Buying home with unpermitted work (Miami: countertops, appliances, buying a home)

[Beach and Tree Lover]

I am buying a home that has various remodeling projects done, some without permits. Here are the different renovations:

Circular driveway (they provided a map/survey for this)
Concrete slab for boat on side of house
Garage converted into a media room
Kitchen remodel with granite countertops, new appliances & cabinets
Master bathroom remodel to have tub with jets, new shower and cabinet/mirror
Shed
Hurricane impact windows (i'm pretty sure the owner did the correct permit for this)
Crown moulding

Only the impact windows and maybe the new driveway have permits. Questions:

(1) Which of these are supposed to have permits?
(2) Will the county discover these changes and fine me?
(3) Is it possible to get the permits for these after the fact so that everything is legal?
(4) Will it be possible for me to have future renovations done on the home with permits, with all of these changes?
(5) The appraiser found that the square footage of the house was 300 square feet less than the tax roll. If I try to appeal to the county to get my taxes lowered, will they send someone to measure it and notice all of the unpermitted work?

[doggiebus]

Needs a permit - Circular driveway (they provided a map/survey for this)
Needs a permit - Concrete slab for boat on side of house
Needs a permit - Garage converted into a media room
Needs a permit - Hurricane impact windows (i'm pretty sure the owner did the correct permit for this)
No permit needed - Crown moulding

Depends on what was done (did they change things that have to do with water and electrical) - Kitchen remodel with granite countertops, new appliances & cabinets
Depends, most likely yes. - Master bathroom remodel to have tub with jets, new shower and cabinet/mirror
Shed

Make sure there are no open permits, because you will be responsible for the open permits if they aren't closed before you purchase them. Permits go with the home, not the person that opened the permit. I believe you can get permits after the fact, but with a BIG but. You are opening yourself up to a lot more than you think, if things weren't properly installed. The county will make you make it right, if something isn't properly installed/built. I bet a lot of homes sell without permitted projects. I know the house next to me which sold recently, has a non permitted garage turned bedroom.

[Beach and Tree Lover]

Thank you doggiebus, do you have any insight into my other questions?

[himain]

This hous sounds like a headache. You can't find something else that isn't a money pit????

[Cubanchic]

Oh boy this is a ditsy if spectic!!! All ground work needs permit! Trust me not worth it!

[Cubanchic]

Also tell us where and we can say how heavy handed or laced they are.

[tallrick]

Stay far away from that place. Miami-Dade county is the most corrupt in the whole state. I know first hand because when my dad threw out the code inspector from his home they retaliated by sending in the building department, They made up all kinds of violations on a home that has not changed since 1960! It drove him to his grave. I had to go to the mayor's office and down to their permitting center to get them to drop the whole mess. A lawsuit also helped speed the closing of the matter. They had put in to condemn the whole house but I happened to be there when the inspector came to take a look. He was quite surprised and thought he had the wrong address. Every home in the area has at least three violations and selective enforcement awaits anyone who gets under the county's radar. The use extortion holding fines of 5,000.00 - 200,000.00 as a way to dispossess you. My advice, avoid the county altogether or just find the rare, unimproved home.

Funny thing, with all the hassle the county gave my dad they never said anything about the doors we replaced, or all the carpentry we did to fix rot back in the 1980's. Of course, all the work done looked exactly like the original. If it looks the same in pictures, there is nothing the greedy code enforcement can do.