To Permit or Not to Permit - Deck

We are torn between getting a job permitted and not getting it permitted.  We plan to turn a 2nd (parlor) floor window into a door to a small-ish deck/balcony with stairs running to our backyard/garden area.  The 2nd floor deck will most likely be legal whether or not it’s permitted (aka steel structure and steps, although some potential contractors are telling us steel isn’t critical).  We want the new deck and stairs to be safe and there’s a chance we will want to sell our house in a year or 5 years, we don’t know yet.  We bought about 5 years ago and inherited a ground floor wooden deck that wasn’t permitted and isn’t legal because it’s less than 3 feet from the property line on one side, and we’re getting mixed signals as to whether the inherited deck (for which our mortgage bank gave a waiver when we bought) is now grandfathered or whether it needs to be permitted as well.  We really would love to have our existing deck, and the new deck, fully permitted, but it seems that almost no one permits where we are based (Bay Ridge) and I’ve been told the costs are 40% more if a permit is involved (which sounds high).  (we’re also adding back a kitchen to one floor but legally the kitchen should be there already since the prior owners had torn it out, and we’re opening up a wall between kitchen and dining room – but the deck seems like the biggest issue in terms of permitting)  I’d love input from others who have considered these issues.

jeanmarine2

in Decks and Porches 13 years and 1 month ago

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jeanmarine2 | 13 years and 1 month ago

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If someone lives in a legal 3-family house where there are currently only 2 kitchens because the prior owner took out the 3rd kitchen, does restoring the 3rd kitchen require a permit?   If the prior owners took out kitchen appliances and counters but left in cabinets and the plumbing and put in a washer/dryer/slop sink, and we’re going to put the kitchen appliances back where they belong and also add cabinets, would that require permitting to restore a permitted kitchen to the exact space it belongs in?

shahnandersen

in Decks and Porches 13 years and 1 month ago

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DIBS is correct. Guess what, you need several permits to put that kitchen back in as well.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 1 month ago

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Nothing illegal is ever grandfathered.  mortgage companies typically do not care about the issue.  It needs to be fireproof material within 3 feet of prop line; so steel if you go that far.     I had mine built by sketch and hammer without permits but steel and all to code.  i sold it 5 yerars later with no problem.  I think it would have been $25k instead of $20k for permits