Permits, Permits, Permits, Permits

SOMERSET, N.J. - March 21, 2014 - PRLog -- If you are purchasing a home in New Jersey and additions or improvements have been made to the property, permits are required.

A growing trend has developed since 2005 where homeowners hire contractors who do not apply for the required permits from the local building officials.  This can and has resulted in work performed in an non-professional manner and at the extreme end in an unsafe manner.

So far this year (2014) 100 percent of homes I have inspected have had additions/alterations performed without permits pulled or inspections performed by a township building official.

When purchasing a home with upgrades/additions/alterations, hiring the most experienced inspector is a must. Licensed home inspectors who are also licensed New Jersey building inspectors will be able to determine what work has been performed correctly or unprofessionally without permits.

A home I inspected in February had a number of alterations performed including a fully finished basement.  I requested the buyer/client to check for permits at the local building department.  The buyer learned, from the building department, that the owner had not applied for permits for the basement and being fined $2000.00 per week.

One of the most extreme cases of work done without permits and an unprofessional installation was on a home I inspection about 3 years ago.  The homeowner of a single family home constructed a sunroom and deck on the rear of the home.  I informed my client the work performed was subpar and they should check with the local building officials for permits.  In the end, the sunroom and deck had no permits and as a result the building officials made the owners remove a $60,000.00 sunroom and deck.

I cannot stress enough the importance of building permits, whether you are hiring a contractor on your own home or the home you are buying.

Rich Roshak is a licensed New Jersey home and building inspector and has construction experience dating back to 1974. He is the owner of AmeriSpec Inspection Services in Somerset, NJ and can be reached at 877-921-3062 or rich@njamerispec.com. You can also visit our website at www.njamerispec.com

NJ Amerispec inspects homes and offers Radon Testing (continuous monitor), Warranty Inspections, New Construction Inspections, Chimney Inspections (level 1 and 2), Consulting Services and Infrared Energy Scans in New Jersey including Somerset, Bergen, Middlesex, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Passaic, Morris, Essex, Burlington, Union and Ocean Counties.