Patio without a city permit? (deal, money, area)

[TestUser1]

Also I am planning to add one similar to the one this link. What is the term that we call this? This will help me in getting the right form for this addition

http://i58.tinypic.com/oruf0n.jpg

[TheOverdog]

What normally happens, is an inspector will come post-build to check it out. If you can provide diagrams and rough building documents, then getting a permit post-build should be fine.

Worst case is they will ask you to open it up a little bit to see the structure or electrical if it's hidden or if it is complex.

[TestUser1]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

What normally happens, is an inspector will come post-build to check it out. If you can provide diagrams and rough building documents, then getting a permit post-build should be fine.

Worst case is they will ask you to open it up a little bit to see the structure or electrical if it's hidden or if it is complex.

You mean I can build it first and then apply for the permit so that the inspector can inspect and give the permit?

[TheOverdog]

You mean I can build it first and then apply for the permit so that the inspector can inspect and give the permit?

You can - people are understanding and most try to be helpful - but you shouldn't.

Just be aware it is fully within the city's power to ask you to take it all down until a permit is granted if you build it without one and apply for a permit afterwards. But if it is a basic patio, they probably won't.

[MurphyPl1]

I would be very leery of the way your contractor is behaving.

And don't think a city won't make you hear it down. My neighbor had to have his torn down. All that cost wasted.

[TestUser1]

Thank you all for the information . I will be doing the patio only after getting the permit

[xS☺B☺s]

I am so glad we have no HOA. Yet another self appointed government. I take the chaos with the freedom.

[kezbin]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Typically if the homeowner gets the permits, it's a lot cheaper. I got a permit in Richardson. It took about 5 minutes and cost like $20. The contractor would have been charged $250. I'm not sure why you think it's going to take 4 weeks to get a permit.

Interesting I live in Rough Hollow and I pass by FalconHead almost everyday. City of Lakeway is charging me $150 to review my patio request and it is taking me 3 weeks before they will even look at it. There's no telling if/when they will actually approve it. We are in limbo until then.

[HP48G]

Get the permit. A colleague did a patio renovation with no permit and now the city is fining her $500 a day fine until the work passes inspection and gets the permit.

[MckinneyOwnr]

In most cases, it's best to get the permit. There are a few exceptions for stuff like this. One of my friends bought a house with a pool. In order to install a pool, that requires a permit and the code inspector to come out. However, the previous owners put a pool in and got permits... but they didn't spring for a pool heater.

So he had a choice to get another permit, or just have a contractor come out and connect the heater to the existing lines, and have plumbers come out and run the gas line to the heater. So long as the work was done to code, the city has no way of knowing that the heater wasn't installed when the pool was first built. So he had them do the install without a permit, and saved himself $200 and several weeks of delay.