forgot to get building permit - How did I miss this???

[WatchingThemGrow]

So our deck was 46 years old and needed to be replaced. I got a couple estimates, found a contractor that I thought would do okay (verdict is still out) and we sent the permit application in. We waited the longer than normal time to get it approved (15 business days), then began the deck replacement. His plan was to do it when he wasn't working on other jobs, since it was so small and easy.

In the meantime, we saw another family on our street get stonework and a brick walkway done. Another neighbor hired the masons to do a brick patio in their yard.It looked awesome, and exactly what *we* were trying to figure out how to do ourselves. We got carried away and had the brick people come. Their price wasn't cheap by any means ($3700) but they'd reuse the bricks we already had on site (over 800 we had pulled up from other walkways) and we would have a new surface for eating outside our house, doing schoolwork outdoors, etc.

The brick crew came in on days the deck people weren't working, built a timber frame, filled it in with gravel and sand, and it's ready for the bricks to be laid in 2 days. The deck guys came back in and are going to finish up within the week, then we will call for the inspection. And when that inspector comes to the yard, they'll look and say, "Where is that 12x15 brick patio on this drawing?" Somehow I totally forgot to get a permit for this patio! On the town website, patios are included right next to decks for things that need a building permit! And it's close to the edge of our property...like within 5 feet! There's another concrete pad farther down our lot that is closer to the property line, but it's older. It did not even occur to me until this morning that this may cost us a ton of fines or they may make us tear it down! Does anyone work in permitting or has anyone seen anyone do something so stupid to build a brick patio without getting a permit WHEN THEY HAVE AN INSPECTOR VISIT for another project coming?? What do I do or say??

[mmsmom]

Well it is something the brick contractor should have mentioned. You could either hope they don’t say anything and play dumb when they do or get the permit and explain that you just forgot and maybe they won’t fine you. I would be most concerned about being 5’ from property line as there may be a required set back that is more than 5’.

[AnnieW625]

Are you going to be selling your house anytime soon? If not I wouldn’t worry about. What is the status of your current permit request? Permit rules could change in the future. If someone asks you tell them: I applied for the permit, and ended up having work done on a whim because I needed to get rid of the 800 bricks on my property.


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[dogmom]

Can’t you just argue that you are rebuilding an area that was already a pathway? You are reusing bricks. Just be apologetic if it’s an issue when they come. It happens all the time. I think the fact you actually pulled a permit for a deck put you WAY ahead of most people. We had a huge deck put on and the contractor said he would pull the permit. Turns out he never did. Found out when they assessor to our house. It was no big deal. Also had a wood stove insert installed. Called to get the fire department to inspect, it needed a permit which I wouldn’t have guessed since the fireplace already existed. Got a retroactive one. It was fine.

[NCGrandma]

Unless you’re pretty sure that your new patio will definitely be too close to the lot line, hopefully the inspector won’t be too tough (and you can certainly use the "we had all these bricks we needed to do something with" line ). Around here, I’ve heard that the permitting and inspections folks have really gotten behind so maybe they’ll be in a hurry to finish inspecting the deck and not look beyond that.


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[gamma]

In my area a permit is required for a deck and a solid cement patio. However, a brick or paver patio doesn’t require a permit, since it is removable and not attached to the house as a permanent structure. It is also not assessed for property taxes. So that type of patio may not need a permit after all.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Ok, you've all made me feel a little better! Hoping that as a "semipermeable" brick patio, it may be okay... It does have 6x6 timbers surrounding it. Not my ideal, but it needed something for leveling the area. And yes, NCGrandma, hoping they are behind and not noticing it!! Deck builder suggested they may even just accept a picture as proof. Hmmm. It's totally true about the 800 old bricks sitting around needing a place to land!