[jyl]

Municipalities enforcing building codes via permits/inspectors is a pain.

But it is also why you don't have to X-ray every piece of every house you buy.

Because you can usually assume that structural, electrical, plumbing, etc work has been done more-or-less to code.

My uncle's entire house was flooded - two floors and basement - lost hundreds of thousands in irreplaceable art and books (he is an art dealer) and it took six months to reconstruct the house. Because some guy had closed off a upstairs bathroom copper pipe by pinching the end shut and soldering it. Obviously, not to code.

Imagine if crap like that was rampant because of no permits.