Do You Need a Permit To Add an Extra Room to Your House?

Do you need a permit to build an extra room at your house? Most people should obtain permits for this work, but local requirements vary. A general contractor in Morgan Hill, CA, can provide advice on the home addition permit requirements and obtain the permits for you.

Learn more about why permits are usually necessary for major construction projects like adding an extra room.

Determining Whether You Need a Permit for Remodeling Work

Local city and county governments create laws that specify their building codes. One city might have a rule in the code that a neighboring town doesn’t use, which can cause confusion. The codes differ for residential and commercial projects, too.

Nearly all local building codes for house extensions require permits for home additions. Some locations require you to follow rules for local zoning for home additions, too. You can check with the local building inspection department or hire a local contractor to determine whether you need permits or zoning changes.

As a general rule, any work that involves adding walls, plumbing, or electrical work needs permits. Because adding an extra room usually consists of these types of work, you’ll almost certainly need a permit.

Why Permits Are Necessary for Adding an Extra Room

Although obtaining a permit to build an extra room seems like a hassle, it also protects you as the homeowner. The permit is a promise that the contractor will follow local building codes while working. These codes help to guarantee the safety of the construction.

Adding an extra room often involves several experts doing precise work, such as electrical wiring. If a contractor tells you that permits are not necessary for adding an extra room, treat this as a red flag. 

A contractor who doesn’t want to obtain permits might not do the work safely. The contractor might cut corners, hire unlicensed subcontractors, or use inferior materials. Permits protect you from this type of dangerous and unprofessional behavior.

How Permits and Inspections Work

The process of obtaining home improvement permits is just the first step. With an open permit on your residential building project, the local building inspector will visit the construction site. The inspector looks at the work and ensures the contractor is following building codes. The inspector might visit the site several times, signing off on each step in the process.

Your contractor might have to stop working until the inspector approves the recent work. If the inspector needs to review the wiring, for example, the contractor cannot drywall over the top until the inspector approves the electrical work. If the inspector finds any errors, the contractor might have to tear out some materials and fix the errors before proceeding.

At the end of the work, the inspector will give final approval to everything before closing the permit.

Dangers of Not Obtaining Permits for Remodeling Work

Not requesting a permit to build an extra room can cause problems for you both now and in the future. 

Unpermitted work can increase the risk of a wall collapsing, a plumbing leak, or an electrical fire. Such issues make it dangerous for you or your family to use the extra room.

Local governments require permits for many residential construction projects to protect future owners of the home, too. Someone who purchases your home in the future will want to be confident that any add-ons or remodeling work adheres to local building codes.

If you sell the house through a real estate agent, you’ll have to complete disclosure documents. These documents require you to list any unpermitted construction work that occurred. If you are not truthful about these disclosures, you could face a lawsuit in the future if problems arise.

The disclosure of unpermitted work might scare off some potential buyers. They might offer you a lower-than-expected price for the house because of the unpermitted work. They may worry about the expense of redoing the unpermitted work later.

Trust Michael Marini Construction for Help With Remodeling and Permitting

Obtaining residential construction and renovation permits can be a confusing process for homeowners who want to renovate. Adding a room without a permit simply isn’t worth the hassle and risk. Instead, let the experts at Michael Marini Construction handle everything.

We will obtain the permit to build an extra room, design the space, and build it for you. We do everything possible to remove stress from the process. We can provide home addition tips for your design, too. For a consultation, contact us today at (408) 310-8732.