Do You Need Permits for an Exterior Home Renovation Project

If you are about to start a home renovation project and wonder if you need any permits for the works you are going to do, you should know that this depends on where you live and the kind of works you plan to do.

Exterior renovation is a very general term that may include landscaping, deck building, installing a fence, creating pathways, or even constructing an addition to your house.

You should contact your local building department to determine what permitting is needed. An excellent RE/MAX realtor in the area, Tom Ullrich, alerts us that you will always want to make sure that hired contractors get the necessary permits prior to starting a home remodeling project.

Simple landscaping projects do not typically require permits, but often they are more than simple project, in which case things can be different.

You will need permits for doing electrical, fencing or tree removal work. In general, any digging projects require calling specialists first, who will mark the underground utilities, in order to prevent hitting them and potentially causing a disaster.

Permit requirements may vary from state to state, so make sure to know the rues in your community! If you did not pull a permit when you should have, and the authorities discover you, you will likely face penalties.