My neighbor's bad deck advice led to a city fine

I was building a backyard deck and my neighbor said I didn't need a permit. I trusted him and skipped the paperwork. A few weeks later, a code officer came by and issued a stop-work order. Now I have to pay a fine and redo parts of the project. Always check local building codes yourself, no matter what friends say.

4 comments

4 Comments

dylans231mo ago

Growing up, my dad said permits were a waste. Your fine changed my mind about that.

brookeross29d ago

Built my deck without a permit three years ago and it's been totally fine. Sometimes the rules are just overkill, especially if you're in an unincorporated area. I get why people skip it.

emery_bailey1mo ago

Calling the city building department directly worked for me. They explained the permit process over the phone and even emailed the forms. Saved me from a much bigger headache later on.

kaibell29d ago

My neighbor's deck collapsed last year because he skipped the permit and inspection. I see it everywhere now, people trying to save ten minutes and it costs them ten grand. They do it with phone contracts, car repairs, even just reading the directions on a frozen meal. @emery_bailey has it right, a five minute call to the right person can stop a disaster. It's all about putting in the tiny bit of work upfront.