Montgomery county basement - permit vs no permit

[Anonymous]

Hello ,
I am new home owner have unfinished basement . I am thinking to finish basement so i can use more space. I talk to few license contractors who suggested we can finish basement without permit and many people are doing so as its really headache to deal with county inspectors.
Please give me advise what is more beneficiary to do in long run. I am aware if i go with county permit there can be property tax increase . what are drawbacks or benefit do you see of not doing basement work with permit. quick search tells me if i dont do permit : resale value will be less , insurance can cause issue , if county find out they ask to tear down or do inspection with penalty.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Get the permit, do it the right way.

[Anonymous]

Get the permit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello ,
I am new home owner have unfinished basement . I am thinking to finish basement so i can use more space. I talk to few license contractors who suggested we can finish basement without permit and many people are doing so as its really headache to deal with county inspectors.
Please give me advise what is more beneficiary to do in long run. I am aware if i go with county permit there can be property tax increase . what are drawbacks or benefit do you see of not doing basement work with permit. quick search tells me if i dont do permit : resale value will be less , insurance can cause issue , if county find out they ask to tear down or do inspection with penalty.

Thank you

Meh, I wouldn't bother with a permit.
My apartment building put storage cages in the building basement. No permit needed.

The unfinished basement is already a space documented in the deed and unlike the above example, a contiguous part of the habitable house. As long as it isnt' subdivided into separate enclosed rooms (which means fire egress issues), you are just doing a cosmetic job of finishing the walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello ,
I am new home owner have unfinished basement . I am thinking to finish basement so i can use more space. I talk to few license contractors who suggested we can finish basement without permit and many people are doing so as its really headache to deal with county inspectors.
Please give me advise what is more beneficiary to do in long run. I am aware if i go with county permit there can be property tax increase . what are drawbacks or benefit do you see of not doing basement work with permit. quick search tells me if i dont do permit : resale value will be less , insurance can cause issue , if county find out they ask to tear down or do inspection with penalty.

Thank you

Meh, I wouldn't bother with a permit.
My apartment building put storage cages in the building basement. No permit needed.

The unfinished basement is already a space documented in the deed and unlike the above example, a contiguous part of the habitable house. As long as it isnt' subdivided into separate enclosed rooms (which means fire egress issues), you are just doing a cosmetic job of finishing the walls.

There’s a huge difference bt adding cages that don’t involve plumbing or electrical and finishing a basement. OP absolutely get the permits. You want the inspections for your safety and to keep the builders honest. I wouldn’t go w/ a contractor who offers to do it illegally. Imagine you have an electric fire or a plumbing leak or something load bearing isn’t done correctly and you end up with issues. Insurance wouldn’t need to cover any of those and your liability if someone gets hurt could be huge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get the permit, do it the right way.

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Do you already have an egress window in the basement? If not you might be required to add one if you are getting a building permit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you already have an egress window in the basement? If not you might be required to add one if you are getting a building permit.

I am not planning to make any bed room then why i need egress window ?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure how all houses are selling without permit ? Do they ever face issues for their basement ?

[Anonymous]

Did you ask the contractors WHY you do not need the permit? Did any contractors refer to "getting permits"? (If so -- ask them why someone would say "skip the permit")

Are you doing superficial work only (painting, adding a shelving unit) -- or are you moving or adding any walls?

I'm in Rockville. Our contractor said that the County is much better/faster than City of Rockville. (We did have permits with the City due to the nature of our work.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you already have an egress window in the basement? If not you might be required to add one if you are getting a building permit.

I am not planning to make any bed room then why i need egress window ?

Yes. If you are remodeling, even without a bedroom, the county might make you add an egress window. Code says every basement must have 2 means of egress - stairs and a window.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how all houses are selling without permit ? Do they ever face issues for their basement ?

When the real estate market is hot buyers usually ignore a lot of things including inspections.

[Anonymous]

Inspectors want the basement to be done on the latest building codes.
So the question is do you want to do it the right way or just take a short cut like some people.