Are You Handy? 2
- Thread starter SPOCKED
- Start date
My dear fellow, are you propositioning me?
I'm really not sure of anything anymore.
*is in mid-twenties existential brick wall phase*
Now I feel both conflicted AND used.
Just take advantage of it before I "find myself™" and come to the conclusion that "an office job wouldn't be that bad"
Massachusetts dude! One of the few joys about Mass is stickin it to the man who's sticking it to you by not taking out permits. The only time I took out a permit was for building an enclosed entry way into the walk in basement and for the pool.
The only time I took out a permit was for building an enclosed entry way into the walk in basement and for the pool.
Do they make you knock stuff down if they find out you built something without the right permit? In the UK, the building regs are insanely tight and they can be pretty intransigent if you don't play the game.
The only time I took out a permit was for building an enclosed entry way into the walk in basement and for the pool.
Do they make you knock stuff down if they find out you built something without the right permit? In the UK, the building regs are insanely tight and they can be pretty intransigent if you don't play the game.
I can't speak to Mass' rules, but in NJ, they only make you tear it down if you don't build it to code, otherwise they then make you go through all the permit paperwork, even after the fact, then fine your ass.
What the hell are they building that close to your house SPOCKED?RoJo, I just took this pic off my deck...
I think having to get permits for things you build on your own property is ridiculous. I understand there's a public safety factor but it should be more like the MPAA's rating system. You can build what you want but you get evaluated and get issued a rating you have to post on the entrance to your property. Something going from, "So safe the glass is bouncy and gravity doesn't cause things to fall" to "So unsafe even the air will break your bones and give you VD".
It's more than just safety.
The only time I took out a permit was for building an enclosed entry way into the walk in basement and for the pool.
Do they make you knock stuff down if they find out you built something without the right permit? In the UK, the building regs are insanely tight and they can be pretty intransigent if you don't play the game.
I can't speak to Mass' rules, but in NJ, they only make you tear it down if you don't build it to code, otherwise they then make you go through all the permit paperwork, even after the fact, then fine your ass.
Ah, the joys of petty bureaucracy....
What else is there? The desire for bureaucratic hegemony?
Seriously, as far as I know building codes have always, at least for residential projects, been ostensibly for safety. The only other thing I can think of is aesthetic concerns but on those I'd say that they've pretty universally failed.
Same here. But I do build to code so that wouldn't be an issue. They could fine or make you take it down just the same.
The other thing I don't like is they charge for the permit based on the total cost of the project, including labor. If you do it yourself they charge the going labor rate. They say that's to make it fair. Well that's not fair to me if I took the time to learn how to do something and can't take advantage of that price reduction for the permit.
I didn't pull a permit for the deck from the house to the pool I'm doing. I'm almost done. I'll post some pics when it is.
Yeah, there are no permits. I'm replacing a structure that already existed but was crap. Technically, we can't call it a(nother) bedroom though. It's a "family" room. All we heard from neighbors and even our realtor was DON'T TAKE OUT ANY PERMITS!! Permits are for big, OBVIOUS structural jobs, not basements apparantly
Mallory, the construction across the street is a new home going in after they tore the prior one down. Haven't seen any work going on for a month or two, however.
Gertch -- post some pics of the deck!
Well, a big one, and this is safety related, is to stop bubble frame construction, so a fire on a lower floor doesn't shoot up the walls and spread as fast.
But others are codes based on how close you can build to your property line, the location of pipes and shit like that.
And i'm with Gertch, I never go for permits. maybe that makes me an illegal commie, but screw em.
We have a neighbor who likes to rat out the neighborhood whenever someone does any kind of construction. He's a big lazy bastard who's completely useless with his hands and is therefore jealous he has to pay a contractor for everything. Once we found it was him ratting everyone out, we all stopped helping him with any kind of work whatsoever and now only one person on the block will talk to him at all.
He hates me anyway though, one time he was beating the shit out of his kid on his front lawn and I went over there an stopped him, but that's for another thread.
If I bought a house that somebody had done some half assed work on and had to spend lost of money to correct it, I'd be pissed.
Another reason for building codes, to preserve the value of the construction through an established baseline and minimum standards.
Another reason for building codes, to preserve the value of the construction through an established baseline and minimum standards.
I believe in building codes. I agree they are very important. In a real estate disclosure there is a section for relaying that the homeowner did their own work. It also asks about open permits.
Okay, here's a couple of pictures of the deck already in progress...
Those are Dek Blocks used for support instead of digging down 4ft for posts. The reason I had to do this near the pool was because the soil is sandy and rocky. Trying to dig the holes would undermine the pool so I had to go this route. Not a bad solution.
Decking in progress.
Another angle.
One set of stairs on the 'back' side for access to the veggie garden and pool filter.
To comply with building codes around pools I had a couple of options. I built with this option in mind; a four foot tall fence at the last 4 feet of deck at the pool end. The self closing self latching outward swinging gate is on the right side.
For a railing cap I'm going to use the composite decking. I think it should look okay.
Okay, here's a couple of pictures of the deck already in progress...
Those are Dek Blocks used for support instead of digging down 4ft for posts. The reason I had to do this near the pool was because the soil is sandy and rocky. Trying to dig the holes would undermine the pool so I had to go this route. Not a bad solution.
Decking in progress.
Another angle.
One set of stairs on the 'back' side for access to the veggie garden and pool filter.
To comply with building codes around pools I had a couple of options. I built with this option in mind; a four foot tall fence at the last 4 feet of deck at the pool end. The self closing self latching outward swinging gate is on the right side.
For a railing cap I'm going to use the composite decking. I think it should look okay.
Good looking deck!
I have to do a small repair to my deck, I don't like the condition the stairs are in, when I replace them, I'm thinking of going the composite decking route too.
I have to do a small repair to my deck, I don't like the condition the stairs are in, when I replace them, I'm thinking of going the composite decking route too.
E
Elmo Dukat
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