Help Needed: Stop Work Notice in Covington, GA for Fix-and-Flip Property

[Aldo Valeriani]

Hello everyone,

I’m relatively new to real estate investing, and this is my second fix-and-flip property. Unfortunately, I’ve run into a major issue: I received a Stop Work Notice on my property in Covington, GA, because I didn’t have the proper permits for the renovations.

I want to resolve this as quickly and smoothly as possible without jeopardizing the project.

Can anyone offer advice or share their experience with:

1. How to address the Stop Work Notice with the local authorities?

2. The best way to obtain the necessary permits and ensure compliance moving forward?

3. Any recommendations for contractors or permit expediters in Covington who can assist with this process?

4. Tips to avoid similar issues in the future?

Any guidance or referrals to professionals you trust would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Randall Alan]

Quote from @Aldo Valeriani:

Hello everyone,

I’m relatively new to real estate investing, and this is my second fix-and-flip property. Unfortunately, I’ve run into a major issue: I received a Stop Work Notice on my property in Covington, GA, because I didn’t have the proper permits for the renovations.

I want to resolve this as quickly and smoothly as possible without jeopardizing the project.

Can anyone offer advice or share their experience with:

1. How to address the Stop Work Notice with the local authorities?

2. The best way to obtain the necessary permits and ensure compliance moving forward?

3. Any recommendations for contractors or permit expediters in Covington who can assist with this process?

4. Tips to avoid similar issues in the future?

Any guidance or referrals to professionals you trust would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance for your help.

@Aldo Valeriani

You address the issue with the permitting entity by asking them what they need from you?

The answer will form around what work you are doing that requires permits.  Let's say you were replacing windows.  Where I'm at if you change the size of the window by 5% or more you have to have engineered drawings showing the changes.  So this involves hiring an architect draw up plans ($1,000 - 3,000 if I had to guess).  Then it likely takes hiring a GC to manage the project.  The GC is likely at least a couple of more thousand dollars.  Then he is going to hire subcontractors to do the job and you are going to pay them for that work as well.  In short - if you aren't licensed to do the work -  your services aren't going to satisfy the permitting agency.  Hopefully the permitting people are nice and will offer some guidance.  In a busier place, you might just be told to find a GC to "un-cluster' what you did.

For me, when this happened, I had to go and hire a certified plumber, and electrician, and framer to come in and certify that all the work my handyman did was correct - and to fix the issues that weren't correct.  Some of those included those previously mentioned windows.  We had to bring the 1925 house to 2023 code which involved un-installing 26 windows that were already nicely installed (in appearance) in the house, reframing them to 2023 standards (at the time) which also involved strapping the bottom of the wood framing with metal straps (mind you this all after we had already completed the inside renovation).  It cost $38,000 for the framer to take on the risk and do the work - and that does not include the cost of the GC, or architect, or plumber that was also required!)  I'm sure it was highway robbery - it certainly was based on the man-hours it took - but when you are in a desperate situation, you do what you have to do to get yourself out of it.  I will tell you he did a great job because very little interior re-work was required - but it was a substantial hit to the Reno budget!

Your GC will know how to apply for the correct permits.

Avoiding the issues in the future is a function of respecting the permitting process in the first place.  The whole reason they are there is to make sure work is done right.  They are literally on your side (as long as you are doing it right).  They are definitely not on your side if you are trying to work around them.  We found that by more or less falling on our sword and saying, "Hey, we want you guys happy... tell us what you need from us" they were more than helpful and once we had contractors they liked on board the process went perfectly smoothly.

I don't live near you so can't help with your locale... but hopefully some of it helps!

Randy