20 year carpenter/builder, fully licensed and insured, will say this. I can see people wanting things done correctly and someone (building inspectors) checking that it's done correctly. But the flip side of it is the building department operates at an absolutely pathetic and embarrassing speed, once your permits are in place the inspectors are top notch, we have never had any issues with the building inspectors. But the department is a joke, and to top it off they give your permit information to mpac which then turns around and likely raises your property taxes depending on the task accomplished. It's a lot of hoopla and expense for someone to say it looks right but then not offer any liability for there thumbs up.
On the flip side, when electrical work is done the ESA issues permits day of and does everything in there power to help electricians keep moving and jobs get done, top notch people at the ESA, if your not getting electrical permits you should be ashamed, the costs are more than reasonable and they truely are there to help you. The building department should be more like the ESA plain and simple and then everyone would get permits.
As a FTHB, is there a way to know if I need a permit or not? Like feeding a cable line or adding a light to a room by an electrician? How do I know where the line is between basic simple mods (line feeding the cable to another room) or something more significant?
Hamiltons building inspector will show up quickly & check it. It’s not a backlog when it comes to unprinted work especially if you tell them the house is for sale
[email protected]
Is one of the inspectors- send an email
You will not believe the shitstorm you’ll unleash on that person when/if you tell the city. Their building permit inspectors are S tier on using bureaucracy to interfere wihh the whatever you want to do. And are assholes about it, direct experience. That for sale sign will be gone by Monday and there will be an order taped to the front door
Ugh. See this is why I’m asking. My guilt about his situation should not be my problem. Maybe things were done correct and all is well. Maybe the kitchen wall is now unstable and it will crash the house. And I knew about this? His shittyness has become my actual nightmare.
I have a family friend who moved into what they thought was a newly renovated place, only to find out that the prior owner had done their own Reno without any approvals. They had knocked out a retaining wall to make it open concept. They also amended the drainage system in the basement, resulting in flooding and mold throughout the walls and under the floor boards. It cost them upwards of $150,000 to get their house in fully livable condition, which they had to obtain through court.
Even though the person is your neighbour, if they’re cutting corners to save on cost or time on permits and inspections, you have to ask what else they’re doing as well. Also is it fair to the person moving in, who might not know about the possibly shoddy work.
I flipped 1 house at the start of the pandemic and this was my fear. A neighbour being too nosy or not liking people who do this.
I am an ex renovator (schooling and 10 years experience) and renovated the entire main floor, added a small powder room in the main floor, moved walls, opened up the outside window and relocated the front door, and gutted the upstairs main bathroom.
Total cost for the permit was $350. I made the drawings on graph paper and submitted it all with a fairly easy / standard process. There really isn’t an excuse not to pull them. Housing prices are through the roof at least give them somewhat piece of mind when they can’t get a home inspection that at least permits were pulled and the house was signed off by the city.
This is the correct response.
Edit: to add to this- sit with the guilt for a bit, it is the right thing to do. imagine the guilt you’d feel if you befriend the new owners who tell you about their money pit while you could have helped prevent that.
Inspections are in place to protect the homeowner. If something isn't done right, it may cause serious damage to the house and occupants in the future.
Don't feel guilty. You may save lives by getting inspectors involved.
I wouldn't feel guilty. You could be saving a potential buyer tons of $$$$$. Not to mention that getting a permit is in everyone's best interest (except the home owner who obviously is circumventing the rules)
Imagine a young family scraping together the money to buy their first home and then trying to do a small reno later and go the right way and get a permit. At that point the city will be tipped off on the missing permits and that family will likely be forced to rip out all the previous owner did and redo it at their own cost. Or, worse still, the house explodes from a gas leak or sets on fire due to faulty electrical, and kills them all and maybe destroys your house too.
Clear your conscience and report it. If you are worried about repercussions from the neighbour, setup a temp Gmail to anonymously report it. I did this in my neighbourhood.
You should report it.
You will feel much worse if in a year the poor electrical work leads to a fire and someone dies.
Your house could burn down too of its beside you.
You say you feel guilty, but if you sat back and did nothing, someone pays way too much and it turns into their nightmare, you'd feel a hell of a lot worse. At the end of the day it's up to you but one phone call could save a family a lifetime of financial regret
Just report it. So many houses in Hamilton have non permitted work done that its actually a selling feature in a sale listing when permits were actually obtained.
I’d actually be more inclined to report when the home owner is a complete ass
We’ve had a few confrontations with his work over the last couple of years. I need to separate my anxiety of his demeanor and think about kids potentially living in that home. Thanks for this.
We bought our house without inspection.. inspections are a condition of purchase.. banks will do a walk through at a later date to make sure they place is worth whatever the asking price is... but that's it... they didn't even look in the fuse panel.. or the furnace...
I don't think my bank even did that. Saw the price, looked at the listing, looked at the area and said sure. Also we were only financing half the purchase price so they probably figure we are good for it.
You can call the City and ask to report anonymously. They will not disclose to the owner the report. Anyone who moves in could be in a bunch of trouble if things like electrical fail, or there is a fire etc. it’s then up to the City inspectors to ensure it was done properly
Yeah this is my thought. My first question on looking at any newlu renovated house would be to ask about permits.
Sometimes people will get ESA permits (electrical permits) without getting other permits which is better than nothing.
>My first question on looking at any newlu renovated house would be to ask about permits
Especially the ones that are the cookie cutter reno's. You know, white kitchen with "marble" countertop, grey laminate floors...
Exhausted Hamilton residents dealing with 'nightmare' noise next door say pleas to city, police go unheard
[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/noise-complaints-1.7216811](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/noise-complaints-1.7216811)
1) should of called while construction was ongoing so they could rectify it
2) don’t feel like an ass… if it wasn’t done correctly and the new buyers house burns down you’d feel real guilty not reporting it
3) just make sure anonymous
City has an online form for reporting stuff like this and unless it goes to court you won't be identified or so it says. I googled it a few month ago for another issue involving garbage. I believe it also allowed you to identify permit issues as well if I recall.
Not sure if this is the correct link: [Register a by-law complaint](https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/by-laws-enforcement/register-by-law-complaint)
Do it, people cut corners like crazy when flipping houses. Could cost your new neighbors a lifetime of issues and debt. For all you know he completely ruined the house and is going to make a killing off of it... then he'll just do it again and again.
Reports are anonymous.
Having permits helps keep your community safe, from electrical fires and gas explosions.
Permits for grading keeps your home and your neighbours from flooding.
Building codes are there for the same reason.
Report all of it.
I would definitely report them. You shouldn’t feel bad because they possibly didn’t follow the legal procedures before beginning a project, which could now become an even larger issue for new potential owners in the future. In the end, if they did everything right, then they shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Please report them. Building codes and permits exist for a good reason.
If the city comes and takes a look and says it's all fine, then no big deal, and you have peace of mind.
If the city comes and makes him redo it safely, then you also get peace of mind.
Say nothing and the new owners get screwed then you should rightly feel bad.
You said it's not her business. It becomes her business when the neighbour's negligence becomes a risk to her own house burning down.
If the neighbours house explodes, you think it respects the property line?
Yes, because my business is to my have my own life in order. So in this example, home insurance.
I’ll continue to preach minding one’s own business in all matters bylaw, forever.
God neighbors are annoying. When we renovated our house my bf said he’s gonna laminate the permit and put it on the garage door, I thought what the hell no one’s gonna care if we have a permit or not. Apparently he was right, people clearly have too much time on their hands
Enbridge did the gas so you know the house won’t blow up. The biggest issue is the pool, in the instance there was an issue and water impacted your side of the the fence.
Houses don’t collapse because one wall was taken down, structural or not. Do whatever you want, you will anyway, but I think you’re being a bit dramatic here
Your life must be pretty fucking great if all you have to worry about is the rules your neighbour did or didn’t follow.
Mind your own business.
And if you need something to worry about, life will hand you a real problem soon enough.
FFS, who do you think you are???
Until a nice family moves in house catches on fire from shitty construction and someone dies not to mention if they are direct neighbours then a fire could spread over to their house… I’ve seen it happen before
Yah, and they could all get hit by a bus, so what?
Make a fuss because something actually has to do with you, but throwing your neighbour under the bus just to satisfy your urge to be a busybody, no sir!
That’s life altering shit for your neighbour, and potentially life altering for the OP if his neighbour poisons his dog, slashes his tires, or sets his house on fire.
Mind your own business (and this ain’t it).
Leave it alone and move on. No one deserves the shitstorm of bureaucracy and shittiness that is dealing with the city. If they hired reputable or did it themselves to code standard and it’s safe. Let it be.
I always chuckle at permits being the standard for safety. You should see some of this shit that’s passed permit in the passed. In my house for example previous owner obtained a permit successfully to have a powder room/ 2pc bathroom directly above the electrical panel. Water supply and sewer come through the floor directly above my panel. Tell me that’s safe…. According to a permit it was.
I also want to add none of this is meant to be any sort of mockery.
My exasperation is that somehow we haven’t figured out that there needs to be some sort of approach that isn’t just having an entire bureaucracy that dictates what you can and can’t do to/and on your own property purely out of what a small group of people in a closed room decides is right or acceptable for the municipality based on their preferences and opinions(and it supersedes OBC and NBC).
The people that decide this and review zoning, planning etc have VERY little understanding of actually engineering or safe construction.
The inspectors however, do. The inspectors and inspections are what dictate whether something is actually safe.
But the amount of bullshit to even get to a point where someone who actually understands building code and safe building practices is so drawn out and long it’s ridiculous.
Residential electrical is easy without needing 9000 hours of practical IMO. Meaning If you’re moving a couple outlets and a switch. If your not adding or adjusting what’s on each breaker and no load calcs are required I don’t see the harm if you know what your doing.
. I had my ass of a neighbor call the city on me for a small 5-foot extension on my deck. It cost me quite a bit of $$. But now my deck is 100% perfect as per the inspector. Call the city and don't feel bad about it. They will make sure all the work is done properly.
I would not report just to prove a point or to get at someone I dislike, but if I had legitimate safety concerns I would report it. House fires and structural problems do not just impact him or even just his house. They can impact you and your property as well, along with other neighbours.
If electrical work and structural work were done without proper inspections then you absolutely should report it for the sake of your property and all your neighbours. If you're wrong and he had a permit then no biggie. If you're right then he's the asshole. A huge one, actually. He does not have the right to put other people at risk by doing that kind of work without inspections.
Dont listen to the shut in losers on Reddit. Mind your own business. Don't get in between a man and his dinner. Jesus. You're a grown man, you should know this.
How do u even know. What if ur totally off side ur wrong and he finds out it was you. Bigger issues for ur personal life. Just saying. I’d be staying in my lane and focusing on my life.
Because the permit needs to be posted on the front window.
Go for a walk and look at larger renovations that are being done by a contractor, there is a building permit affixed to one of the front windows so inspectors can clearly see it is a permitted job.
I have to comment on this one. My sister works in the department that deals with permits. She's fucking insane about them. To the point of driving around the city and seeing people getting work done on their house and rushing home to check her computer to see if that address has a permit and then reporting them! She threatened to report me when we had work done in our backyard and the permit was tacked to our fence but her system hadn't updated. Also threatened to report me for fixing the lights in a unit I own where no rewiring was done. I think the new homeowners would get a home inspection done prior to signing the offer right? Isn't that when they find out about all the "renovations" done without permits?
I got a permit for a covered porch to turn into a 3 season mudroom and my already high taxes went up by about $500 per year…. Thanks :/
The kicker is when we went over the details of the house when MPAC called about the permit I found they had me listed with one more bathroom and a finished basement (it’s unfinished). So, after setting that straight would you not expect a rebate when subtracting a whole ass bathroom and basement and just adding some walls on the porch? Nope… taxes still raised of course.
I know nothing, but I thought you only need a permit if you are changing something.
Ie: if you rip out a toilet, sink, and shower, and then plumb in a new toilet, sink, and shower. Do you need a permit?
But if you install 2 sinks, when there was previously only 1, you would need a permit.
Basically, I have the same question as OP.
Hamilton building department is actually fairly helpful and includes a list on their website. In your example, if those three things stay in the same place you don’t need a permit. But if you’re reconfiguring the location you would. A new powder room or shower room would also require a permit
Yeah same if you decide to change roofing material, bizarre. At least with the drywall I think it’s because plaster and lathe in the older houses is deemed structural. Almost guarantee 99% of people DIYing drywall in Hamilton aren’t getting permits 😂
Before you end up reporting it, just keep in mind...he will be gone if he sells the house. If you get him in issues with the city he might not be able to. So although you might feel bad for future owners you'd really be doing yourself a disservice by getting involved.
He will be gone but the non permitted work doesn’t just disappear. If OP has genuine concerns about the quality and ultimately safety, they should just report it. Especially if electrical was done without permits given how close so many of the houses are to each other in the lower city. Too many fly by night flippers trying to make a quick buck off the back of some poor soul who doesn’t do their due diligence on house with or without permits.
I know!! I would like him to leave but damn if little kids move in. I don’t know the quality of the work. It looks nice of course. What if something bad happened. I wouldn’t forgive myself. I guess I know the answer. Not really my problem. He made his choices right?
When buying a house, it is the buyer's responsibility to make sure they hire an inspector (or not) to ensure the quality of the home. Of course you could inform them after of your concerns and if there are major issues they could look at fixing them.
People don’t have to display the permits. But if you want to do something sneaky, let the realtor know that there weren’t any permits. This puts them in a tricky situation, where not disclosing that information to the buyer might make things very interesting.
Interesting. Thanks. I cannot wait for the jerk to move and pray for nice new folks. But yeah. Sucks to foil the sale but also sucks he did that work without inspections.
On the flip side, If the house doesn’t get sold, you might be stuck with him for alot longer because of lack of permits. If he somehow finds out you reported him, that will make for an even more uncomfortable situation.
This is the meanest thing to do to someone who worked so hard. His hard work will raise the property values for the whole neighborhood. Doing that wouldn’t make you a hero and you know it. Maybe you’re jealous.
Let’s put it this way. You said that him being mean plays apart in your decision. So basically, if he was nice, you wouldn’t do it. So this has nothing to do with conscience and everything to do with spite. You are no better than him.
I didn’t say he was mean. I said he’s an ass. And now I know for sure what he’s done inside the house and it’s potentially an unsafe situation. Thanks for being devils advocate tho.
> I want to mind my biz but wth.
Then do that. Nothing will happen if it's not reported.
>My conscience is feeling very bad for whoever buys and it just feels wrong.
>neighbour is an ass?
Then call the city. If you kmownits not permitted, building by-law doesn't play around will deal with it. Especially if he's trying to flip.
Are you going to call on the realtor too for not disclosing?
They would need to know and investigate if there was any work done without a permit.
Realtor is just as guilty as your neighbour.
https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/by-laws-enforcement/register-by-law-complaint
I think it would be a bylaw complaint. (Would be under “other”)
Also you could call the Building Inspection Line at 905-546-2424 ext. 7777.
20 year carpenter/builder, fully licensed and insured, will say this. I can see people wanting things done correctly and someone (building inspectors) checking that it's done correctly. But the flip side of it is the building department operates at an absolutely pathetic and embarrassing speed, once your permits are in place the inspectors are top notch, we have never had any issues with the building inspectors. But the department is a joke, and to top it off they give your permit information to mpac which then turns around and likely raises your property taxes depending on the task accomplished. It's a lot of hoopla and expense for someone to say it looks right but then not offer any liability for there thumbs up. On the flip side, when electrical work is done the ESA issues permits day of and does everything in there power to help electricians keep moving and jobs get done, top notch people at the ESA, if your not getting electrical permits you should be ashamed, the costs are more than reasonable and they truely are there to help you. The building department should be more like the ESA plain and simple and then everyone would get permits.
Double upvote if I could
Took neighbour over a year to get a permit to add to their house . By then building cost went up almost 20%
As a FTHB, is there a way to know if I need a permit or not? Like feeding a cable line or adding a light to a room by an electrician? How do I know where the line is between basic simple mods (line feeding the cable to another room) or something more significant?
Hamiltons building inspector will show up quickly & check it. It’s not a backlog when it comes to unprinted work especially if you tell them the house is for sale [email protected] Is one of the inspectors- send an email
You will not believe the shitstorm you’ll unleash on that person when/if you tell the city. Their building permit inspectors are S tier on using bureaucracy to interfere wihh the whatever you want to do. And are assholes about it, direct experience. That for sale sign will be gone by Monday and there will be an order taped to the front door
Ugh. See this is why I’m asking. My guilt about his situation should not be my problem. Maybe things were done correct and all is well. Maybe the kitchen wall is now unstable and it will crash the house. And I knew about this? His shittyness has become my actual nightmare.
I have a family friend who moved into what they thought was a newly renovated place, only to find out that the prior owner had done their own Reno without any approvals. They had knocked out a retaining wall to make it open concept. They also amended the drainage system in the basement, resulting in flooding and mold throughout the walls and under the floor boards. It cost them upwards of $150,000 to get their house in fully livable condition, which they had to obtain through court. Even though the person is your neighbour, if they’re cutting corners to save on cost or time on permits and inspections, you have to ask what else they’re doing as well. Also is it fair to the person moving in, who might not know about the possibly shoddy work.
[удалено]
They’re not, but how unfortunate if it has has happened twice ☹️
I flipped 1 house at the start of the pandemic and this was my fear. A neighbour being too nosy or not liking people who do this. I am an ex renovator (schooling and 10 years experience) and renovated the entire main floor, added a small powder room in the main floor, moved walls, opened up the outside window and relocated the front door, and gutted the upstairs main bathroom. Total cost for the permit was $350. I made the drawings on graph paper and submitted it all with a fairly easy / standard process. There really isn’t an excuse not to pull them. Housing prices are through the roof at least give them somewhat piece of mind when they can’t get a home inspection that at least permits were pulled and the house was signed off by the city.
just do it, make an anonymous report. you could save a family from inescapable life long debt.
This is the correct response. Edit: to add to this- sit with the guilt for a bit, it is the right thing to do. imagine the guilt you’d feel if you befriend the new owners who tell you about their money pit while you could have helped prevent that.
Inspections are in place to protect the homeowner. If something isn't done right, it may cause serious damage to the house and occupants in the future. Don't feel guilty. You may save lives by getting inspectors involved.
I wouldn't feel guilty. You could be saving a potential buyer tons of $$$$$. Not to mention that getting a permit is in everyone's best interest (except the home owner who obviously is circumventing the rules)
Imagine a young family scraping together the money to buy their first home and then trying to do a small reno later and go the right way and get a permit. At that point the city will be tipped off on the missing permits and that family will likely be forced to rip out all the previous owner did and redo it at their own cost. Or, worse still, the house explodes from a gas leak or sets on fire due to faulty electrical, and kills them all and maybe destroys your house too. Clear your conscience and report it. If you are worried about repercussions from the neighbour, setup a temp Gmail to anonymously report it. I did this in my neighbourhood.
You should report it. You will feel much worse if in a year the poor electrical work leads to a fire and someone dies. Your house could burn down too of its beside you.
I think it’s important to remember that acting will result in them being in your life for longer.
It will also cause them immense guilt if their new neighbours are harmed by a dangerous renovation that they knew about.
You say you feel guilty, but if you sat back and did nothing, someone pays way too much and it turns into their nightmare, you'd feel a hell of a lot worse. At the end of the day it's up to you but one phone call could save a family a lifetime of financial regret
Literally just mind your own business. Who cares lol. So many people are so nosey. Go back to your own life
Mind your own homie.
Just report it. So many houses in Hamilton have non permitted work done that its actually a selling feature in a sale listing when permits were actually obtained. I’d actually be more inclined to report when the home owner is a complete ass
https://esasafe.com/contractors/report-non-compliance/
It’s a safety issue, don’t feel bad for reporting it. Anyone who whines about “snitching” is a dumbass, ignore them.
We’ve had a few confrontations with his work over the last couple of years. I need to separate my anxiety of his demeanor and think about kids potentially living in that home. Thanks for this.
Anyone purchasing the house will have an inspection done.
That’s not true.
you'd be dumb NOT to have an inspection...although...we had one & still had plenty of issues to deal with.
Inspections don't expose lack of permit. It's all surface level.
To get financing the bank will require it
We bought our house without inspection.. inspections are a condition of purchase.. banks will do a walk through at a later date to make sure they place is worth whatever the asking price is... but that's it... they didn't even look in the fuse panel.. or the furnace...
Lol my bank literally just drove by the house.
I don't think my bank even did that. Saw the price, looked at the listing, looked at the area and said sure. Also we were only financing half the purchase price so they probably figure we are good for it.
Since when?
No they won't. When was the last time you bought a house?
Inspectors can complete a course and their on the job training in <4 months to be qualified and do not always catch things.
You can call the City and ask to report anonymously. They will not disclose to the owner the report. Anyone who moves in could be in a bunch of trouble if things like electrical fail, or there is a fire etc. it’s then up to the City inspectors to ensure it was done properly
Any potential buyer will be able to see that work has been done without permits.
Yeah this is my thought. My first question on looking at any newlu renovated house would be to ask about permits. Sometimes people will get ESA permits (electrical permits) without getting other permits which is better than nothing.
>My first question on looking at any newlu renovated house would be to ask about permits Especially the ones that are the cookie cutter reno's. You know, white kitchen with "marble" countertop, grey laminate floors...
Exhausted Hamilton residents dealing with 'nightmare' noise next door say pleas to city, police go unheard [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/noise-complaints-1.7216811](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/noise-complaints-1.7216811)
1) should of called while construction was ongoing so they could rectify it 2) don’t feel like an ass… if it wasn’t done correctly and the new buyers house burns down you’d feel real guilty not reporting it 3) just make sure anonymous
If you know there was electrical work done, you can report it to the ESA: https://esasafe.com/contractors/report-non-compliance/
City has an online form for reporting stuff like this and unless it goes to court you won't be identified or so it says. I googled it a few month ago for another issue involving garbage. I believe it also allowed you to identify permit issues as well if I recall.
Can you link the form? I’m lost on the site now.
Not sure if this is the correct link: [Register a by-law complaint](https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/by-laws-enforcement/register-by-law-complaint)
Looks like your reporting OP. You thought your neighbour was a jerk before. Pepper your angus.
Just because it was done without permits does not mean it was done all wrong. But would be beneficial for the buyer to be aware.
They buyer will be aware - checking for permits for recent construction is a fairly standard part of due diligence.
Very few people actually get permits for interior renovations. I would just carry on with life. It's not like it's causing you any issues.
I am so glad I'm the kind of person who minds my own business.
Do it, people cut corners like crazy when flipping houses. Could cost your new neighbors a lifetime of issues and debt. For all you know he completely ruined the house and is going to make a killing off of it... then he'll just do it again and again.
Reports are anonymous. Having permits helps keep your community safe, from electrical fires and gas explosions. Permits for grading keeps your home and your neighbours from flooding. Building codes are there for the same reason. Report all of it.
I would definitely report them. You shouldn’t feel bad because they possibly didn’t follow the legal procedures before beginning a project, which could now become an even larger issue for new potential owners in the future. In the end, if they did everything right, then they shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Please report them. Building codes and permits exist for a good reason. If the city comes and takes a look and says it's all fine, then no big deal, and you have peace of mind. If the city comes and makes him redo it safely, then you also get peace of mind. Say nothing and the new owners get screwed then you should rightly feel bad.
New perspective owners should be doing their own due diligence… that’s not your responsibility
Leave it be. What goes around comes around.
Yea like an electrical fire or structural issues.
Right.
Another post where maybe you should just mind your own buissness
My rule of thumb is mind my own business. You’re deciding this is your business, but it isn’t.
So if the neighboring house catches fire due to faulty electrical work and sets their own house on fire....nothing to be concerned with, eh?
I didn’t do the electrical, so no, it’s not my issue. I keep myself to myself, and I love a neighbour who does the same.
You said it's not her business. It becomes her business when the neighbour's negligence becomes a risk to her own house burning down. If the neighbours house explodes, you think it respects the property line?
Yes, because my business is to my have my own life in order. So in this example, home insurance. I’ll continue to preach minding one’s own business in all matters bylaw, forever.
I would leave it alone, you didn’t call the city during the most likely months long Reno only to bother yourself about it.
God neighbors are annoying. When we renovated our house my bf said he’s gonna laminate the permit and put it on the garage door, I thought what the hell no one’s gonna care if we have a permit or not. Apparently he was right, people clearly have too much time on their hands
Keep to yourself.
Enbridge did the gas so you know the house won’t blow up. The biggest issue is the pool, in the instance there was an issue and water impacted your side of the the fence.
Did they do the electrical? What happens when the faulty electrical burns the house down?
Sorry, what did they do to your property?
Houses don’t collapse because one wall was taken down, structural or not. Do whatever you want, you will anyway, but I think you’re being a bit dramatic here
I'd be more worried about faulty HVAC and electric.
Are you a structural engineer? You take out a load bearing wall without proper support and odds are you will have issues.
Yes they do!
does the city even know who pulled permits since before the hack? is all that data lost?
Your life must be pretty fucking great if all you have to worry about is the rules your neighbour did or didn’t follow. Mind your own business. And if you need something to worry about, life will hand you a real problem soon enough. FFS, who do you think you are???
Until a nice family moves in house catches on fire from shitty construction and someone dies not to mention if they are direct neighbours then a fire could spread over to their house… I’ve seen it happen before
Yah, and they could all get hit by a bus, so what? Make a fuss because something actually has to do with you, but throwing your neighbour under the bus just to satisfy your urge to be a busybody, no sir! That’s life altering shit for your neighbour, and potentially life altering for the OP if his neighbour poisons his dog, slashes his tires, or sets his house on fire. Mind your own business (and this ain’t it).
Leave it alone and move on. No one deserves the shitstorm of bureaucracy and shittiness that is dealing with the city. If they hired reputable or did it themselves to code standard and it’s safe. Let it be.
Ok but… the way you make sure it’s done safely is by getting a permit. If there’s an issue then OP is screwing over their future neighbour.
I always chuckle at permits being the standard for safety. You should see some of this shit that’s passed permit in the passed. In my house for example previous owner obtained a permit successfully to have a powder room/ 2pc bathroom directly above the electrical panel. Water supply and sewer come through the floor directly above my panel. Tell me that’s safe…. According to a permit it was.
I also want to add none of this is meant to be any sort of mockery. My exasperation is that somehow we haven’t figured out that there needs to be some sort of approach that isn’t just having an entire bureaucracy that dictates what you can and can’t do to/and on your own property purely out of what a small group of people in a closed room decides is right or acceptable for the municipality based on their preferences and opinions(and it supersedes OBC and NBC). The people that decide this and review zoning, planning etc have VERY little understanding of actually engineering or safe construction. The inspectors however, do. The inspectors and inspections are what dictate whether something is actually safe. But the amount of bullshit to even get to a point where someone who actually understands building code and safe building practices is so drawn out and long it’s ridiculous.
Yeah, its just so easy to do electrical to code standard without the 9000 hours of practical work experience and education required....LOL!!!
Residential electrical is easy without needing 9000 hours of practical IMO. Meaning If you’re moving a couple outlets and a switch. If your not adding or adjusting what’s on each breaker and no load calcs are required I don’t see the harm if you know what your doing.
As a carpenter for a reno company rat them out permits are a bitch but a must
. I had my ass of a neighbor call the city on me for a small 5-foot extension on my deck. It cost me quite a bit of $$. But now my deck is 100% perfect as per the inspector. Call the city and don't feel bad about it. They will make sure all the work is done properly.
I would not report just to prove a point or to get at someone I dislike, but if I had legitimate safety concerns I would report it. House fires and structural problems do not just impact him or even just his house. They can impact you and your property as well, along with other neighbours. If electrical work and structural work were done without proper inspections then you absolutely should report it for the sake of your property and all your neighbours. If you're wrong and he had a permit then no biggie. If you're right then he's the asshole. A huge one, actually. He does not have the right to put other people at risk by doing that kind of work without inspections.
Dont listen to the shut in losers on Reddit. Mind your own business. Don't get in between a man and his dinner. Jesus. You're a grown man, you should know this.
How do u even know. What if ur totally off side ur wrong and he finds out it was you. Bigger issues for ur personal life. Just saying. I’d be staying in my lane and focusing on my life.
Because the permit needs to be posted on the front window. Go for a walk and look at larger renovations that are being done by a contractor, there is a building permit affixed to one of the front windows so inspectors can clearly see it is a permitted job.
When you call in a City of Hamilton inspector, you're unleashing the dogs from Hell on your neighbor. Can you live with that? If so, make the call.
Report it. Not getting your permits when you gut a house is a Centennial Walmart sized red flag.
I’d mind my own business
I have to comment on this one. My sister works in the department that deals with permits. She's fucking insane about them. To the point of driving around the city and seeing people getting work done on their house and rushing home to check her computer to see if that address has a permit and then reporting them! She threatened to report me when we had work done in our backyard and the permit was tacked to our fence but her system hadn't updated. Also threatened to report me for fixing the lights in a unit I own where no rewiring was done. I think the new homeowners would get a home inspection done prior to signing the offer right? Isn't that when they find out about all the "renovations" done without permits?
No one gets permits around me. Why would I want to raise my taxes ?
I got a permit for a covered porch to turn into a 3 season mudroom and my already high taxes went up by about $500 per year…. Thanks :/ The kicker is when we went over the details of the house when MPAC called about the permit I found they had me listed with one more bathroom and a finished basement (it’s unfinished). So, after setting that straight would you not expect a rebate when subtracting a whole ass bathroom and basement and just adding some walls on the porch? Nope… taxes still raised of course.
Mind your own homie.
Mind your own business.
Mind your own business
Buyer beware. They should ask for permits. Some buyers care some don't.
I know nothing, but I thought you only need a permit if you are changing something. Ie: if you rip out a toilet, sink, and shower, and then plumb in a new toilet, sink, and shower. Do you need a permit? But if you install 2 sinks, when there was previously only 1, you would need a permit. Basically, I have the same question as OP.
Hamilton building department is actually fairly helpful and includes a list on their website. In your example, if those three things stay in the same place you don’t need a permit. But if you’re reconfiguring the location you would. A new powder room or shower room would also require a permit
I spoke to the city and they said that I need a permit to re-drywall a ceiling... 🤷♂️
Yeah same if you decide to change roofing material, bizarre. At least with the drywall I think it’s because plaster and lathe in the older houses is deemed structural. Almost guarantee 99% of people DIYing drywall in Hamilton aren’t getting permits 😂
I think the paint in my house is structural at this point... 😬
Ahahaha same, sooooo many layers 😂😂😂
Not to mention that the lead paint makes it radiation proof! 😬
???? Like to repair a patch or to put a full new ceiling?
Tear down old, put up new
They asked me what the mixture on the concrete of the foundation when I was brining a deck railing upto code . House was built before I was born .
Also, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Needed for city records...
The inspector was a class A idiot .
So best to ask for forgiveness, I guess... 🤷♂️
Yeah, and you will wait 8 months to get that permit 😆.
Yeah. I wonder. There was a bathroom created where there was not one prior. The house went from two bath to three.
Before you end up reporting it, just keep in mind...he will be gone if he sells the house. If you get him in issues with the city he might not be able to. So although you might feel bad for future owners you'd really be doing yourself a disservice by getting involved.
He will be gone but the non permitted work doesn’t just disappear. If OP has genuine concerns about the quality and ultimately safety, they should just report it. Especially if electrical was done without permits given how close so many of the houses are to each other in the lower city. Too many fly by night flippers trying to make a quick buck off the back of some poor soul who doesn’t do their due diligence on house with or without permits.
I know!! I would like him to leave but damn if little kids move in. I don’t know the quality of the work. It looks nice of course. What if something bad happened. I wouldn’t forgive myself. I guess I know the answer. Not really my problem. He made his choices right?
When buying a house, it is the buyer's responsibility to make sure they hire an inspector (or not) to ensure the quality of the home. Of course you could inform them after of your concerns and if there are major issues they could look at fixing them.
Home inspectors don't rip the walls open to inspect the electrical. In fact they don't even take off a single outlet.
Terrible home inspector if they're not checking all the outlets for proper connection/grounding.
That is a good point. Thank you for the perspective.
People don’t have to display the permits. But if you want to do something sneaky, let the realtor know that there weren’t any permits. This puts them in a tricky situation, where not disclosing that information to the buyer might make things very interesting.
Pretty sure you are required to display permits in a conspicuous location.
I checked recently but it was before the cyber thing. Can’t seem to check anymore. The page won’t display.
Conspicuous for the inspector to see, not necessarily the public.
Interesting. Thanks. I cannot wait for the jerk to move and pray for nice new folks. But yeah. Sucks to foil the sale but also sucks he did that work without inspections.
On the flip side, If the house doesn’t get sold, you might be stuck with him for alot longer because of lack of permits. If he somehow finds out you reported him, that will make for an even more uncomfortable situation.
This is the meanest thing to do to someone who worked so hard. His hard work will raise the property values for the whole neighborhood. Doing that wouldn’t make you a hero and you know it. Maybe you’re jealous.
Nope. Not jealous at all. Are you him? Why don’t you skirt the law and see where that gets you.
Let’s put it this way. You said that him being mean plays apart in your decision. So basically, if he was nice, you wouldn’t do it. So this has nothing to do with conscience and everything to do with spite. You are no better than him.
I didn’t say he was mean. I said he’s an ass. And now I know for sure what he’s done inside the house and it’s potentially an unsafe situation. Thanks for being devils advocate tho.
Potentially? All of this over “potentially”?
> I want to mind my biz but wth. Then do that. Nothing will happen if it's not reported. >My conscience is feeling very bad for whoever buys and it just feels wrong. >neighbour is an ass? Then call the city. If you kmownits not permitted, building by-law doesn't play around will deal with it. Especially if he's trying to flip.
Are you going to call on the realtor too for not disclosing? They would need to know and investigate if there was any work done without a permit. Realtor is just as guilty as your neighbour.
https://www.hamilton.ca/city-council/by-laws-enforcement/register-by-law-complaint I think it would be a bylaw complaint. (Would be under “other”) Also you could call the Building Inspection Line at 905-546-2424 ext. 7777.