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Failure to complete construction

I hate making up codes, or enforcing things that aren't in the book, or anything that is harder on the residents than it should be - I'm always on the side of the permittee before I'm on the side of the code. So this thread has me re-thinking how we do this, and digging through our ordinances to see if this is something the City did on purpose (they've been doing it the way I described since long before my time) and I find this:

§ 150.02 BUILDING PERMIT FEES.
(A) The city’s building permit fee schedule is set out in §38.01 of this code of ordinances.
(B) No permit is necessary for new siding, painting, new kitchen cabinets and/or counters, carpeting or similar finish work.
(C) Permits are good for six months.

We also have the standard language that says "if one code is stricter than the other than the stricter one applies".

So forget everything I said in this thread. Permits here are good for six months.
 
So.. if the plans were reviewed under, let say the 2000 IRC, and a permit was issued and the project's 15-years and still going, it would have to meet those codes and the ADA codes that were adopted at that time, even if you have allowed an extension?
 
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cold and frozen up here sometimes more than 180 days - we have never worried about the 180 days. I just got off of the phone with a guy who started his house over 3 years ago. I do not know the origin of the 180 day requirement but feel that it is not something that the code should be interested in at ALL. Will a house or other built project always be better if it is done in 180 days or less? This seems like a requirement that was in place to control office paperwork possibly to track projects and to have leverage to get builders/owners to follow through. I find that there can be real reasons why projects get stalled. One that I have is because the fellas wife underwent kidney replacement, on another the elderly applicant died and his elderly wife has to try and finish it out. Most are owner builders that are trying to keep it all out of pocket without a mortgage (who can argue with the investment smarts of that?). One routine bust of the 180 days in particular is the program called RuralCap where self help programs are built by way of the federal program - they are so slow I call it "livin on ruralcap time" (yes the tune of "livin on Tulsa time" is playing out in my head).

I have projects that have gone on for over ten years. Outside my jurisdiction where there are no requirements for permits I call it "Alaska land of the unfinished where tyvek and blue tarps are for life!"
 
Last edited:
Pcinspector1 said:
So.. if the plans were reviewed under, let say the 2000 IRC, and a permit was issued and the project's 15-years and still going, it would have to meet those codes and the ADA codes that were adopted at that time, even if you have allowed an extension?
Click to expand...


Yep

Unless Ceaser or your city wrote something else:::

“So let it be written, so let it be done"
 
Pcinspector1 said:
So.. if the plans were reviewed under, let say the 2000 IRC, and a permit was issued and the project's 15-years and still going, it would have to meet those codes and the ADA codes that were adopted at that time, even if you have allowed an extension?
Click to expand...

You'd have to have very good records on the entirety of the time though, right, especially for the ADA? I think for the building code you're correct, but on the ADA side, maybe not so much. I'd bet solid money that IL would say they have to meet the current accessibility code. IF you could prove that the construction was steadily ongoing and that every extension required had been granted/processed properly then maybe they'd let it through - but if anywhere in there you miss one T or forget to dot one i, my guess is you're going to be on the current code according to the state.

Good question.
 
Reason I mention this is there have been changes to the electrical code sections in regards to GFCI's that would come into play if you had issued a permit prior to 2000. One is if you have power too a detached garage you have to provide a minimum of one GFCI receptacle. If you have additional receptacles they would have to be GFCI protected as well.

There have been additional building code changes that may need to be looked at, like wind load on the garage doors have changed recently requiring additional bracing and there's additional portal bracing that may have not been in previous code years.
 
Here a permit is good for 5 years. The problem here is when the pool is filled and no fence yet and there is no state or local law to make them have a fence before the pool is filled.
 
Pcinspector1 said:
Reason I mention this is there have been changes to the electrical code sections in regards to GFCI's that would come into play if you had issued a permit prior to 2000. One is if you have power too a detached garage you have to provide a minimum of one GFCI receptacle. If you have additional receptacles they would have to be GFCI protected as well.

There have been additional building code changes that may need to be looked at, like wind load on the garage doors have changed recently requiring additional bracing and there's additional portal bracing that may have not been in previous code years.
Click to expand...

Also AFCI's, tamper-proof receptacles, bonding, grounding, etc etc. Just in the electrical codes there have been tremendous changes since '00.
 
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