Getting non-permit work fixed/approved

Several years ago I finished my basement and did the electrical work, all without permit. Now an offer has come up and I am looking at selling. What is my best option? Selling "as is" or trying to get the work approved and permitted.

Any ideas on the best way to get the work approved, and then getting the county permit?
 

dave1959

Active Member
Several years ago I finished my basement and did the electrical work, all without permit. Now an offer has come up and I am looking at selling. What is my best option? Selling "as is" or trying to get the work approved and permitted.

Any ideas on the best way to get the work approved, and then getting the county permit?

That's a can worms that should not have been opened. Just because you did it yourself doesn't mean it was done wrong. IMO.. worry about it if something comes up. Otherwise deny, deny,deny..
 

littlelady

God bless the USA
We did the same thing, and built out our basement, ourselves. We sold our house in Calvert back in January. I told hub about your post. He said that our agent asked whether permitted, or not. Hub said no. There is an 'as is' option to pick in a selling contract. If it passes inspection, you are good to go. Our's passed, and there were no questions when the house inspection was done. Good luck!
 

LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

As long as there are no latent defects with the property, (hidden from site [ie behind a wall] that would pose a health or safety risk to the occupants), you don't have to put it on the form. However, if your agent knows, or should know, and he/she is asked, it must be disclosed to the asking party. That would be known as a materiel fact.
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
My advice is whatever you do, do not get the county involved.
If you are really worried about the work you did hire a real electrician to check it out and pay him and fugggetaboutit.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
"So...we really like this house. But please tell us..how much of it was not built to code by licensed contractors" ....SAID NOBODY EVER!!!

Good grief. Get a grip.
 

LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

"So...we really like this house. But please tell us..how much of it was not built to code by licensed contractors" ....SAID NOBODY EVER!!! Good grief. Get a grip.

Actually ... One of the questions any good buyer's agent will ask of a seller's agent is that very question, "Do you know of any work done by the owner, or on the owner's behalf, that would have required a permit from the county?" In addition, an agent will pull the tax assessment of a property, if the assessment says, [basement: unfinished], and a visit to the house shows the basement finished, well, that is a good indication that no permits were pulled. Caveat emptor.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
If I may ...



Actually ... One of the questions any good buyer's agent will ask of a seller's agent is that very question, "Do you know of any work done by the owner, or on the owner's behalf, that would have required a permit from the county?" In addition, an agent will pull the tax assessment of a property, if the assessment says, [basement: unfinished], and a visit to the house shows the basement finished, well, that is a good indication that no permits were pulled. Caveat emptor.
bullcrap. I've been buying and selling properties in this area for 30 years.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
bullcrap. I've been buying and selling properties in this area for 30 years.

My last house in MD had a harry-homeowner unpermitted basement buildout performed by the original owner. It ended up as the subject of 120k worth of litigation between the original owner and the second owner of the home. Basically the original owner was forced to pay for a contractor to tear everything out and re-do it to code.

And yes, on every home I have ever sold there was a written question whether I am aware of any non-permitted work.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
My recommendation earlier to start fresh with a new agent was meant tongue in cheek. If one wanted to hide the unpermitted work, the only way to do so would be with a new RE agent and by lying on the disclosures.

The correct answer is to either fess up in the written disclosures or to get a contractor in, pull permits and get it brought up to code.
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
Twelve years ago, we hired a licensed contractor that totally renovated the basement and attached garage to create a comfortable in law apartment to include a new bathroom and kitchen in a home in CRE (built for a family member than never moved here!). We agreed to not pull a permit ($$) and when the house was listed a couple years ago, it only listed the house as a three bathroom with a finished basement. The house passed inspections and I think the realtor - if asked - would have disclosed- that the work was not permitted.
The people that bought the house love it :)
 

black dog

Free America
If I may ...



Actually ... One of the questions any good buyer's agent will ask of a seller's agent is that very question, "Do you know of any work done by the owner, or on the owner's behalf, that would have required a permit from the county?" In addition, an agent will pull the tax assessment of a property, if the assessment says, [basement: unfinished], and a visit to the house shows the basement finished, well, that is a good indication that no permits were pulled. Caveat emptor.

I say bull$hit as well, I called my Mother who sold Real Estate for 30 years in Anne Arundle and she said never once did she pull a tax assessment for the reason of seeing if someone pulled a permit or not.
 

littlelady

God bless the USA
I say bull$hit as well, I called my Mother who sold Real Estate for 30 years in Anne Arundle and she said never once did she pull a tax assessment for the reason of seeing if someone pulled a permit or not.

Ohmygeez, I agree with you! :faint: This was our situation. When the house was inspected, we found out that the HVAC was failing, so we had to replace it to the tune of 8000 ( which is weird because we always got those letters from Smeco saying we were doing better than our neighbors.) Then, we found out that there had been a chimney fire at some point (but house didn't burn down; whatever). That cost us another 1000 with insurance. It doesn't really matter. Selling/buying a house is not easy; especially, when we sold our house in St. Leonard (there were 52 houses for sale at the time). We consider ourselves lucky. Our house in Calvert was cedar siding, and built in 1982. I have to say there were some things that the inspector missed, but I won't say. :lol: Also, the house we bought in Olney built 1970 (it was a flip) has shown signs of short cuts, and bad workmanship (as in cosmetic) all those little details that you don't see when looking at a house. But, we can fix it. I love the subway tile that Hub just put in the kitchen.

Add: We moved to be near our first grandchild and one on the way. You can't take it with you; it is whatever. We're good, and Daisy has the biggest back yard in the neighborhood. Go, Daisy!.:smile:
 
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LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

I say bull$hit as well, I called my Mother who sold Real Estate for 30 years in Anne Arundle and she said never once did she pull a tax assessment for the reason of seeing if someone pulled a permit or not.

I never said it was pulled specifically with the intent of checking for permits. It is pulled/checked for other reasons. But if the [Finished Basement Area] is blank, and upon a visit the basement is finished, it is then an indication no permit had been pulled. It is mostly used to get the legal description, ownership, tax assessment value, to verify land area, sqft, etc. That's all. If I unintentionally misled ... apologies.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
It's also true I've never bought or sold anything resembling a modern tract home. Always older...sometimes very old...when no codes existed anyway.
 
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