Do you want to change that old floor you have at home? Make changes to your electrical installation because it has outgrown you?
If you do not want to hire a reform company, it is important that you know what you can and cannot do. Since, in general you will need the corresponding construction permit from the City Council, and, on many occasions, also from the community of neighbors. However, not all touch-ups in the home require such permits, so it is convenient to know what type of work can be done at home without a license without running any risk of receiving a reprimand.
For most of the works, a reform permit is needed, which includes a series of relevant aspects to take into account if you do not want to have any sanctions.
For this reason, we will focus exclusively on those reforms that do not need a building permit.
There are numerous repairs or modifications needed on the houses, but they are not done because of the hassle of obtaining permits. Most people are unaware; however, that certain things can be fixed in a house without going to the Town Hall for approval. But in case you need permits and licenses, we are the ones to help you.
Know what you cannot do without a building permit
Here are some things you should avoid when accommodating details of your house:
- Do not build outside the property
- Do not send rainwater to the neighbor’s house
- Do not open windows to the property line
- Do not reduce the width of the patios and corridors
What are building licenses?
A building license is a tool to verify that a work, reform, or rehabilitation meets the specifications of the construction code that your community or city has. As a result, the Administration can regulate an activity in accordance with the quality and safety standards of good construction.
When requested, they allow us to perform them with the guarantee of notifying the competent authority, which eliminates the possibility of us being reported for possible accidents. At the same time, with the building permit we also record our actions to our community of neighbors, and with the permission received they cannot pose any type of problem to us.
Types of building permits for reforms and modifications
There are two different types of existing building permits to reform a home:
- Major work
- Minor work
The major works must be requested when we modify structures, make a change of use, modify common elements of the building or increase surfaces or volumes of our home.
Minor works are considered those that do not affect structural elements and that do not affect the safety regulations imposed in the Construction Code.
It is the city councils of the municipalities who have defined the scope of each type of building license; these vary from city to state. So if you are not sure which license to request, you can contact us directly and we will help you throughout the process.
What work can you do at home without a building permit?
The rest of the changes you can make in a house can be done without having to apply for a renovation license. But, as a recommendation you should seek advice from experts in building permits.
Any reform work that does not affect the structure, common elements, or protection measures, involves a change of use, or modifies its surface or volume, or affects safety, according to the construction codes of the city can be done.
These are the reform works that you can carry out in your home without the need to request any type of building permit:
- Replace tiling and flooring.
- Smooth walls.
- Parquet sanding.
- Changes in the interior electrical installation.
- Changes in the internal water network.
- Dry reforms, such as adding plasterboard or other types of materials that do not affect the structure of the property.
- Changes in the furniture.
- Moldings on the walls.
What happens if I do another type of work without a residential permit?
Carrying out a reform work without requesting the corresponding license may incur fines and suspension of the project.
Now that you know what works can be done at home without a license and when you need a building permit, you can call us.
