Why towns want you to obtain a permit for building your deck and outdoor building projects

Ever wonder why you need a building permit to build onto your own property.  After all, you own the property and you want to add something to it.  Why do you need the town’s permission?  It is for your own safety and for the safety of others that you need a permt, and in the long run it is a small hassle to make sure your property is safe.

Undoubtedly, your plan is to build a safe structure on your property that adds value to your home, and adds enjoyment for your living there.  Certainly, though, there have been plenty of people in the past who have built unsafe structures on their properties that have caused a lot of trouble for the other home owners around them.  This is a major part of why you need a permit to add something on to your home.

Imagine how you would feel if your neighbor built a structure that fell on your property and damaged your home or car?  I bet you would wish that someone had stopped them from building an unsafe structure in their yard.  Your town owes it to your neighbors to make sure you don’t destroy their property due to negligence, as well.  It is a major part of why they ask you to get a permit before building on your property.

Another reason to ask you to get a permit is for your own benefit.  A permit protects you from bad contractors building something that will end up causing you or your neighbors damage in the future.  You don’t want to build an addition on your home to have the roof collapse due to poor construction, or for faulty electrical wiring to cause a fire.  You don’t want to build a treehouse for your children in a tree that can’t hold the structure.  You contractor is bound by the permit guidelines as well, and this will help them make good decisions to create as safe a structure as possible for you.  It will also help protect you if your contractor does a bad job by having the support of a permit issued by your town.

Building guidelines are also constantly being updated to compensate for other peoples mistakes in the past.  Some structures that are considered to be safe turn out not to be after a few years of use, so your town is updating its guidelines so you don’t repeat someone else’s mistake.  They are protecting you from making a costly mistake, and helping your contractor make a lasting structure that will enhance your home.

So if you want to know why you need a permit to add to your own property, it is to protect you and your home.  It is for the benefit of you and your contractors making the best decisions possible in the building process.  If you want to add a deck, shed, pool, home addition, or any other structure on your property talk to your local contractor about the possibilities, and get your building permit to add value and beauty to your home today!

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