Building Permits

[aggie92]

I have the basic shell of a garage apartment that we want to finish out. It is complete on the exterior and has electricity up and downstairs. I want to do most of the work myself but understand that some things are best left to contractors. My questions to you guys that I couldn't find on COH website are:

I live in the Heights

1. Is there anything that prevents me from doing the work - ie license?

2. Do I have to pull permits for everything (electrical, plumbing, insulation, sheetrock, final) and get inspections along the way?

3. Is there a particular order that the COH prefers? I know there is a natural progression but you never know.....

4. I believe that I understand that the garage portion has to be totally sheetrocked and insulated as well if there will be occupancy above. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance.

[TexasArchitect]

what's up aggie, it's good u want to do the work urslef. DIY is always the best or at least imo it is especially if ur maticulous bout ur work.

depending on what part of heights u may have some restrictions.

what's the extent of the work? are u adding plumbing fixtures and just basic outlets? or is ther major work involved?

if u don't want to get too specific on here just let me know, i can give u the # to the guy i always deal w/ at the city of houston via p.m. so u wont have to be transferred over and over leaving messages, lol.

[aggie92]

Scope of job:

Electrical: Adding 7-8 electrical outlets plus 4 can lights (do I need a permit to do myself? - I'm not going to rent as it will be an office area for me.)

Plumbing (will hire out definitely so I know they need permit): Adding/tapping into sewer line, adding 1 toilet, 1 bath sink, 1 shower

After above, I don't think I need a permit to finish, but that is why I'm asking you guys that have experience with COH.

Then will add insulation, sheetrock, and finish out the trim work around windows and doors already installed. Putting in a window unit for a/c. Exterior is complete.

Part of my question pertains to the downstairs garage area. I want to go ahead and finish out with insulation and sheetrock as it is already completely wired and inspected, but not sure if someone will come back later and make me rip out if I didn't get some permit or because I did it ahead of the upstairs area.

[TexasArchitect]

[musicman]

Scope of job:

Electrical: Adding 7-8 electrical outlets plus 4 can lights (do I need a permit to do myself? - I'm not going to rent as it will be an office area for me.)

Plumbing (will hire out definitely so I know they need permit): Adding/tapping into sewer line, adding 1 toilet, 1 bath sink, 1 shower

After above, I don't think I need a permit to finish, but that is why I'm asking you guys that have experience with COH.

Then will add insulation, sheetrock, and finish out the trim work around windows and doors already installed. Putting in a window unit for a/c. Exterior is complete.

Part of my question pertains to the downstairs garage area. I want to go ahead and finish out with insulation and sheetrock as it is already completely wired and inspected, but not sure if someone will come back later and make me rip out if I didn't get some permit or because I did it ahead of the upstairs area.

if you get a permit, get a permit for everything. getting it for the plumbing and not for the wiring will be obvious to most inspectors. if you trust the people you have doing the work, getting a permit really does nothing but flag your account to the appraisal district to raise your taxes.

[AJXterra]

Scope of job:

Electrical: Adding 7-8 electrical outlets plus 4 can lights (do I need a permit to do myself? - I'm not going to rent as it will be an office area for me.)

Plumbing (will hire out definitely so I know they need permit): Adding/tapping into sewer line, adding 1 toilet, 1 bath sink, 1 shower

After above, I don't think I need a permit to finish, but that is why I'm asking you guys that have experience with COH.

Then will add insulation, sheetrock, and finish out the trim work around windows and doors already installed. Putting in a window unit for a/c. Exterior is complete.

Part of my question pertains to the downstairs garage area. I want to go ahead and finish out with insulation and sheetrock as it is already completely wired and inspected, but not sure if someone will come back later and make me rip out if I didn't get some permit or because I did it ahead of the upstairs area.

How will anyone know that you just finished the garage and it wasn't that way before you bought the house? They can't make you tear it down, and if it's already wired then you won't have the need to permit the electrical anyway. However, our electrical inspector when we re-wired our entire house did ask a lot of questions about the plumbing, etc. We had to stop all noticeable plumbing (mainly fixtures at that time) and wall work (patching fake windows, etc.) between the rough-in and final inspections so he didn't make us pull a remodel and plumbing permits per our electrician's recommendation. You're going to have a problem though b/c you have to close up the walls before the final inspection and he might make you pull the electrical as well as remodel permits. Regardless, what you're talking about doing is big $$$ and what the permits cost is around $25-$50 each.

Good Luck.

[RedScare]

You don't need a permit to sheetrock the garage. AJ and musicman are right, though. If you need a permit for one (plumbing) get it for all. While it is common for remodellers to sneak around, inspectors look for this stuff. So, if you plan on getting a plumbing permit, there will be an inspector quizzing you about other things. It is not a big deal to get the general and electrical permit. If you are not adding circuits, you may not even need the electrical.

BTW, how old is the garage? If it is fairly new, it may have already been permitted for general and electrical. You may only need plumbing.

[cottonmather0]

When I tried to remodel my bathroom myself I ended up needing a plumber and the cost and hassle skyrocketed because of the permits. If you're going to do it yourself or if you know someone who is willing to do it without a permit (and risk losing his license, fwiw) then don't get the permits. It truly is just intended as a flag to HCAD to raise your taxes, but sometimes you just don't have a choice.

There is also a catch-22 that hasn't been mentioned here: in Houston the homeowner cannot pull electrical permits, they can only be pulled by a licensed electrician. As such, if you pull plumbing or structural permits, it's going to rouse the suspicion of the inspector about your electrical and you will either get a ticket for performing unpermitted work and/or (probably both) you'll end up having to pay an electrcian $80+ an hour to do work that is typically really really simple so long as you can follow instructions (code) and aren't messing with breakers or services.

So in reality, it's not just the cost of the permit and the hassle of the inspection - pulling one little plumbing permit that costs $20 can end up costing you hundreds or even thousands in the end.

[musicman]

So in reality, it's not just the cost of the permit and the hassle of the inspection - pulling one little plumbing permit that costs $20 can end up costing you hundreds or even thousands in the end.

concur. the plumbers/electricians will charge you more if you get a permit because they have to return for inspections, etc which means they can't move to the next job.

if the garage exterior is done already and is basically hidden, a plumber can easily tap into the existing drainage/supply system and noone will know.

electrical is easy too. sounds like you're just doing basic lighting and outlets.

[aggie92]

Thanks for the replies.

I do have the general permit as garage was just done in February. I do have the original permit number on the electrical also where they put the panel with circuits and wired the downstairs. (we weren't sure what or when we could afford finishing upstairs so we left it undone). Therefore I guess that I can just add on my own the new outlets and lights???? and then hire a plumber to do the rest with his proper permit. After that I then don't need a permit for anything else???

I don't mind the permits and want to do it right, but I also didn't want to call COH and start asking a bunch of questions.

Also, thanks for the realization/reminder that permits add up to HCAD dollars!!!!

[flipper]

Don't forget that if you go the bootleg route, by law when you sell your house you have to disclose that you did work unpermitted that required a permit.

There's a specific question about it on the Seller's Disclosure.

flipper

[musicman]

Don't forget that if you go the bootleg route, by law when you sell your house you have to disclose that you did work unpermitted that required a permit.

There's a specific question about it on the Seller's Disclosure.

flipper

i'm finding out that these disclosures aren't really as accurate as some may think. a house on the next block from my parents had flooded several times in the last few yrs. my parents asked whether they knew if it flooded. they said that no one mentioned it. i think more and more are not accurate.