Barb Heise

Realtor in St. Louis MO

Does Your Home Improvement Project Require a Municipal Permit

Licensed Professionals know when a municipal permit is required

Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer is a family owned business that insists on consistent quality workmanship at fair prices.  Purchased in 1985 by Ron Oberkrom who still has a hand in it,  his son Will joined the company in 1999 and is now running the day to day operations.  The Oberkroms were kind enough to share the following information about the value of knowing  what home improvement projects require a municipal permit.

Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer Says “Professionals + Permits = Value”

Home improvements are expensive. There are some great ways to save money like finding clearance materials or upcycling unlikely items. But who will do the work? The handyman on Craigslist? A friend of a friend who use to be in the business?

Often, only a licensed professional can pull a permit to do the job legally. Permits require an inspection of your contractor’s work prior to completion. If anything is installed improperly, the city inspector will require corrections. At the point of completion, the information is filed with the municipality.

Can you get away with completing the work without a permit? Maybe. But consider the following scenarios before making that decision.

Homeowners Insurance

  • Providing your insurance company with permits and information about your renovation will allow them to maintain the proper replacement value of your property.
  • Many insurance companies will not cover damage to work done without a permit, even if that work did not cause the damage. If in question, an adjuster will call the city to verify permit records.

House For Sale

  • Some municipalities require documentation of both permitted and non-permitted remodeling on the sales disclosure form. Permitted, inspected improvements will yield a higher return on investment.
  • Non-permitted improvements may not pass a basic home inspection. Typically, bringing the home up to code is the responsibility of the seller.

Appraised Value

  • Improving your home should improve the value. Permitting allows the municipality to record your changes and increase the base value of your home.
  • An appraiser will pull a footprint of a home from city records prior to physical inspection. Is there an additional 500 square feet? Is there a huge deck contrary to the small patio on record? All red flags to non-permitted work.

When are permits usually required?

Here are some basic improvements that generally require them.

  • Moving, replacing, or upgrading plumbing
  • Moving, replacing, or upgrading electric Replacing an HVAC system
  • Changing the footprint of the house
  • Altering a roofline
  • Adding door or window openings
  • Adding a deck

In some municipalities, permits are required for:

  • Installing a water heater
  • Finishing a basement

Food For Thought

  • If there is a problem with a renovation, who is likely to return? The company that attains the proper permits and inspections or the Craigslist handyman with the lowest price that may not have the resources to address the issues?
  • Currently, municipalities are electronically filing permitted renovations. Imagine if a company like Zillow.com created a Carfax type report for every home sold publicly. Would your home have a “homefax?”

A professional is a trustworthy resource that will do the job right. Permits provide an objective third party to make sure of it.
Your home is likely your greatest asset and largest investment. Hiring a professional to do the job legally gives you peace of mind while you live there and a higher return when you sell. It’s smart money!

Maplewood Plumbing is a family owned business for over twenty-five years.  All of their plumbers are licensed professionals with extensive industry knowledge.  Competency, skill and their tradition of excellence make them the best choice for your plumbing or remodeling needs.  The offer a one year warranty on all parts and labor excluding washers.