A home inspector sees it all! Climbing into attics, crawling under houses, and prowling around basements tells a lot about a home. Some discoveries are good, some are bad, and some are just ugly! Among the things we find, owner-built, do-it-yourself additions and renovations can be the most entertaining. At least, they would be if some of them weren’t so dangerous.
A head full of YouTube and a credit card – Watch out!
In our digital age, homeowners can watch videos and learn to do most anything. Depending on the skill of the homeowner, results may be hard to predict. Armed with a head full of full of YouTube and a credit card at a big box store, the do-it-yourselfer plows ahead without knowing the requirements of their city or county, and without considering potential repercussions of remodeling without a permit. Real estate agents and home inspectors frequently visit homes with non-permitted do-it-yourself additions and renovations. Problems with shoddy, non-permitted work can put a damper on a home sale if the home inspector finds potential hazards. Let’s take a look.
Getting decked!
One very big reason that homeowners do their own renovations is to save money. There’s nothing wrong with that, right? Of course not! However, sometimes saving a few dollars up front can cost you more down the road. Let’s use building a deck as an example. Here in Western North Carolina a permit is needed for adding a deck to your home. There are too many safety issues if a deck is done improperly – factors such as lumber dimensions, spacing, bracing, and the brackets and bolts needed to attach the deck to your house – inspectors check all of these. A poorly attached deck can come tumbling down like a house of cards, putting you and your family in danger of serious injury or death.
So how does saving some money up front cost you more later? If you don’t take out a permit and do it correctly, an inspector might make you dig up a footer after construction to demonstrate that the proper width and depth of concrete was used. That’s just crazy! Get the permit, learn what code requires, and have the inspections done as required.
Frugal or fruitcake?
As the expression goes, “A little knowledge can be dangerous.” For example, a homeowner figured that his upper level deck would make a good room addition. The trouble is, what can support the weight of a deck probably won’t support the weight of a room. This is especially true if the original deck was homeowner built without a permit and with no attention to code or safety.
Here’s an example of a room built on a deck not supported properly. In this case, the question is not IF an accident will happen, but WHEN.
For now, let’s ignore the sliding glass door to nowhere and look at how the deck is supported (or not). Would you want your family in that room?
Potential deal breakers
One big problem with non-permitted work, is that if a potential buyer sees something that looks substandard, their impression of the home quickly goes South. Buyers may just assume that since there was no permit pulled for the work, then the work must be substandard or not up to code. In many cases, the buyers are correct.
Keep that in mind with do-it-yourself additions and renovations to your own home. Going the cheap route my save you some money now, but it can lower the value of your home when it comes time to sell, or it can squash the deal altogether.
Also consider that a permit alone may not be enough. You need a qualified, licensed contractor or handyman to do the work if you lack the skills. So don’t risk the safety of your family or the value of your home by cheaping out. Do it right from the start!
Which projects require a permit?
Click here for a comprehensive guide from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
Know when to walk away
See something suspicious?
Call Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young at 828-808-4980 before you sign on the dotted line. Better to find out the truth while you can still walk away, or even run!
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, get an inspection first to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Click the link below to make an appointment.
