On 7/12/2011 1:22 AM, Steve B wrote:
(snip)
not where I live....


Permits are not required for:

• Retaining or garden walls less than four feet high measured from
bottom of footing, which doesn’t
have a surcharge or affect drainage onto or off of property
• One story detached accessory building such as a storage shed or play
house with a floor area not
exceeding 120 square feet

BUT go figure

Permits are required for:
• Installing or replacing water heaters
• Installing or replacing faucets


I hear ya on the irrationality of the permits for utility buildings.
Such permits are primarily a revenue generator, with 'the public good'
being secondary. My now-squashed shed is on a fenced-in slab larger than
the shed, which was actually an abandoned dog pen. (what kind of cruel
SOB pens dogs on concrete?). Permits and inspections aren't much of a
worry out here, but the replacement I have on order is close to an exact
duplicate of what got squished by the tree, and on the slight chance
anyone does bitch, I'll mention that the slab and fence around it were
already there, so blame previous owner who installed the shed ten years
ago and nobody bitched, and besides, I'm only repairing an existing
structure. I'm pretty sure new shed will drop into the existing anchor
rails lagged off to the slab, so it isn't really 'new' work. It was just
cheaper to buy an entire kit, than order the replacement parts of 70% of
the the old shed. Shed has no power to it, and is 75 feet from the
house, so they can't use that as an excuse.

Bu yes, even if a permit were required here (and I'm not gonna ask a
question I may not like the answer to), you definitely want a concrete
floor in a shed. And I agree- anything made of wood should be on a stem
wall or quasi-foundation, to keep the sills dry. If I thought it would
pay for itself at resale, I'd have a concrete guy do a proper foundation
with footings, like for a small garage, and drop a canned-design wood
shed onto that.

Now as to water heater requiring a permit, that almost makes sense. A
badly installed heater can burn down house, and maybe the neighbor's
place as well.

--
aem sends...