Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

[Neil2]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

Look like they have you in their sights, RT.

[brokencookie]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

RT
The trick to to know the code better than the inspectors. I am a frequent target and have managed to maintain my projects without permits. My summer project is going to tie them in knots.

"Is that an addition to your house ?'

"No, it is a pole barn ( within 8 inches but not touching). "

"Well, pole barns still need permits.... pulls out citations"

"Sorry, this pole barn is 218 SQ Ft. Any open ended structure under 220 sq ft does not require a permit. Maybe I'll call it a pergola " ( check and mate)


I will have some problems come fall thought. I have to take out 6 80ft trees. They are old and I have had several arborists attest that they are decaying and may fall on my house. In Olympia, they tell me that if I take out those trees I have to replace them with 42 replacement trees ? When I bought the house I only had 13 trees. I now have over 30 planted. Where in the heck would I put 42 more ? I am sure to end up before the city council before I am done.

Hang in there RT. Make them measure and prove everything. Then deny, delay and put off until they go away.

Bruce

[pzachef]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

Ok guys,
I kinda did it. I called my local Fire Chief today and explained my plans of a pizza oven build in close proximity to my home dwelling. He was very understanding, kind, understood what it was i was building and wanted to do. He said "I don't have a problem with it at all" good news for me to hear. My permit application will be in by next tuesday the latest. I guess i stressed out for nothing but, I guess when you obsess or are passionate about something you worry about rejection. I fell better now or at least good enough for now, probably real good when permit is approved.
I'll let you all know what happens.

[RTflorida]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

Thats one hurdle, getting the fire chief on your side. Hopefully you have a reasonable building dept.
One thing I have found, at least everywhere I have lived, is that building codes are written as "minimum requirements". If you have a "wanna be mayor" in charge, they love to remind you of the "minimum requirements" and that pass or fail is at their discretion once you meet those requirements.

Neil - Actually, that is the attitude I have taken for the past few yrs and I have done countless projects without permits (most people would merely call it home maintenance).....The fence issue does concern me a bit, since it is visible from 2 roads, but it will meet minimum requirements (going overboard on the posts so the bastard can't come back and make me set 24 new ones), beyond that, any fix would take less than a day ($25 + the cost of the permit I didn't get). It is not the $$$, it is the fact that I am finally at a point in my life where I can choose whether or not I can hire a contractor or do it myself (like I always have to save money) and the 2 fence builders that came highly recommended and were willing/able to do a custom job, will not work in my town because of the permit issues and the inspector. The one guy flat told me, I let my license expire and I don't plan on working in your town for a least a yr., the second guy took the measurements, did the drawings, mentioned the pain in the butt city hall and has yet to call me back or send over a quote. Both have worked in my neighborhood and were recommended by my neighbors. That leaves ME to do a job I don't really want any part of. Maybe I should offer the inspector the cash the builder would have gotten......bribary never hurt anyone did it?

pzachef - sorry to have sidetracked your thread a bit.....I tend to go overboard on things I find touchy. I'm hoping you have the experience we all deserve - fair, informative, and respectful with a big rubber stamp PASSED accross the top.


RT

[Neil2]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

You may have a particularly inept building department, but in my experience, the contractors that don't like getting building permits are usually the "fly-by-night" type. They should be avoided.

Any legitimate contractor will know the codes and will work with the municipal building departments so that so that your construction:

- Won't burn your house down.
- Won't fall on your kids.
- Won't void your insurance.

[pzachef]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

Ok guys,

I couldn't wait to be at the point where I can say with confidence "Let the Games Begin" I got my permit approved today and I will be legal. There were no extra questions, stipulations, or requests by the officials. I am required to have 2 inspections. The first is for the foundation slab and the second is for the final, that's it. I hope to start clearing this weekend.

Tony Boca,
I never posted sketches of the Arch Brick smaples, sorry. I didn't price them nor am I going to use them. They are all yours if you want them, I have 2 of each, 6 bricks total. I will bring them almost to your doorstep, write me privately.
I am going to start out as a nutcase watch builder and cut all my bricks to trapezoids for a tight fit. We'll have to see how that goes.

Thanks to all who have posted on my threads and have offered their experience and opinions. I will start a build thread when i have something to post.

Bob

[pzachef]

Re: Enlosure adjacent to house Help !

One more thing,

They classified it as a "Barbeque/Fireplace".