Phisherman wrote:

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 09:57:37 -0400, "Michelle"
wrote:



OK, I know they are legally necessary, but why? What is the benefit of
obtaining a permit when I renovate the interior of my home? We're expanding
a bathroom.





Your local government looks in various ways to make a buck?
Seriously, without a permit you could be in trouble when you sell the
house and it is out of code. Or, there could be safety concerns.

Without permits for changes you make to your dwelling, if you sell, the
new owners wll not be able to get a CO (certificate of occupancy) until
changes that have been made to the dwelling since the last CO are
inspected and the proper permits are obtained. This may require that any
obstructions to inspection, such as walls, be removed to inspect the
changes. Guess who pays for it?
Like the motor oil commercial says, "You can pay me now (for the right
oil) , or you can pay me later (for a new engine)"