Work Permits

[Daniel H.]

Do you guys request a copy of the permit when youhave a contractor do a job that requires one?

[Rob K.]

In my area, there's no penalty for not getting a permit. They will just make you get one. I never get permits unless I get caught, which is rare.

I have a deal with my roofer, electrician, and furnace guy. They give me a price that does not include a permit and they do the job. On the rare occurance that we get caught, they go get the permit and bill me for the cost.

If you're having a contractor get a permit for a job, I would not pay them until you have the final approval. That way, you're covered.

I would also recommend getting lein waivers from suppliers. In my state, my property could be leined if I hired a roofer and he didn't pay for the materials, even if I didn't order the materials and paid the roofer in full. Many of these contractors pay their suppliers months after the product is delivered. I totally disagree with this law, but it causes real problems. If your state is like this, I would highly recommend making sure all suppliers are paid.