Wow, $300 for a permit !

[GlennMike]

I have been lurking for awhile and learning a lot. I am most likely going to be installing an englander type stove (probably 30 nc) I was trying to keep costs low (going with an englander) doing install myself, ect. I am going to be lining my existing masonry chimney with stainless stell flex line.

I just picked up the permit form and they consider it an alteration and are charging me $300 + $.20 / Sf. Anybody else had to pay that much? Maybe i'm just cheap but it seems like a lot.

 

[fossil]

Hmm, it does sound kinda steep. Of course, it's a very local thing. The county permit to install our Liberty here in Oregon in '07 was $65. Rick

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Fsappo]

Normally $50-$100 here in New York. I think they are classifying it wrong. You may want to ask around to find out if it is really an alteration. Ask in a way like it doesnt look like your going over anyones head

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah. Ask them if a fireplace insert is a "alteration".

 

[chad101]

Our township requires you to pull a permit to REPLACE a wall outlet... It's all about $$$, and this is why I choose not to pull a permit or have an inspection on my stove. . Yea, it could burn me in the a** someday; accidents do happen...

My install is exceeds all manufacturer, state and local code requirements. It would pass inspection, I'm just not willing to pay for it. Now, if I was "forced" to sell my the house, I'd have the inspection done before it's listed. I don't plan on ever selling though.

 

[GlennMike]

Our township requires you to pull a permit to REPLACE a wall outlet... It's all about $$$, and this is why I choose not to pull a permit or have an inspection on my stove. . Yea, it could burn me in the a** someday; accidents do happen...

My install is exceeds all manufacturer, state and local code requirements. It would pass inspection, I'm just not willing to pay for it. Now, if I was "forced" to sell my the house, I'd have the inspection done before it's listed. I don't plan on ever selling though.

Well its official, just won the ebay listing for a refurbished timberwolf (englander nc-30) $825 I would really like to go around the permit thing and just overkill everything but not sure yet, anyone know the liability of doing something like this in the event something did go wrong? I'm guessing the insurance company would try everthing to get out of paying, just wondering if they could refuse payment if the only thing that you didn't do was pull a permit, and everything else was to code

 

[fossil]

The only way to have it officially on record that the installation is up to code is to have it inspected upon completion. Nobody's gonna just take your word for it. Rick

 

[chad101]

Our township requires you to pull a permit to REPLACE a wall outlet... It's all about $$$, and this is why I choose not to pull a permit or have an inspection on my stove. . Yea, it could burn me in the a** someday; accidents do happen...

My install is exceeds all manufacturer, state and local code requirements. It would pass inspection, I'm just not willing to pay for it. Now, if I was "forced" to sell my the house, I'd have the inspection done before it's listed. I don't plan on ever selling though.

Well its official, just won the ebay listing for a refurbished timberwolf (englander nc-30) $825 I would really like to go around the permit thing and just overkill everything but not sure yet, anyone know the liability of doing something like this in the event something did go wrong? I'm guessing the insurance company would try everthing to get out of paying, just wondering if they could refuse payment if the only thing that you didn't do was pull a permit, and everything else was to code

I've heard they can (and have) refuse payment. Which is why I said it could come back to hunt me. Also, if the stove passed inspection, and you decided not to tell your insurance company about it. Maybe you wanted to save $100 (+/- $50) on your premium. They can refuse payment. I'm willing to take that risk though.

 

[ckarotka]

I didn't pull a permit for either install. I did contact my insurance agent to double check. He told me that I could install it as long it was to manufacturer specs. The first one I was adding a stove. The house we bought came with an insert. He told me that since the house was already insured for an insert adding the second one no big deal. I did also take pics with a tape measure of clearances and stored off the residence just in case.

I did everything and then some, so I guess I'm good.

 

[firefighterjake]

Egads that seems high . . . me . . . I kind of like the government not stepping in to check everything . . . which is ironic since part of my job duties is going around and doing these inspections. In a perfect world there would be no cost for this service as these inspections can be beneficial in the long run by avoiding potential install issues which could lead to a large fire . . . but I suspect, like many people, the good intentions of a few to offer a true, useful service has evolved to the point where folks look at these permits and inspections more as a way to make some extra money.

I will say that we've had a few times when folks have not pulled a permit and the insurance company later required an inspection . . . and in some of those cases the inspector has found issues with the install . . . which may have been less costly to address should the person have asked or pulled the permit originally.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I have been lurking for awhile and learning a lot. I am most likely going to be installing an englander type stove (probably 30 nc) I was trying to keep costs low (going with an englander) doing install myself, ect. I am going to be lining my existing masonry chimney with stainless stell flex line.

I just picked up the permit form and they consider it an alteration and are charging me $300 + $.20 / Sf. Anybody else had to pay that much? Maybe i'm just cheap but it seems like a lot.

What township are you in? Mine did not require a permit.

 

[GlennMike]

I am in harleysville --- Lower Salford Township

 

[Highbeam]

If the "law" requires you to pull a permit for the stove and you don't pull the permit then you officially have an illegal installation whether it was done properly or not. To the "man" installing it with proper clearances is just as important as having the permit approved.

I paid around 100$ for my lousy inspection. I knew more about the rules than the pro installer or the inspector. But whatever, it is now legal.

Just think, you would be liable for the family that died in a housefire due to the stove (really a chimney fire from poor maintenance) that you illegally installed. You may have sold the house 20 years ago but you are the bad guy.

You can take risks on the small things like not wearing gloves when you use a chainsaw that have very few consequences, the big things like an illegal stove can ruin you financially.

 

[btuser]

The permit is an excuse for the insurance company not to pay you. Insurance is an excuse for the bank to get paid.

 

[BrotherBart]

The issue at the moment is the cost of the permit. The insurance company will have to tell what their requirements are. Often if they are already insuring a fireplace their isn't anything extra for sticking a stove in it.

Since that township shows permit requirements for additions and for wood stoves as separate items on the list I bet that the permit fee is different for the two.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I am in harleysville --- Lower Salford Township

Interesting. I didn't even need a permit.

 

[Nate Finch]

That sounds high, but it's different everywhere. I would definitely ask if an insert would be any different.

As for not doing an inspection all, that just seems like a really bad idea. You may do it according to the manufacturer's specs, but might misunderstand them or make a mistake. We're talking about an appliance that could very well burn down your house if installed incorrectly. Why skimp on that? Is $300 really the end of the world? It's your home, your family. Why not have a pro double check? In 6 months are you even going to miss the $300?

Inspections are not a source of revenue for the county, regardless what anyone might say. They are simply paying someone to drive out to your house, inspect your work, and file some paperwork about it. It's not some grand conspiracy, it's just the town trying to make sure you don't burn down your house.

 

[ckarotka]

I live just outside the city in a township. This township is governed by township supervisors. We can do almost anything without a permit. Basic electrical wiring, plumbing, remodeling. I put on a new roof no permit, built a 6' high fence no permit, wood stoves no permit needed. I contacted the township fire inspector that handles commercial properties about my residential installs. He told me there were no codes in place for residential fire anything! This fire inspector really had no idea what I was talking about. I made sure I was good with the Insurance co. Thats the co. I want to satisfy and they did not want to even see it because I was already covered for indoor fires.

Now the city 0.3miles away. You need a permit to sneeze.

 

[GlennMike]

Well I can see I sparked a heated thread here, so I will cool it off by letting everybody know that I will be getting a permit. I just got off the phone with the township and I can group this permit with installing a new roof and a gable dormer I want to do in the master bedroom. So the $300 would cover most of that plus the $180 for the roof ($.20) / sq. foot. so I will be around $500 for everything.

As far as it being inspected by a professional to make sure I cross all my t's and dot all my i's. Its a bunch of BS. They only do one inspection at the end, how will they be sure I use metal studs vs. wood and that all the clearances behind the wall are code ect, ect, once its all wraped up? As far as I am concerned its BS besides measuring to the nearest visible combustable

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah. I gave the inspector a short class on chimney liners.

 

[fossil]

Well I can see I sparked a heated thread here...

Any thread here that includes the term "permit" in it sparks a heated discussion. Personally, I've no particular problem with the requirements for permits & inspections, and I've almost always found the government people involved on both ends to be knowledgeable, helpful, and courteous. Guess I've just been lucky. I'm not sayin' I've always pulled a permit for everything I've ever done which technically required one be pulled...not by a long shot. But sometimes it's pretty much unavoidable, like as soon as you hire a contractor for anything other than something really simple. I had my Lopi Liberty professionally installed, and so the permit was a non-discretionary prerequisite. When the inspector came to look around and sign off on it, he turned out to be such a nice (and smart) guy, I took him over to my shop to show him the stove I'd put in myself without a permit. After we looked it over and talked about it, he just said, "Very nice job". Rick

 

[WES999]

$300 for a permit to install a wood stove, bloody exorbitant IMO. Here in Taxachusetts it was only $25 for a wood stove. I looked at the town website and it is still $25.

Inspector looked at the back of the stove, poked his head up in the Attic, called it good. $300 is more than I paid for my stove! :ahhh:

 

[BrotherBart]

What fascinates me is charging by the sq. ft. for the permit for roofing. Like it costs more to drive out for a few more shingles. I have fifty bucks that says he never even climbs up there.

 

[Ratman]

Renovations: Shall refer to any modifications made to an existing
structure that are structural, non-structural and cosmetic. For the
purpose of this ordinance renovations in existing structures are
cumulative and once the accumulated are of renovations equals or
exceeds 50% of the structure area the entire building must be brought
into compliance with adopted codes and ordinances to the same level
as a new structure.

huh?

 

[Highbeam]

"Inspections are not a source of revenue for the county, regardless what anyone might say. They are simply paying someone to drive out to your house, inspect your work, and file some paperwork about it."

This bit is false. They are taking your money, that's revenue. They are spending some of your money on the inspector, that's an expense. Whether or not the revenues exceed the expenses depends on many factors but I can guarantee you that the county is not loosing money on a 300$ permit for a stove.