Permits, Please! Why Skipping Them is a Costly Gamble
I visited a property today and, surprise, surprise—another remodel done without building permits. This one was especially bold. The kitchen had no air gap device for the dishwasher, PVC plumbing instead of copper, and who knows what else a building inspector would find. As a Realtor, I’m not a code expert, but even my untrained eye could tell this was going to be a problem.
San Francisco homeowners seem to have a knack for dodging permits. It’s rarely intentional sabotage—it’s more about avoiding the perceived hassle and cost of dealing with the Department of Building Inspection. But skipping permits? It’s the home renovation equivalent of playing with fire.
The Horror Stories Are Real
I once had a client who added nearly 1,000 square feet to their home without permits. Everything looked great—until the buyer’s appraiser noticed that tax records didn’t match the actual square footage. Because the addition couldn’t be verified as legal, the house couldn’t appraise at the buyer’s offer price, and the lender refused to fund the loan.
Cue the seller’s mad dash to the city to retroactively pull permits. Not only did they have to pay the standard fees, but they also got hit with penalties. They dodged a bullet when the inspector didn’t demand walls be opened up to inspect the plumbing and electrical, but it could have been much worse.
The Risks Aren’t Worth It
Think about it: why spend tens (or hundreds) of thousands on renovations if you might have to redo the work—or worse, tear it out? And don’t even get me started on the roadblocks for TIC-to-condo conversions when unpermitted work is involved.
Play It Smart
Not every project requires a permit, but it’s worth checking before you pick up that hammer. A quick call to the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection can save you major headaches—and money—down the line.
Skipping permits might seem like a shortcut, but trust me, it’s the long way to trouble. Keep it legal, keep it simple, and avoid the stress.
