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Why
Permits?
While
Sovereign feels strongly that we offer the best
"bang for your buck" in terms of the
value you get for your investment, we can always
be underbid by contractors who use inferior
materials, cut corners and work illegally in
a variety of ways like not carrying insurance,
not paying taxes or not obtaining building permits
mandated by the statutes of your local jurisdiction;
usually the county. While such "fly-by-night"
contractors will assure you that permits are
not necessary, please find below our explanation
for why submitting to the permit process is
your insurance against sloppy or unsafe workmanship.
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The
obtaining of permits means that the local building
authority will inspect the work of your contractor.
They check for structural, electrical and plumbing
related issues to ensure that:
1)
All work performed and materials used are safe
and will not in any way affect the health of
the occupants. 2) Nothing being performed will
impact the structural integrity of the house.
3) All work is done according to local codes,
so that:
-
You get the proper # of electrical outlets,
in the proper locations with the proper amperage
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Fire
prevention measures such as specialized insulation
and caulking are performed
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Plumbing
is performed to strict guidelines to ensure
the overall system functions properly with
no backups, leaks or foul smells
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Electrical
circuits are configured to prevent shorts
or overloading
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Framing
and insulation with vapor barriers are in
place to guard against mold issues
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Heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) regulations
are met so that the space has proper climate
control (e.g. the proper # of heating runs
are put in place and a cold air intake is
installed to ensure circulation which eliminates
the musty basement smell)
Thus
the inspections, facilitated by the permit process,
guarantee that you have an expert government agency
providing third party oversight to ensure that
the contractor is not cutting corners, endangering
your welfare or taking advantage of your lack
of knowledge of construction issues.
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The
Sovereign Difference |
| Permits
are also critical as far as insurance coverage
is concerned. Your insurance company can easily
check with the building authority to see if the
source of a claim emanated from a basement that
was remodeled without benefit of inspection, potentially
invalidating any claim from a fire, flood or structural
problem.
Finally,
permits are very important when it comes to the
selling of your home as the "disclosure"
form asks if permits were pulled (and inspections
made) on the finished basement. Answering no automatically
devalues your home as flags are raised as to the
quality of the job. Untruthfully answering yes,
can mean perpetual liability for future problems
that might come about long after you have moved
out of the house as a function of the fact that
you did not disclose the circumvention of the
inspection regime mandated by the permit process.
As
such, "fly-by-nights" will try to discourage
you from obtaining permits so they can underbid
reputable contractors while having no oversight
or accountability for their product; shifting
untold liability and maintenance issues to you
the home owner. The bottom line is that while
permits and the associated inspections are a hassle
for the contractor and can increase the expense
of a project anywhere from 5% -15%, it is in your
best interest to only work with contractors who
insist upon their use.
The
end result is you have a product that has met
all government codes, passed all inspections and
is safe and insurable as certified by a "Certificate
of Occupancy" issued by most jurisdictions.
You not only have a valuable asset but along with
it, peace of mind. |
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