Do you pull a PERMIT? - Page 2

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Sure if you want a pizzed off inspector who will absolutely know the game youre playing and will likely go out of his way to nail you later...

CurtEgerer · CurtEgerer's Garage

>>>around here, contractors hate to get permits and often tell the owner to do it - unlike what Curt E. describes for where he is, the law requires a permit but does not require the contractor to get one...<<<

Oregon uses the same Code as Michigan (as well as most other states these days) - all based on the International Mechanical Code. The Code (in fact, all Codes I've ever seen in 30 years) require a permit by the "owner, authorized agent or contractor". A contractor doing work without a permit is in violation of the building code - it is his obligation under his license to see that a permit is pulled before he does work. If he can talk some dupe homeowner into doing it for him, good for him.

As I stated, the only reason a contractor would ask the homeowner to pull the permit is because he doesn't have a license (a homeowner can do his own work without a license) or he wants to shirttail onto the homeowners GL insurance. Pulling a permit yourself for work being done by a contractor you hire enters you into a General Contractor/subcontractor relationship. That is a recipe for trouble. Let the contractor do everything, then you'll only have one phone call to make when the house blows up

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

That's what i do - but there are few contractors here who will do it -- that's my point.

No idea re the regs. and enforcement policies where you are -- those determine how a "uniform" code turns out not be so uniform in practice.

MarKoBrow · 04-04-2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

Here's my question:

I'm getting a gas-burning fireplace/furnace installed in my old coal-burning fireplace. This involves running a gas line on the outside of the house a distance of about 10 feet, and running intake/exhaust up the chimney.

The fireplace installer keeps asking me if I want to pull a permit, and I don't know the answer. They will take care of it and add it to the bill, (and also pad it a bit for the convenience, but that's ok.) It will also add 4-5 days to the process, and require 2 visits by the fireplace guy, and 2 visits from the inspector.

They just say "Well, we can't tell you what to do, but do you want to pull a permit?"

The electrician was already here and ran the electric outlet and was outta here, never even blinked about a permit or whatever.

This is all I'm doing, I'm not doing a remodel or any significant changes to the house.

What are the pros and cons of a permit? I know the "pros" are that I was legit or whatever, but it adds about 10% to the cost of this job, and 4 days.

Thanks

The problem with Denver and installing a gas fireplace like you describe isn't going to be the gas pipe connection, it's going to have more t do with the condition of your existing chimney. Having said this I would go with having the contractor pulling the permit. Denver in particular has very strange permitting rules and the items that you would assume need to be permitted don't. Check this website and if need be ask the permit office what kind of permit you need before you proceed. Common Residential Inspection Problems You also might find that if your coal fired fireplace was installed with a blanket which is usually asbestos you might be opening up a can of worms that will end up costing you allot more than you planed.

MarKoBrow · 04-04-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

>>>

As I stated, the only reason a contractor would ask the homeowner to pull the permit is because he doesn't have a license (a homeowner can do his own work without a license) or he wants to shirttail onto the homeowners GL insurance. Pulling a permit yourself for work being done by a contractor you hire enters you into a General Contractor/subcontractor relationship. That is a recipe for trouble. Let the contractor do everything, then you'll only have one phone call to make when the house blows up

This is not always true and in some cases you are just wrong, there are contractors such as myself and many others who work across many municipalities all which require a trade licensed journeyman with a local business license and varying other permitting cost which in the case with most of Southeastern Pa can add a significant increase to the smallest of jobs My company is currently licensed in 64 different townships in Pa, Del and New Jersey at a cost well into five figures yearly, now imagine if you will I get a call from a area I am not licensed in for a 2000 water heater install. If I were a out the area contractor coming to Philadelphia, Pa and I had to pull a permit that 2000 water heater job is now costing the customer 3400 by the time I get a business license, a plumbing license and a contractors license. Think about this the next time your giving your advice.

VINMAN · 05:09 PM

There is no way in hell, that I am going to risk my license, by doing work without a permit. But I do know guys that do. Why, is beyond me. I will always try to go and get the permit for a customer, especially if plans have to be submitted. The only time I will ask a customer to get the permit, is if there is no way for me to get to the code office. My construction business is not my primary full time job, so at times it is hard for me to get there during the week.

Honestly, my biggest complaint with the whole process is, that I wish the inspectors would get their heads out of their own azzes and all get on the same page. You can deal with four different inspectors from the same town and every one of them will tell you a different way that they want something done!

Gogar · 04-04-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarKoBrow

The problem with Denver and installing a gas fireplace like you describe isn't going to be the gas pipe connection, it's going to have more t do with the condition of your existing chimney. Having said this I would go with having the contractor pulling the permit. Denver in particular has very strange permitting rules and the items that you would assume need to be permitted don't. Check this website and if need be ask the permit office what kind of permit you need before you proceed. Common Residential Inspection Problems You also might find that if your coal fired fireplace was installed with a blanket which is usually asbestos you might be opening up a can of worms that will end up costing you allot more than you planed.

Well, these guys seemed pretty knowledgeable about the type of fireplace I have,

There's no 'blanket' because there's no existing apparatus in the hearth. Just a big empty brick hole.

There is concern to the size of the chimney, but the new fireplace I selected has smaller liners (3" exhaust, 2" intake) to accomodate my style chimney.

As far as 'what kind' of permit to get, I thinking that since the contractor ONLY does fireplaces and has offered to go get the permit, he knows what to get.

Thanks!

peppy · 04-04-2011, 05:41 PM

I would let the person with the license get the permit.

I had to get town and county permits to upgrade the electrical.

Gogar · 04-05-2011, 04:37 PM

So,

I told the fireplace contractor that I wanted to get a permit,

And since the electrician has already come and gone and run the electric for the blower,

I have to call the Electrician back and have him pull a permit for the electric he already did, or else the inspector will get mad about the unpermitted electric run.

flatbutt · 04-05-2011, 07:00 PM

I pulled one just to install a zero clearance pellet stove. For the insurance doncha know.

9dreizig · 04-05-2011, 07:10 PM

So you can fix and italian espresso machine with a bad relay yet you hire an electrician to wire up a furnace ? Please step down from the pedastil I had you on ..

Hugh R · 04-05-2011, 07:36 PM

Permits for inside the house for insurance and resale. Lawn sprinklers and drainage, no.

Gogar · 04-05-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

So you can fix and italian espresso machine with a bad relay yet you hire an electrician to wire up a furnace ? Please step down from the pedastil I had you on ..

*pedestal