All Forum Posts by: Jay M.

Dirty little secret.........most insurance policies are voided if non licensed / non permitted work is performed AND it is determined that was the cause of the damage / claim....... If you have an unlicensed sparky swapping out a panel and there's a fire guess what happens......... 

In my area the cost spread from traditional stick built to modular has closed quite a bit.  Panelization is certainly getting more popular in this area yet still rare.

More tuition to the "school of hard knocks"...  If thing's sound "fishy" before you even start with a contractor go with another.

It sounds like the property is near the water?  I'm familiar with the Cape and the south coast of MA and there are an abundance of septic systems like this with a high water table.  Google street view the neighborhood and you'll probably see some raised systems.

If you're not familiar with interpreting the septic design find someone that is.  The final grade over the system may be worse than they're letting on.

Hey Scott congratulations.  I just started last year myself after a couple false starts in the 80's-90's.  I also was 54.  I also lived in about the same area as you for a couple years a decade ago (Marietta). There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum keep at it!!

I don't know about your area but where I live when going for a variance you need to have the abutters on your side.  If one of them has a beef with your proposed home variance or not the chance of a variance is almost nil.......

If your code is the IRC you may use mechanical ventilation and artificial light.  If it's a bedroom as you noted you need egress.  As well as the 8%/4% there are specific sizes for the egress for bedrooms.

I'm not sure about Boston proper but I have a friend on the Cape who has a little cottage industry working with RE agents that have to permit / bring up to code existing renovations that were never permitted.  In MA work not permitted doesn't usually go over very well with the town.

Have a surveyor give you an elevation certificate.  It will state the elevation of your home and if it's over the BFE your rate will drop like a rock.  My home is in an AE zone but the bottom of my home is 1.4" over BFE so I pay about $4k less a year than a neighbor down the road that has a house a couple feet lower than BFE.

I am not a bank, I am a contractor. Could I finance a job? Sure, but everytime I have its backfired.

 I used to say this in the 80's when I was a framing contractor....The GC has two jobs....To manage and finance.  If I'm chasing you that means I'm financing and I want a much bigger cut.......