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In my ongoing quest to get my roof replaced (for those that don't know...just do a search...it's easier!), I have discovered that there is a law on the books that requires any job in excess of $5K requires a permit to be pulled. Additionally, if you are having your roof replaced & have a natural gas line, another permit needs to be pulled. Obviously, inspections are required and one cannot conceivably finish paying the contractor until the roof has been inspected & approved.
Not surprisingly, neither permit was pulled for my roof. My contractor(s) & roofer claim no knowledge of this law.
Supposedly (and I am going by heresay here) code enforcement in Charlotte does not enforce this law (hence the contractors not knowing about it) because the inspectors don't want to climb on the roofs to inspect them.
Obviously, had my roof been inspected, I sincerely doubt that I would be in the situation that I am in. However, my roof aside, how scary is it that code enforcement does not want to do their jobs? Another take that I have heard on the situation is that there are simply not enough inspectors to do the job well Still a scary proposition. (certainly for anyone wanting to build a house!)
I think this is just another example of government out of control. There is no reason that a permit needs to be pulled, and no reason why the work needs to be inspected. I've seen many roof jobs in my neighborhood, and never saw a permit sign for them. I think its silly.
I had an AC replaced earlier this year and the contractor had to pull a permit for it. When the code inspector showed up a couple of weeks after the job was done, he spent less than 1 minute looking at the install and 20 minutes talking to me about my yard. Very nice guy and one of the more flagrant examples of complete government waste and intrusion. That process cost me money yet it didn't provide anything to the process at all.
It's like car inspections. Totally unnecessary for what it provides.
As chicagocubs said, if it costs mor'n 5 grand it needs to be inspected. I can see why ANY work on ANYTHING having gas connected to it must be inspected. Indeed nobody but a licensed installer should be anywhere near gas appliances.
I guess that the insurance companies require that the city inspect certain work and between them they have drawn a line in the sand at $5K.
Having someone from the city impartially inspect a random contractor's work and who has the authority to require changes or re-work (do they have that power?) would make me happy, especially with a rental unit. If my insurance company would then accept the city inspection document as authority that the instalklation (whatever it was) has been done correctly to code would also make me happy.
The reason the $5000 threshold is not enforced on roof replacement is simple. It cannot be applied evenly. A roof replacement on a small house is under $5000, medium house might be under might be over $5000, a large house is over. So you are going to require an inspection on large homes but not on small homes. It is the same job just varies in price due to size of the home.
My experience with the charlotte code enforcement officials is little more than a joke. Why would an enforcement officer stop and give me a ticket for having my car parked on my grass beside my driveway when only next door my neighbor had done the exact same thing yet he didn't get a ticket. Are the enforcement officers blind or just plain incompetent/. My understanding is that upgrades, repairs and remodels don't require a permit.
I think this is just another example of government out of control. There is no reason that a permit needs to be pulled, and no reason why the work needs to be inspected. I've seen many roof jobs in my neighborhood, and never saw a permit sign for them. I think its silly.
You wouldn't think that it was silly if you were experiencing a year's worth of roof leaks, with bankrupt contractors and roofers who claim no responsibility.
You wouldn't think it was silly if YOUR walls had a 37% moisture content and your parts of your ceiling (not the part that had already been removed due to the saturation of it and the insulation) had a 20% moisture content. (not to mention the mold that is growing inside of my walls...)
I sincerely believe, that if the inspectors were properly doing their jobs, I would not have this situation.
My experience with the charlotte code enforcement officials is little more than a joke. Why would an enforcement officer stop and give me a ticket for having my car parked on my grass beside my driveway when only next door my neighbor had done the exact same thing yet he didn't get a ticket. Are the enforcement officers blind or just plain incompetent/. My understanding is that upgrades, repairs and remodels don't require a permit.
No, seriously, any job over $5K requires a permit & an inspection. True story.
As chicagocubs said, if it costs mor'n 5 grand it needs to be inspected. I can see why ANY work on ANYTHING having gas connected to it must be inspected. Indeed nobody but a licensed installer should be anywhere near gas appliances.
I guess that the insurance companies require that the city inspect certain work and between them they have drawn a line in the sand at $5K.
Having someone from the city impartially inspect a random contractor's work and who has the authority to require changes or re-work (do they have that power?) would make me happy, especially with a rental unit. If my insurance company would then accept the city inspection document as authority that the instalklation (whatever it was) has been done correctly to code would also make me happy.
Unfortunately, krokus, my insurance adjuster had not heard of this law. He was most surprised when I gave him the information.
When I am through, you can be sure that this will be common knowledge.
I sincerely believe, that if the inspectors were properly doing their jobs, I would not have this situation.
Your situation is terrible, no doubt. But what do you expect inspectors to do? Look at every house every day to see where work is being done?
You don't think that the responsibility is one YOU to vet your contractors and make sure work is permitted properly? No offense, but on my FIRST house, the FIRST time I did some work I checked on local permitting requirements. And every time I have work done I check to see if I need a permit of some kind.
Like I said, your situation is terrible... But the responsibility ultimately is yours. Not the government's.
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