Pulling permits and inspectors

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hardworkingstiff said:
John,

I understand why you would not pull and reinstall the fixture. That begs the question, why is the permit required?

As Willybud answered, it is required by law.

Thanks,

John
 
willybud said:
John I was wrong we have never worked in your town but hope to soon. We have worked in every other town that begins with the letter M but some how yours escaped.


Looking forward to meeting you.

John
 
In Indiana there are only a few municipalities that require an electrical permit of any kind or a license.. I am in Indianapolis and there is a requirement here in Indy/ Marion County but the surrounding counties have no requirement at all. If a contractor is doing work at a home he pulls a permit and it covers the entire job in those counties. In Indiana you are responsible for your work even if it passes an inspection. On the note that inspectors inspect or not, here in Indy they require you to give them 48 Hours to inspect but they don't say they will show up. once 48 hour is up you continue your work as if they did show up. And it tends to be a sign if they know your work or not if they will show up. If they know you and know that they never find a problem they tend never to show. I haven't had an inspector show for over 2 years at any of my jobs.
 
Re: Pulling permits and inspectors

willybud said:
Sometimes inspectors call us and ask us why we pulled a permit. There is one inspector that won't get out of his car to inspect you have to bring the building permit to his car or place of business.

How dare you cut into his drinking time! :roll:
 
Depends on the locality in upstate NY. The ones that don't view their building codes office as a revenue source :lol: frequently don't care if its for "repairs".
 
j_erickson said:
hardworkingstiff said:
John,

I understand why you would not pull and reinstall the fixture. That begs the question, why is the permit required?

As Willybud answered, it is required by law.

Thanks,

John

Not to be sarcastic (well maybe just a little), but have you ever driven 56 in a 55 mph speed limit? How about 57,58,59 etc.?

Do you always get a permit to change the backdoor fixture when the box, screws, wires, etc. all look fine?
 
hardworkingstiff said:
Do you always get a permit to change the backdoor fixture when the box, screws, wires, etc. all look fine?

How do you know if the box, screws, wires, etc. all look fine...that implies the job was started w/o the required permit :p
 
hardworkingstiff said:
celtic said:
Don't you usually get a permit BEFORE starting a job?

Oh, I see your point.

I thought the discussion was the merit of needing to obtain a permit.


celtic said:
...that implies the job was started w/o the required permit :p
:p <~~ This little guy is giving a rasberry...aka..

hardworkingstiff said:
Not to be sarcastic (well maybe just a little)...
:lol:
 
Permits, are not issued, to make money for the city, the inspection departments are not a profit center, the lot and block information is for tax recording, years ago this charge went on the tax books as an improvement, and did increase the overall tax amount, today cities record these improvements, and adjust the tax for these improvements, however, with revaluation every 5 years, this amount is adjusted, and after 5 years it is a wash, so anyone worried about their taxes going up do to filing a permit is just shooting their own foot off.

The main reason for inspections is to keep the homeowners insurance whole, should you do a job without a permit, you are exposing the homowner to loss of coverage, on their largest investment, their home, consider the liability you will be exposed to, if the unthinkable happens, i hear the old, story all the time, but it's only one outlet, yes and that may be the one that destroyes everyones life.
 
What does a permit have to do with liability if the work is inspected? The inspector is going to send the inspection report to the town anyway.
 
What does a permit have to do with liability if the work is inspected? The inspector is going to send the inspection report to the town anyway.


If you fail to obtain a permit, then you are exposing the owner to loss of coverage, and then your next in line for liability.
 
celtic said:
...that implies the job was started w/o the required permit :p

In the largest jurisdiction here, new construction requires a permit before the work is done. On anything else, as I pull the permit, they ask, "Are you ready for inspection?"
 
satcom said:
What does a permit have to do with liability if the work is inspected? The inspector is going to send the inspection report to the town anyway.


If you fail to obtain a permit, then you are exposing the owner to loss of coverage, and then your next in line for liability.

where do you get this kind of stuff?

if something goes bad, you are on the hook if you did the work regardless of whether or not a permit was pulled or whether it was inspected , as is the HO's property insurance.
 
Biggest reason contractors don't pull permits is because of the amount of time lost to obtain one. Down here you can easily spend 4 hours or more waiting at the city to put the application in plus another 4 to pick up the permit when ready.

In my opinion in this day and age where we have Inetrnet/faxes everywhere it is just ridiculous that the city's still work in the stone ages and require you to actually go to the city to get a permit.

There is no reason that I couldn't submit my application and sketch through fax or email other than the fact that city's are ignorant of current technology.

So when I tell the customer that the permit/processing fee will be an additional $400 it should not be a suprise that more than half say they don't want a permit. I sure am not going to just absorb the cost.

Obviously the guy that says he pulls permits to change a light fixture doesn't have this problem unless his customers pay $500 to change a light fixture.

As long as there is contractors willing to absorb/ignore this cost we will always have this problem, once we pass this cost to the customer I guarantee the city's will get they're acts together.

I'd pull a permit on every job if it took 20 minutes to fill out my paperwork and submit it through fax or email, hell even regular mail would work
 
satcom said:
What does a permit have to do with liability if the work is inspected? The inspector is going to send the inspection report to the town anyway.


If you fail to obtain a permit, then you are exposing the owner to loss of coverage, and then your next in line for liability.

If you do the work you're on the hook anyway. A permit doesn't spread any liability around to the town.
 
If you do the work you're on the hook anyway. A permit doesn't spread any liability around to the town.


I think your missing the issue here, it has nothing to do with sharing liability, by not obtaining a permit, the insurer that underwrites a homeowner, requires any construction work to meet all codes, and comply with, any building regulations, each policy has it's own wording to this effect, read any homeowners policy, and you will see how they protect their interest.
 
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