When beginning a home renovation, there are a multitude of things to consider -- cost, time, materials, permits, etc. But have you ever considered documenting your project to be an intregal part of not only the process, but a beneficial one?
Recently we were scheming a potental new project in our house when a couple of possible complications came to mind involving stud and beam placement in a wall. Instead of cutting holes into the wall to figure out if our idea was even possible, all we had to do was go through our renovation photos to before we put up the drywall to answer our question. No mess, no tools, just a couple clicks of the mouse to settle our minds.
You've assembled your tools and materials and are ready to get started on your latest DIY project. Here's the catch -- do you need a permit? Having one not only ensures you've gone through the proper channels--it also provides necessary documentation that you'll need to provide when selling your house, for example.
We've compiled a list of common projects that may require permits from your city or municipality. When in doubt, don't hesitate to reach out to someone who works in your area's permitting department so that you can ensure you have everything in order.
Now, without further ado, here are projects that will likely require permits:
*Moving plumbing. Whether you're moving interior or exterior plumbing, you'll likely need a permit.
*Moving or installing electrical wiring. In addition to requiring a permit, the city may require one or more inspections of the project to ensure that everything is safely and properly installed and is in good working order.
*Cutting out a new door or window. Many projects that require cutting through your home's exterior walls will likely need some sort of permit.
Some people are incredibly invested in their private space. Maybe it's a cozy nook for reading, a sumptuous bathroom made for spa-like relaxing or a well-lit office that's conducive to long bursts of productivity.
Of course, some people need a little more space. And if you're one of them, you'll adore Eleanor Lanahan and John Douglas' inventive solution. The artists built an addition off of Eleanor's home in Burlington, Vermont, and then constructed a 20-foot bridge that joins their two spaces, as documented in the New York Times.
The bridge serves as more than a device to connect the two spaces. It also houses an open kitchen and dining room that are shared by the couple. (Note: They share a master bedroom, too, although the two spend most of their days in their separate houses, often communicating by phone.)
Recently, we were filling out an application for a building permit that required a recent floor plan of our home to illustrate the changes we wanted to make. When we found the blueprints provided to us when we purchased the home we were surprised to find that they were older than we are!
Not only were walls in nearly completely different places, our entire kitchen wasn't on them -- apparently where we now cook our meals used to be the back porch, and where our master bedroom is now is the old kitchen. Slightly more than embarrassed about this fact, we went on the lookout to find a quick and simple way to informally update our floor plan not only for our permit, but for our own personal records.
