Remodeling without a Permit

There are several reasons why remodeling without a permit is a common occurrence in the United States.  It’s so common, in fact, it’s estimated that less than 20% of remodeling projects are done with a proper permit, and some think the figure is well less than 10%.  Does that mean that 90% or more of homeowners are lawbreakers?  Technically, yes, but remodeling without a permit is so common and so rarely caught that most people don’t consider themselves as breaking the law so much as doing what they feel it’s their right do.

Building Permit Rules and Regulations

Some building rules are there for good reason and few would dispute them, like certain building codes that ensure the structure is well-built and safe. But in some areas, the standard of properties is so specific that anyone would be hard-pressed to be able to keep everything just as the community desires. Sometimes everything down to the height of the grass in the yard and the style and color of the siding or brick to be used is regulated. 

Most people are aware of these situations when they move into or build in an area.  The community has a certain appearance it wants to give, and so those regulations are generally discussed right away.

But when you apply for a permit to change something inside your home, you could be surprised to find there are rules and regulations governing that in some areas, too.  In fact, some areas require permits for very small changes within your home that could take a very short time to do. But the permit process could take days or longer, depending on the requirements.

The Expense of Permits

While not every permit becomes a time-consuming and expensive process, some can be.  In fact, in some cases the cost of the permit can equal a fairly large percentage of the cost of the actual remodel.  Some restrictive communities have limits on things that require extra cost, and they may even require certain procedures before they’ll allow the permit like inspections and even a hearing.

When you apply for and are granted a permit, your property taxes are also likely to rise based on the fact that you remodeled and ostensibly raised the property value of your home because of it. But when you remodel without a permit, your taxes will only the rise the expected amount instead of extra because of the remodel, because the governing bodies don’t know about the improvements.

And there’s always the chance you’ll be denied a permit and told you cannot do the remodel in the way that you wish.  So the majority of people skip that entire process and go ahead and remodel in the hopes that they won’t get caught.

Of course, if you are caught then you have to pay for the permit anyway, and can actually face other charges and penalties.

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