Permit to replace rotten wood in balcony

[Shiv Panda]

This is my first time in BP and forum. Thanks to BP for having such a forum available for this community. 

I own a multi-family property with seven units, and the building features a wooden balcony. Recently acquired, the balcony is in poor condition, characterized by aged and rotted wood. My intention is to address this issue by replacing all the deteriorated wood with water-treated alternatives. The necessary repair work is confined to the balcony floor.

Upon consulting with the town inspection department, it was advised that a permit is required for this project, and it must be obtained through a licensed contractor. Subsequently, I obtained estimates from licensed contractors, but the costs were significantly higher—3 to 4 times more—than those provided by non-licensed carpenters. I recognize that others may have faced similar challenges in this regard and would appreciate any recommendations or insights you can offer. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

[Steve K.]

The rules about permits are very local. In general small repairs that don't modify the design can be made to a deck without a permit but if you add or remove anything, or the deck is a certain distance off the ground (30" in my area), or the repair involves anything structural, the handrail, stairs, stair stringers, etc. then you need a permit. Sounds like you already have your answer that you need a permit, probably due to the balcony being a certain distance off the ground/ a safety concern.

  Most of the time when I start by replacing a few rotten pieces of a deck or balcony, I end up replacing the whole thing soon after. Just sayin'. Whatever is causing those couple of boards to be rotten is probably effecting the whole thing. A good rule of thumb to use is if the cost of the repair is more than half the cost of a full replacement, replacing is the better option. It'll last longer and be safer. There's a strong chance that if you hire one of the cheaper guys, you'll get a bandaid patch job that will be temporary but it will end up being more expensive in the long run if you plan to own the property for a few years, as you'll end up needing more bandaids until you bite the bullet and replace it all anyway. How old is the wooden balcony? If it's more than 10-15 years old, I'd replace the whole thing now. Pay close attention to the ledger boards and anything structural/ load bearing. Remember cheap is expensive.   

In my area (and I believe this is true in most areas), you can only pull your own permit if you're doing the work yourself on your own home, that you live in. An unlicensed owner can't pull a permit for a project at a property that is for rent or for sale, or hire other people to do the work if the owner pulled the permit. Pulling your own permit usually means that in the jurisdiction’s eyes, you are the contractor. You are responsible for overseeing construction and are liable for any injuries or sub-par workmanship, code issues, etc. This means that if something goes wrong, you are responsible. For example if one of your unlicensed carpenters falls off the balcony and get's hurt or worse, you're paying their hospital bills, or could be on the wrong end of a wrongful death suit in a worst-case scenario. Licensed and insured contractors have liability insurance for this and usually warranty their work. Cheap is expensive.