me 1yr to get it permitted, but I don't know where to start.
Frustrating, I know. Well - you could take down the drywall and remove the carpet then have them come take another look. No partial finish, no permit needed. Or, you could finish just part of it and have it permitted and inspected, etc. Or, what happens after 1 yr? Jail time? Doubtful. Do nothing... see what happens. I'm always partial to "do nothing", except for basement finishing - which I love doing! - Jason
I am finishing my basement including HVAC ducts. But not planning to put the HVAC unit. We had rough approval by the Forsyth county, GA. Do I have to have HVAC unit for Basement for final permit approval?
Probably not Pat. They'll probably check to see that the ducts are correct (although I doubt they will care about that either) but other than that they most likely won't care if you've installed the extra unit. Each jurisdiction is different, but that's my opinion. - Jason
Hi Pat,
I am also starting to finish my basement in Forsyth county, GA.
Did you have to submit drawings to get the permits or is just a rough draft enough?
I called for my first inspection (just framed in). I was told that I didn't have a plumbing or HVAC permit pulled yet so until then they would not come to inspect. They also wanted at least 2 days lead time, not one. Does this sound correct? It also took me almost 2 weeks to get the building permit. They asked me a couple questions like which way the doors on the closet were going to swing. I thought that was strange but I have not done this before so I went with it. We live in a small suburb in Wisconsin. Thank you for your feed back.
I guess for some areas that could be correct. The questions they asked are quite common - just keep moving forward... you'll get there! - Jason
Pls help, my husband & his friend did all the work in the basement awhile back ago, can't even remember exactly what year it was done. My problem is due to the divorce he wants his name out of the loan & title but by doing that an appraiser has to come in the house before I can proceed for this refinancing the loan under just my name only. Will I have problems refinancing it since we did not get any permits when my ex-husband & his friend did the basement?
My inspectors for my town all got fired for taking bribes so I had to have the state inspect my basement with permits from them. I want to finish the rest of the basement . Am I grandfathered in for the work with I got permits even tho the codes may have changed ? I live in Central N.J. where they are tough.
Hi Lou - Ummm... I guess that's NJ for ya. I have no idea about the permits being grandfathered, I would guess that "yes" they are still good. - Jason
I'm in the process of o Tao ing the first building permit for the framing of the walls, but they said it would be $364.60!!!! Am I crazy or is that an insane number? I'd hate to get hit with that again when getting an electrical permit, and then the plumbing permit. May i adk how much your building permit was?
If i want to finish the basement, not intended for living space but things like extra space or a family home theater, do i still need to get permits? What rules do i need to look for? I know it varies by state.
Regardless of the state you live in, you need permits for finishing the space even if it's not "living space". It's a bit of a hurdle but once you do it, you'll think it was no big deal. Get the permits! - Jason
So we got our basement finished. We had hired a contractor who did all the paper work, permit etc. Now, I got a call from township recently that since we had asked for permit for basement, did we get that basement finished. It appears that my contractor did not get the inspection done. How do we deal with that situation? I have reached out to my contractor to explain. As a new home owner, I was not aware of inspections and other details that come with basement finishing and that's why we hired a contractor to begin with. Any suggestions?
Yes, reach out to the contractor and ask him to schedule and then attend the "final inspection". Any issues that the town finds, they should fix. - Jason
Hi. I'm planning to pull permits for basement work but a little anxious about the fact that we completed work in other parts of the house without realizing at the time that we would need permits for some of the work (upgraded Kitchen and bathroom, replaced crawl space with door). Are inspectors typically going to nose about the rest of the house when they come to inspect basement? Thank you for your great site.
Typically, they are only going to inspect the area for the permit. They should not be nosing around the rest of your house. - Jason
We refinished our basement and added a bathroom a few years ago. We also added a drop ceiling with dimming light. Our town code says the ceiling has to come down no lower than 6’10”. Ours comes down 6’8”. Our basement and bathroom came out beautiful and looks professionally done. Do you think they will actually measure the ceiling and make us open walls for the bathroom? We also upgraded our kitchen which also came out beautiful. From what I gather the inspectors look for anything that looks unsafe or a micky mouse job. If everything looks good and works good, is he likely to open walls and make us tear stuff out?
Thanks Jason! Does the electrician that originally applied for the permit have to be the one to schedule/oversee the inspection at the end? Is it possible to close out the open permit myself, or through different electrician?
This is a question about permits in general, in Prince George's county MD. It's not really a basement question, but it sounds like you have done a lot of research so you may know what I'm talking about :) We did a lot of work in our house, with no permits - partitioned new rooms in basement, even built a detached garage and a fish pond. Now I'm thinking of selling the house, and wonder what the deal will be with all the changes since the house was purchased over 30 years ago. Do you know if PG county will let me "update" the records somehow to show how things are now? What do you think? Thanks!! Mary
Hi Mary - Every county is different but my guess is that PG county will want to inspect the additions and will ask you to pay for and apply for permits. - Jason
I have put up walls and ran electric. No plumbing involved. Never did get a permit. Would it be wise to have someone "review" at this point? I didn't put in a ceiling. I simply painted it. So I don't believe it's considered a finished basement without the ceiling completed.
Hi Robert - Yes, you should still get a permit and an inspection. Permits and inspections aren't just for finished basements - they are for any phase of construction anywhere in your house. Electrical is especially important to get inspected. Good luck! - Jason
Hey Jason,
Great website and posts, they've been really helpful!
I pulled a permit to finish my basement about a month ago, and have finished up the framing, but it's not clear to me when inspections need to occur. I've contacted the city about it and they've been less than clear about it. From what they're saying, I need to have the building rough-in inspection before any insulation goes in, but *after* all electric and plumbing is roughed-in and have had inspections of their own. What I find odd about that is, what if I mess the framing up and already have wiring run through the walls? I'd have to remove the wiring to fix the framing! It just seems backward to me. Is that normal?
Thanks,
Ken
Ken, Your spot on! I think most cities are used to inspecting contractors, so the sequence isn't as big of an issue and saves them trips. I played the dumb homeowner card a few times. You could always schedule the inspection without the electrical and plumbing complete and when the inspector gets there ask him to look over the framing to make sure there's no glaring issues. Be respectful...it goes a long way. Keep on keepin on!
It sounds nice to live in a place where you can think of permits and inspections as free help. In Westchester County, NY, I think I'm going to pay handsomely for my permit and I don't think I'll be allowed to do my own electrical work. That's just based on my reading of the town code, so hopefully I'm wrong.
Question... once the basement is finished and permits are closed. Who/How is the house public record updated for number of bedrooms and below grade livable space? I asked the inspector and he had no clue... is it the realtors? or the county taxation department?
Hey Gianni - Generally speaking, below grade square footage, finished or not, is not considered in the total square footage of your house. What is considered as below grade liveable space depends on your state. I would call the Accessor's office. -Jason
Informed during a inspection I need to use drop ceiling tile in new bedroom addition to basement apt. Why??
Hi Christina - That's best answered by the inspector who informed you of the need for the dropped ceiling. My guess is that you have something in the bedroom ceiling that the inspector doesn't want covered up with drywall, e.g., junction box. It maybe something you can move. If you send me a pic or provide a little more context I might be able to help more. -Jason
Hello Jason, I live in Central Texas (Round Rock) and believe it or not, my home has a basement. It is about 900 sq ft and was unfinished when we bought the house 23 year ago, not recorded as "livable space" because at the time of purchase, you could not live in it! Little by little, we sealed the concrete blocks and put in sheet rock wall and ceiling. It has a floor drain which feeds a sump pump and all works fine. It has its own HVAC unit, lighting, electrical outlets and fire detection.
I am in the process of selling my home and am getting conflicting input from appraisers and realtors regarding how to incorporate my basement as livable space, adding 900 sq ft to my home's value. What are the requirements regarding incorporating this space? Are there specific egress requirements? What would prevent me from incorporating the basement to my total square footage?
Thank you,
J.M. Campaneria
Hey Juan, Most appraisers don't count below grade space in your square footage; however, they should be including it when factoring your assessed value. The egress requirements get specific if you're trying to list extra bedrooms. Call your county office and see what local and state regs indicate. -Jason
Hello Jason..first of all thank you for this site.
We had gotten four estimates n chosen the most highest paid contractor because of his knowledge in construction n his business is BBA.
We are to busy n trusted him to finish the job on time n tastefully. He started in March n in June the inspector came to ask for the permit ...which the contractor never got..all work was stopped n checked...we were asked to remove all drywall so the inspection can be done.
The contractor is now asking us for more money to take off the drywall n the cost of all the work that needs to be done to bring it up to code..so we can pass inspection.
He got his friend to do the plumbing ...as we found this out later so there ...that is a problem also...n he is saying that a licensed plumber will cost us additional..
Again ...we hired this contractor due to his professionalism n approved by BBA.
He has also taken almost 4months when he told us this will be done in 6weeks.
Question is?? should we have to pay for his mistakes? Or any portion of this?
Pls reply soon .
Thank you.
Hey Sufia- Sorry to hear you're having trouble. Sounds like you don't have contract. Since he's a licensed contractor and the highest bidder, he should've pulled the permits and used licensed subcontractors to do the plumbing. I don't think you should bear the cost of him getting caught taking shortcuts. That said, I don't know how much you've paid him and how close you are to finishing. At a minimum, get a contract detailing the cost and scope of the remaining work.
Hope you get it sorted out.
-Jason
Hello.This article was really interesting, especially since I was browsing for
thoughts on this matter last couple of days.
Hopefully it helped. - Jason
I took a building permit for my basement, l did not realize that l should call them for inspection at each stage. Now the city has writing to remind me that my permit expires next month meanwhile the work is completed l am a little skeptical what they will do if l should call them
Hey Sam - That's a good ol fashion conundrum. In my experience it can really go two ways: 1) They will send an inspector out and if he/she doesn't find any glaring issues they give you the final permit with a caveat that you didn't get it inspected along the way. 2) They can really be difficult and ask that you take certain materials down so they can spot check some of the spots behind the wall to ensure you installed per the code. That said, you could forego the inspection and let the permit expire and see what surfaces when you sell the property.
Best of luck,
Jason
Finished the basement work. However i didn’t know i had to get permit and i got a letter from the city stating that i needed to apply permot first before building a basement. Now i’m worried if they will make me tear down the whole basement? I applied for the permit agot it as well. However will they make me put holes in the wall or tear down the whole basement? Please help.
Hey James - At this point you just have to own and it and hopefully the inspector will be reasonable.
-Jason
A few years ago I called the county about finishing my basement. The electrical was finished and the plumbing was finished (all I had to do was put in vanity and kitchen sink). The lady I talked to asked about those. I told her they were finished. She said as long as I did the work (oversee it) I didn't need a permit. So I got with the electrician and he said the same thing. However he did tell me I need smoke detectors and I put in 3 rooms. Also, he added 5 electric plugs to meet code. He also rearranged the electric box because the builder put all basement on one outlet, but they were put on several (he just relabeled them). Now I'm selling my home, and I'm worried about everything that's been talked about above. My disclosing documents did not ask if work was done with a permit or not. I read on some of your posts that some disclosures ask. Will this change the appraisal? Will I be fined? I left space above the ceiling to fix problems if needed. I got an offer on the house. Inspector is coming Monday, and appraiser is coming Wednesday. Closing is beginning of February. Now I'm worried it will all fall through. What would you do if you were me?
By the way I live in Ga
Hey Lou - You can't change it now. See what the inspector finds or lists in his/her report. Likewise, the appraiser will probably not get into the weeds on those types of details. They focus on materials, condition of home and square footage relative to market value. Best of luck, Jason
I live in Virginia- Campbell county-
My father in law and I just started the process of adding a bathroom and bedroom to the unfinished basement. I never thought about a permit until he left town. No drywall is up and everything is exposed for an inspector to see. The only thing I’m worried about is that we ripped up some concrete to rough in the bathroom. After placing drains (and properly venting the originals floor drains) we poured new concrete and sealed it all up. So, there are some new pipes that can’t be seen. Is this going to be a major issue? We also had to reroute some pipes that were installed low to allow for future ceiling Sheetrock. Some of the original pvc (house built in 1974) was 3.5 inch, so we changed it to the 4 inch. I’ve applied for the permit not and think I will be charged the $50 fee for starting without the permit, but worry they’ll want me to rip up the concrete so they can see where the new lines are. The bathroom wall is an exterior wall with the main sewer line leaving the house, so we didn’t have to tear up much concrete to tap into the lines.
Hey Buster - It really depends on your inspector. Fortunately it sounds like the run to the main pretty short so he/she may let you side.
- Jason
Great read, just concerned as I ready began framing the rest of my unfinished basement. In addition, I ran some wiring. How could this impact my pursuit of a permit with some of it completed. Everything still open
Hey Eugene - Shouldn't be a problem with everything open, but may require you to redo some of the work already completed.
- Jason
Hi,
We are from Toronto and we have finished basement appartment and suddenly we got our basement inspection notice from city.
Now what should we know before the inspection?
Any important things we should do for pass the inspection?
We have kitchen in the basement but **no stove .we have 1 refrigerator in the basement. Sometimes my kids play in the basement and watch TV.
And also we have full bathroom downstairs in the basement.
But we do use much..also we have 2 emergency fire exits.
One from backyard and 1 from garage.
So what should we do else?
People are saying they are going to give you fine.bcos it's not legal basement.
Any suggestions??
Hi Rhea, I'm not familiar with how they do things in Toronto, but I'd follow the instructions on the notice. Don't try to guess what they're after, invite them in and be respectful and receptive to their requests. The egress is usually the big issue, so if you have a door to the backyard that helps.
Best of luck,
Jason
But we have gas line also in the basement from previous owner.but no one is using bcos we don't have stove.so is there any issue while inspection?
We have an interesting story. We are finishing out basement (using a contractor) and 2nd inspection for electrical, plumping and structural work failed 3 times. Inspector was not happy that the contractor didn't clean after his work when he came first time. Since he didnt get to inspect all the things, he failed it. Contractor got in an argument with the inspector on the phone. But the place was cleaned to a level that we could ask for next inspection. When the inspector came back, there are lot of issues that the inspector is pointing out that are needed. Then the contractor worked on it but it was not satisfying to the inspector. He failed the inspection and asked the contractor to be in person. With out pressure the contractor tried to fix and tide up his work. Contractor is saying that the inspector is playing games and the list of things that he is listing are not necessary. But I agree with the inspector that the code is there for a reason. I believe that the inspectors are home owners best friends and they have he best intention. We might have got a bad contractor !!!
Great site! I live in Virginia as well. My wife and I just bought a new construction home and I began finishing the basement into a living room and a bathrom. I have finished framing and I have run most of the elctrical myself (my father is an electrician and I worked with him for years). If I have the framing and electrical complete, do you think I will run into a problem when I go and apply for permits? I should have thought of it sooner but I didn't. What is the approximate cost for a basement finish permit? Thank you for the insight and instruction.
I'm finishing my basement and paid $90 for electrical inspection which i failed because the outlets are not tamper-resistant. Now another $90 for re-inspection. This could have been done correctly the first time had i been informed but guess that's asking to much. Now I know why some people don't get permits!! And the inspector was a matter -of -fact guy, not very friendly, get another $90 ready.
May be a dumb question but can I move furniture and things into my basement before final inspection
Hi. Thanks for all the great info on your site! We have pulled permits for our basement and the inspection is next week. They gave us the “heads up” that we don’t meet the min 7” ceiling height requirement (we are also in Virginia) since we are at 6’8”. They said we may be able to request a code amendment or, if all else fails, apply as “finished storage.” Are there any drawbacks to calling it “finished storage” (in terms of house value, resale, legalities of calling or using it as a bedroom, etc)?
Two things - my county does not allow you to do this kind of work on your own house unless you (the homeowner) have a license for the specific type of work. What if you already did all the work and basement is finished - you know your stuff - have done the research - know it will pass but have not gotten an inspection - then what?
I truly believe that if you build a room in your basement and have only electrical installed by a licensed electrician, you shouldn’t need a permit. The idea that a permit is only an inspection is wrong and it’s all about tax revenue. Once you finish your room you know the inevitable is going to happen next, your taxes are going up !
we are selling our house and have a ceiling joist in our basement that is charred from a fire that must have happened long before we moved in. It has been well reinforced by new lumber and braces but a prospective buyers inspector deemed it unsafe and they dropped out? It was inspected ok when we moved in here 27 years ago, what should we do about it?
Bought a house few years ago and the basement was fully finished, has it own light meter in the basement. It a two family home has CO on file stating it a two family but listed has 3 units. How can I check or what question to ask about the property in question. How can I check yo line if the basement was ever inspected.
Hey Donna - I'm not too familiar with county inspections filed online. I think you're going to need to call in.
Jason
Can you put furniture in a basement finish before the final inspection?
Our town doesn't issue occupancy certificates so we were able to put everything in. You'd want to find out what your town does because two towns over they issue occupancy certs on basements with the final inspection.
I have a finished third floor and there is an area that is unfinished that was stubbed and framed for a bathroom. The only Thing left to do was fixtures and drywall. Would I be required to pull permits for fixtures and drywall, or is it safe to say that the initial house inspection covered The framing and stuff at work that was originally done?
My city inspector wants me to do w1c assembly and says it is blocking and insulating the frame before putting drywall. He does not explain much but says he needs to see blocking if required. Between Sean’s.
Could you please help provide a picture or explain what I need to meet fire code. Thanks
I finished my basement in 2009 and selling my house now. Didn't have permit but I was a home carpenter for 30yrs so my experience fit the task. What can happen now being no permit and having to pull a CO
Hi Jason. I had a sump pump put in about a year ago and the contractor never got a permit to put it in. I called the city and they said I can get a permit retroactive and then I won’t be charged any fines, just what it would’ve cost for the permit. However, I have to have it inspected. Does that mean that the inspector possibly hast to break up the floor to look and see if the sump pump was put in correctly?
I got the permit and had everything approved except that 3 of the 4 smoke alarms in the basement didn't have the 3rd wire to connect it to the upstairs alarms. One of the alarms did (the one by the stairs). So I got everything signed off on for the 2 bedrooms and living room addition (including gas fireplaces in the bedrooms) but couldn't get the final because of the 3 smoke alarms that didn't have the third wire. The 4th one has the 3rd wire and connects with the upstairs, so that's good enough for me. I'm not taking out drywall to re-wire the alarms (the ceiling is packed with fire-proof insulation for sound control so fishing a wire in there isn't a good option). So be it! Like you said, it's not like they're going to haul me off to jail over it.
My twp won’t allow two full kitchens in a single family home what if I put it in after I have the occupancy permit
In New York State: We poured, by hand, a concrete floor over dirt in our home's basement. No foundation work, no load bearing walls changed, just covered the dirt with concrete. The local code officer claims we were supposed to get a building permit. Should we?
I want to start a basement remodel and would like to get a permit but I have one issue. My staircase is built against a concrete wall. The code would call for me to frame the wall, insulate it with R15, and drywall it which will thicken by 4inches. The extra thickness will interfere with the staircase. I would prefer the staircase wall not be insulated and just painted. All remaining wall would get finished to code but there would be a 10 foot section that I would leave just painted. The only way To insulate at R15 that 10 foot section is to move the staircase which would interfere with multiple support beam and would be very expensive. Im not sure what my options are. Will the inspector not approve my permit for this small section being unfinished? It is not a safety issue. Do they ever make exceptions for these types of situations?
Thanks
I bought a house with an "unfinished" basement. I would like to legalize the basement and get a COO. Since the work is basically already done and set up the way I like it, What needs to be done to get t legalized. Will my walls be broken to check installation, will I be fined because previous owner obviously did some work with permit? I reside in Orange County, New York.
*I meant did work without permit
Is it okay to get a permit yourself vs the contractor getting the permits? If I use the contractor's plumbers and electricians, do I just put down the contracting company for the electrical and plumbing work on the permit application?
Aubrav - If you're paying a contractor, that's a service they should be providing to you. Allow them to pull and schedule their own permits.
- Jason
Hi there! I plan to renovate my basement since my son's friend is going to live with me for a while. starting next month. It was such a relief when you mentioned that we don't even have to apply for a permit before finishing our basement, as long as we have it once the process is done. I'll keep this tip in mind when I make further arrangement later.
Do I need the contractor sign up paperwork when my basement get done?
What paperwork do I need to have after completing everything?
Thank you!
I have an architect coming for plumbing and electrical inspection, building department inspector said the architect is the one who must apply online for the permit, besides that he said the outlet is too close to the sink should be 6 inches above the sink counter, but that's the way, I put it up higher about 50 inches from the floor.
Is that means I have to worry?
Nassau County, you didn't say how much you paid the architect and building department for the permit.
I'm not concerned about permits and inspection. But, I'm curious if the process goes to the Tax accessors office. If I finish a bedroom in basement, do my taxes go up ?