If you’re in the market to sell your home, you may be considering some small home improvement projects to ultimately yield a higher selling price. A home with an updated kitchen or premium bathroom fixtures is bound to attract the eye of more discriminating buyers; a little bit of competition will work in your favor.

Before you pick up that hammer and start putting up drywall for an additional sunroom, consider local and state laws surrounding even small construction projects on your home. Obtaining a building permit will ensure that you remain in compliance with real estate laws and protect both you and your buyer from fines and penalties associated with failure to secure one.

Permit Process

Local government offices issue permits based on city laws and ordinances. Building codes will vary from city to city, so the best way to familiarize yourself with your area laws is to call your city offices or visit their website.

Some cities charge 1% of your total construction costs to issue a permit, and it may take up to six weeks to complete required inspections. While obtaining closing permits for a homeowner might be considered a hassle, failure to do so can cost you more than you realize. Renovations may be stalled or even halted, and in some cases, a missing permit can cancel your home sale.

Renovations Needing a Permit

Building permits are classified as structural, electrical, and mechanical. Before applying for a specific permit, you should have a good idea of what you’d like to do with your project. The purpose of a permit is to ensure that your property remains structurally sound for you and any other buyer. The following projects will likely need a permit and pre-approval before you begin a project.

  • Siding
  • New windows
  • Plumbing and electrical work
  • Water heater installation
  • Fences
  • Addition of a room
  • Altering your home’s footprint
  • Changes to load bearing walls
  • Porch, balcony, and deck alterations

Other cities look at the cost of a renovation project as a determining factor in whether to issue a permit. If a project costs more than $5000 to complete, it will likely need pre-approval, inspection, and a closing permit.

Obtaining a Permit

If you are considering a renovation project before selling your home, apply for the proper permit through your local city government offices. Permits for simple projects are issued quite quickly, while others require a detailed inspection and pre-approval of plans.

Complicated or large-scale projects will likely require many stages of inspection to make sure that work is being performed correctly. If you are working with a licensed contractor, they can help you with the process of obtaining the proper permits and scheduling inspections in a timely manner to keep work moving along.

In A Time Crunch? Close Permits Fast With Us!

We make closing permits for the homeowner easy and efficient. At Close Permits Fast, we work with you to issue closing permits in an efficient and timely manner, letting you move on with your project or sale of a home. With over 25 years of experience and a variety of services including inspections, permit issuance, and code violation resolution, we provide you with solutions to all your home project concerns. Contact us today to see how we can move your project along and resolve problems with new and existing permits that may be holding you back.