NH building codes? restrictions? permissions? (insurance, loans, modular home)

[phalynx]

We are thinking about buying a small piece of property in NH. We don't really understand how it's structured there. We are coming from TX. In TX, a county can't have a building code or tell you what you can and can't build. There is no zoning, no impact fees, nothing of the sort. A town or City can do those things but not a county. In NH I get the feeling from what I have read that you have to seek permission from the nearest township? or something like that.

I understand it will vary from place to place, but what I want to know is, can I build my own place and live in my RV while being constructed and not be hassled or bothered by every inspector or permission slip known to man. I am not talking about dodging taxes or anything like that, just let me build when and where I want and then charge me the property taxes.

thoughts?

[Mommyof2g]

Yes...each town has their own rules...mostly to keep the "trailers" out and to keep a certain amount of tax revenue coming in ( ie, some places don't allow mobile homes, or might require a certain amount of square footage to keep the property value at a certain level.) You might be able to get a permit for the RV since it would be temp, but you'd have to check with the local town clerk. Some towns might have a specified amount of time you'd have to complete construction once it is started. Some towns are more restrictive than others. If you are going through a reputable builder, they should know all the code and permit requirements. There are building codes...like most states. This is to be sure that if you sell the house, that the next owner would be moving into a place that won't sink on them, or fall in on them with a heavy laden snow. It's best to check the area you are looking in to see what their codes and restrictions are.

[Mommyof2g]

Oh..another tidbit...some areas have quirky laws...I know one guy who took a property tax reduction on his house for the maximum 5 years (under construction) because he didn't put front stairs in..and though he lived in the house and the rest was finished...the house wasn't considered completed until he had front stairs. That has probably changed since then...but you never know unless you look into it.

I don't know of any areas that require you to begin construction within a certain timeframe but I imagine that if you wanted to live in your RV, you'd probably have something stipulated in the permit.

[bryfry]

Good post. I also heard that some towns don't even have building inspectors. Is this true? That would trouble me if I were to build a house, which is still an option of mine. I would need to know if the builder is taking care in doing the correct things.

[Mommyof2g]

That I can't comment on...however if that is a concern..check into it..you could stipulate in the contract with the builder about an inspection schedule, etc. Of course that would be at your expense...but prudent IMO. I am all for being more specific in a building contract and more stringent than some of the local codes might be. If I were building a house...my kids would be living in it.

Again..check the codes..see what areas you might want to be more strict about, and make sure it's in your contract. It's your house afterall...there's no law that restricts you from having more than the "minimum" requirements. you just have to be willing to pay for it.

For example...a good idea even if it wasn't in the codes is to require a firewall between teh garage and house if you wanted an attached garage. Stuff like that could save on property insurance.

IMO...of all the "government" codes and requirements...I would have to say that the Vet loans require the most safety and quality features. HUD loans...IMO are the worst.

[Valerie C]

phalynx, it really depends on what part of NH you are considering. Southern NH has no unincorporated land; you would have to get into the extreme north/northwest part of the state to find what you seem to be looking for, and even then there will most certainly be rules regarding at least regarding septic and well placement, and possibly set-back lines, etc. Living on your land, in your RV, may require a permit of sorts until you have an occupancy permit for your home. If you are considering a modular home rather than stick built, the amount of permits and sign-off's is drastically reduced. I have no working knowledge of purchasing raw land in an unincorporated area, but would recommend that you contact the land management office for whichever counties you're considering.

[phalynx]

Thank you for the replies. I need to clarify things. I will build the house myself. No sub-contractors.. All work will be done by me. I have done it before so I am not worried about doing it. I will be building it to code so I am not worried about someone else buying it later. The problem I have with the building inspectors is a $50 dollar "check" comes out to about 1500-4000.00 with the permits, the rechecks, all the "stuff" they stick you with and call it a permit. I call it taxation. There are some states that do not allow you to put plumbing in your house unless you are a licensed plumber..... gee,,, now what union got this through... That point aside, I just want to build a small house that we can live in and I want very little "extra fees" built into the price.

Valerie, thank you, good info. I don't mind the septic permit.. I consider that good for all. The fees I dislike are the "impact fees" and the magical $ per sq. ft. fee that for some reason a 20x20 house costs exactly 7.00 less to review than a 20x21 house.... silly.

[jthibodeau]

You may no have to move so far north. Some towns use the national building codes due to the fact that they have not adopted a set of codes for themselves. Most building codes in towns are based on the national code with any changes they may include for themselves. The ironic part for these towns is even though they adopt the national code for building, they have yet to decide to spend the money to hire a code enforcement officer or building inspector. At that point, you build to code but no one inspects. Actually, the state could send an inspector if requested by the town but that is a very unusual.
Many towns will allow you to use a temp trailer for living while building your home, However, these town may also restrict you to the use of the trailer for one year only. This is usually due to the length of time your building permit is valid which is good for one year. If you haven't completed your building project within that time period, you may have to apply for and extension or new permit for the next year. You'll just have to check with the building department of the town before to decide where you'll want to build. Best of luck in you project.

[autumnleaf07]

Hi Phalynx,

As Valerie mentioned it really depends on where you plan to build. No matter where you build, state regulations such as wetlands, alteration of terrain, septic and subdivision would apply, but otherwise if the town doesn't have zoning, as is typically the case in the North Country, no additional zoning requirements apply. And as jthibodeau pointed out there are many towns that do not have building inspectors or code enforcement officers. So, it's best to determine which town(s) you're considering building in and look up their zoning ordinances and land use regulations. Oh, and if you're planning on building within 250' of a great pond (10 acres or more), lake or fourth-order stream, RSA 483-B, the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act applies. This state-wide law has just been revised this past year and contains some new requirements.

[399083453]

Originally Posted by phalynx

a $50 dollar "check" comes out to about 1500-4000.00 with the permits, the rechecks, all the "stuff" they stick you with and call it a permit. I call it taxation.

Depends on the code officer. You never know. I've heard many people slip the guy $100-$300 and the permits and codes always turn out good.