As a business owner looking for a new commercial property, finding a building that is the right size, the right price, and in the right location is probably the first thing on your mind. However, it’s important to know the building’s history before you buy. It’s common practice for past owners to perform renovations without securing a permit. This is usually done to save money, or because they did not want to deal with the hassle of getting a permit. This leads to a lot of unknown building code violations in commercial properties. When the owner sells the property to you, it is likely that they won’t mention the code violating renovation, assuming what you don’t know won’t hurt you. Unfortunately, it can hurt you. Instead of making a purchase that you will later regret, here is how you can protect yourself.

Get A Code Inspection

Unless the building was recently constructed and had no previous owners, it is important to get a professional code inspection before making a purchase. Even then, it’s important to inspect the property. By getting an inspection, not only will you learn the current state of the building’s condition, but you will find code violations for unpermitted work and outstanding permits. This gives you a complete look at what to expect if you become the owner of the property. If there is anything on the property that isn’t up to code, you will learn about it before purchasing it.

As you can see, the unfortunate fact is violations don’t go away when the seller transfers the property to you. Instead, when the building gets transferred to you, you also get the code violations that come with it. As a result, it is not recommended to get a typical building inspection and assume that because the building is currently in good condition, there is no need to fix any potential building code violations in West Palm Beach that the building may have. If the previous owner altered the property without getting a permit, this can turn into a liability. Essentially, not knowing about the problem puts you at risk. 

What To Do If You Find A Violation?

If you get a code inspection and outstanding permits and violations were found, it is important that you resolve the problem before you buy the property. That way, if the seller cannot bring the building up to code before selling it to you, you can find another commercial building to purchase. If you buy it beforehand, it is up to you to correct the problem, which entails paying penalties, liens, and potentially fines.

What To Do When You Buy Without A Code Inspection?

It is always unfortunate when someone buys a building that meets all of their expectations only to find that it has open permits and code violations. If you purchased the building without a code inspection, contact Close Permits Fast. We specialize in correcting code violations, from Pompano Beach to Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach to Delray Beach. We have all the necessary staff, such as contractors and licenses to resolve the problem quickly. We also specialize in closing open permits, taking care of:

  • Permit Renewals, Revisions, and Extensions
  • Work Done Without Permit
  • Managing Inspection Scheduling. Reinspection Fees Paid
  • Submittal, Tracking, Corrections, Pick-Up, and Delivery of Permits
  • Fast Tracking of Expedited Permits

Key Takeaway

Before you buy a property, make sure you get a professional code inspection first. Correcting the problem can be costly, sometimes going into the hundreds of thousands, but it should not be your problem to correct. However, if you find yourself in that situation, you can rely on the team at Close Permits Fast to resolve the problem quickly and efficiently, as we have all the necessary staff and licenses to resolve the problem.

Contact Close Permits Fast

We are a fully licensed and insured building and zoning permit consulting company with over 15 years of experience. We have a full staff to close open permits and correct code violations, whether it requires contractors, plumbers, electricians, architects, or all the above. To correct building code violations, contact Close Permits Fast. Call 888-905-4436 for a free consultation.