A maid in a Boca Raton home recently called the city`s code enforcement department to complain that the stove was faulty.When inspectors arrived at the house, they found the owner had enclosed the garage, added another bedroom and installed two additional kitchens --- all work done without the blessings of a building permit.The owner was forced to tear down the bedroom addition because it was encroaching on the setback line. The kitchens also went the way of the bulldozer because more than one is not allowed in a single-family home, said Glenn Owen, Boca Raton`s chief building code administrator.The thousands of dollars of work could have been saved by a 25-cent call to City Hall.Such tales are legion among anxious homeowners jumping into home improvement and repair projects without taking a little trip to City Hall.``You need to get a permit for just about anything,`` said Jerome Sanzone, Delray Beach`s chief building official. ``Everything that relates to public safety requires permits, and that`s the reason for the codes.``Rules vary from city to city, but one thing is uniform: Most of the things you think can be fixed without a permit actually need one.``People try to get around us.
They don`t want to be bothered with City Hall. They don`t want to pay a fee,`` Owen said. ``And a few people truly don`t know they need a permit for things. The best advice I can give is: Ask before you do.``Building officials stress that the codes were born out of safety concerns, not to aggravate ``handymen and women.````We`re here to protect the customer, to make sure the work meets code and that they (the customers) don`t have problems later down the road,`` Sanzone said.Building and code enforcement departments usually find violators courtesy of a tip from neighbors.``We`re not out there to be harassing people,`` Boynton Beach Building Official Don Jaeger said. ``Code enforcement is not out there to catch people, to fine them or to make revenue.``But make no mistake about it: The price is high for scofflaws.In most cities, the penalty for noncompliance is three times the permit cost. In Boca Raton, where permits start at $35, a homeowner who illegally installs a $50 ceiling fan will be fined $105.``Now you have a $155 ceiling fan.
You have to ask yourself, is skirting the law really worth it,`` said Terri Ann Lashley, the city`s permit and inspection supervisor.Homeowners also risk being penalized if the work requires a permit and was done by an unlicensed contractor.``We have little old ladies call complaining of shoddy work done on their roofs by some guy. When we find out there is no permit, the lady can be fined for aiding and abetting an unlicensed contractor,`` said Owen, though he said that the punishment is rarely used.Once a department finds the violation, an inspector is sent and everything not built to code must either be removed or brought into compliance.Some of the common things done without a permit include ceiling fans and sheds. The more unusual, such as treehouses, present a whole new set of problems.Palm Beach County Building Director Bob Palchanis would almost prefer that people go ahead and build treehouses, aviaries and other backyard additions rather than contact his department to get a permit.
The problem is there is no way most can meet building codes.``It`s a Catch-22 situation,`` Palchanis said. ``If you issue a permit, there`s no way most of this stuff can meet any standards we have. There`s no way the stairs can be legal.``Officials have spent countless hours with homeowners who want to do weird things, like turning old boat hulls into a children`s playhouse, he said. The boat hulls conversion was finally done, but Palchanis questioned whether all the effort was worth it.``On these crazy things, I`d almost prefer a policy of let the buyer, or builder, beware,`` he said.Departments have struggled for years to balance homeowner needs and safety concerns.---- Staff Writers C. Ron Allen, Jane Musgrave and Karen Rasin contributed to this report.PERMIT COSTS BOCA RATON--Cost of Permit: $35 for the first $500 in work; for every $500 worth of work thereafter, a $5 fee is assessed. Fence permits are $35 for the first 100 linear feet and 20 cents per foot thereafter.--Permits Needed For: Work over $1,000 in value;
to install fences, enclose garages and room additions.--No Permit Needed: To replace doors and windows and for roof repairs up to $500.--Waiting Period: 5-10 days.--Fine: Three times the permit cost.BOYNTON BEACH--Cost of Permit: $35 for the first $3,000 in work; for every $1,000 thereafter, a $15 fee is assessed.--Permits Needed For: Work over $1,000 in value; to install driveways, fences, utility sheds, and compressors and air handlers in air conditioners.--No Permit Needed: House painting, replacing fascia boards; bathroom retiling and roof repairs up to $500.--Waiting Period: Permits are issued the same day.--Fine: Four times the permit cost. Law would ban marriage in Florida before age 16Can Bosh, Wade break out of their funk?Do nicknames on jerseys go against Heat "sacrifice" mantra?Do Heat appreciate magnitude of Game 5?Could Heat find value in NBA free agency?Would Heat give Peace a chance?Your Trusted Home Warranty While homeowners and flood insurance protect your home against unlikely incidents such as flood and fire, American Residential Warranty’s home warranty plans provide protection against covered mechanical failures due to normal wear and tear.
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