Framing before permits


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Old 04-28-17, 10:42 AM
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Framing before permits

I am going to frame my unfinished basement myself and would like to know if it's okay that I put up the foam board insulation against the concrete walls and frame it up before pulling a permit. The inspector won't come out and want to see the condition of the concrete walls or anything like that will he/she? I would like to just get a head start on the permit process and then let the subcontractors do everything else. Thanks for the info.
 
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Old 04-28-17, 11:08 AM
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It depends... Depending on what you intend you may need permits. If intending to add a bedroom you might not be able to add additional ones if on a septic or if there are zoning limitations.

Basically always get your permits first. Sometimes permitting can take a while so you want to get that process started. Once you have the permit to do the work there is really no limit on how long before they inspect so there is no downside to getting the permits first.

Here are some questions they may ask: Will you be the general contractor for this work? Do you own the house? Will you be doing any plumbing or electrical work?
 
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Old 04-28-17, 11:13 AM
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Once you have the permit to do the work there is really no limit on how long before they inspect so there is no downside to getting the permits first.
Some permits will expire after 1 yr but it really depends on the jurisdiction and the job being done.
 
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Old 04-30-17, 10:07 PM
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they probably require to see your 'plans' before anything is built, and therefore you might have already built something they wouldn't allow like frame a wall too close to a boiler or put a bedroom etc with no egress, frame a bathroom too small, frame a closet too large to not need an outlet.

as for the inspector wanting to see the foundation before foam board hides it, it depends, I would think no, but some are picky but also picky in a way they may just want to help you out. If they see one spot of moisture, they might possibly require wall drylok or something. If they think you had the foam on there for years and years, they might not care, but if they think you just put it up to speed up the process or possibly hide something, they might want to see the wall, depends on the inspector. Many codes are vaguely written and inspectors want to justify their jobs. Some don't want to just OK everything in a quick walk through, some like to find many little things so they can keep coming out. Some of these 'little things' are actually great suggestions despite it may seem they are being unfair, but other 'little things' one town requires but all the others don't and therefore can be unfair. Oh, and you can appeal things like that but it's usually not worth appealing, have to go to state house etc, might even need an engineering stamp to override the inspector, still might not win. Just do what they say for the most part.
 
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Old 04-30-17, 10:11 PM
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Even if you did everything right (bathroom not too small, walls not to close to units etc), might not want to get off on the wrong foot with inspectors.
 
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Old 05-01-17, 06:22 AM
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Thank you for all of the suggestions. I will get the permit before I put the foam board up and the outside walls up. From dealing with our city inspector so far, I have decided he will be a quick walkthrough type of person because all of the contractors I have talked to in town do not have nice things to say about him. They say he is way in over his head in this job. So I will start off on the right foot and get everything together. I appreciate your suggestions.
 
 

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