ADVICE FOR THE HOMEOWNER

     REMODELING A HOME IS SOMETHING VIRTUALLY EVERY HOMEOWNER WILL EXPERIENCE AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME. GERMAN ENGINEERING DESIGN AND CONSULTING SERVICES, INC. IS PROUD TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES TO EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS OF TAKING THE PROPER STEPS TO ENSURE A HIGH-QUALITY DESIGN THAT WILL RESULT IN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT HOME THAT WILL BE ENJOYED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

     ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE TEMPTING TO FIND THE CHEAPEST COURSE OF ACTION TO OBTAIN THE END RESULT, HOMEOWNERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE RISKS AND DANGERS INVOLVED IN TAKING THIS ROUTE.

     BY USING LICENSED ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, AND CONTRACTORS WHO STAND BEHIND THEIR WORK, THAT RISK CAN SIGNIFICANTLY BE REDUCED. PROPER PREPARATION, PLANNING, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT WILL PROVIDE HOMEOWNERS WITH A HIGHER QUALITY PRODUCT THAT IS ON SCHEDULE AND WITHIN BUDGET. OFTEN TIMES, PROJECTS THAT ARE DONE WITHOUT PROPER PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME, TEND TO GO LONGER THAN THE ESTIMATED TIME AND OVER BUDGET. SPENDING THAT EXTRA TIME AND MONEY TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY DESIGN AND PLAN CONSTRUCTION IN THE BEGINNING, ENDS UP SAVING THE HOMEOWNER MONEY OVERALL, BECAUSE IT DECREASES THE DELAYS CAUSED BY POOR PLANNING AND CHANGE ORDERS THAT OFTEN CAUSE PROJECTS TO GO OVER BUDGET.

     FROM A HOMEOWNER'S PERSPECTIVE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS MAY SEEM LIKE SOMETHING WHICH WILL TAKE TIME AND COST THE OWNER MONEY; AND SOME HOMEOWNERS WILL TRY AND AVOID THIS WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY. HOWEVER, A PERMIT CAN BE A HOMEOWNER'S BEST FRIEND. A PROJECT DONE WITH PROPER PERMITS HAS THE BENEFIT OF SEVERAL THINGS. FIRSTLY, GETTING THE PROPER PERMITS HELPS CONTROL THE QUALITY OF THE WORK DONE TO THEIR HOME. THE BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT REVIEWS ALL THE PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL BUILDING CODES ARE MET, AND THAT EVERYTHING DESIGNED IS CONSIDERED SAFE FOR ITS FUTURE OCCUPANTS. INSPECTIONS AND STRUCTURAL OBSERVATIONS WILL BE PERFORMED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO SERVE AS A QUALITY CONTROL FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE. ONCE ALL WORK IS DONE, A FINAL INSPECTION IS PERFORMED TO REVIEW THE QUALITY OF ALL WORK DONE BEFORE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IS ISSUED.

     INSPECTORS OFTEN GO AROUND LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THEY WILL RANDOMLY STOP AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE AND ASK TO SEE THE PLANS AND PERMITS FOR THE PROJECT. IF THE INSPECTOR IS NOT PROVIDED WITH THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION, THE INSPECTOR WILL PUT A STOP TO ALL WORK, AND FREEZE THE PROJECT UNTIL ONE OF TWO THINGS OCCUR. EITHER THE INSPECTOR IS PROVIDED WITH PROPER DOCUMENTATION, WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO OBTAIN AFTER CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED; OR THE INSPECTOR WILL REQUEST THAT EVERYTHING BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL CONDITION OF THE HOME, WHICH WILL BE BASED ON CITY RECORDS AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTED. UNLESS ONE OF THESE THINGS ARE ACCOMPLISHED, THE CITY WILL NOT ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. INSTEAD THE CITY WILL RED TAG THE PROPERTY, ESSENTIALLY PROHIBITING ANYONE FROM LIVING IN THE HOME UNTIL EVERYTHING IS BROUGHT UP TO CODE AND DEEMED SAFE BY THE INSPECTORS AS WELL AS THE BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT. NOT TO MENTION THE FINES THAT WILL BE ISSUED.

     PROPER DESIGN, PERMITS AND CONSTRUCTION WILL ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE COMPANY SO THAT THE NEWLY REMODELED HOUSE IS PROPERLY INSURED. INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL NOT INSURE ANY CONSTRUCTION DONE WITHOUT PROPER PERMITS. IN FACT, INSURANCE COMPANIES MAY REQUIRE THAT ALL WORK BE REVERSE ENGINEERED TO ENSURE SAFETY AND QUALITY. REVERSE ENGINEERING TYPICALLY COSTS MORE MONEY COMPARED TO HIRING THE SAME ENGINEER TO DESIGN THE HOME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT NO CHANGES WILL BE REQUIRED.

     ALSO, ANY CONSTRUCTION DONE WITHOUT PERMITS WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO SELLING THE HOME. OFTEN TIMES, UNPERMITTED WORK WILL BE HONORED BY APPRAISAL COMPANIES. IN FACT, UNPERMITTED WORK CAN ACTUALLY DEVALUE A HOME RATHER THAN ADDING VALUE. WHEN THE QUALITY OF WORK CANNOT BE PROVIDED THROUGH PERMITS, IT WILL BE A RED FLAG IN THE EYES OF POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS. SELLERS IN THE POSITION ARE OFTEN FORCED TO INVEST ADDITIONAL MONEY BEFORE PUTTING UP THE HOME FOR SALE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH ONE OF TWO THINGS. EITHER BRING BACK THE DESIGN TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BASED ON CITY RECORDS, OR TRY AND PULL A PERMIT ON THE WORK DONE. EITHER WAY, IT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. ALTERNATIVELY THE BUYER'S AGENT WILL NEGOTIATE DOWN THE PRICE TO OFFSET THE POTENTIAL RISK.

     SIMPLY PUT, THE RISKS ARE NOT WORTH THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS. WE ENCOURAGE ALL HOMEOWNERS TO EXPLORE THEIR OPTIONS AND CONSULT WITH EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL BEFORE MAKING THEIR DECISION. IT IS TRUE THAT NOT ALL WORK REQUIRES A PERMIT. THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB HAS BEEN THE $500 RULE. ANYTHING OVER $500, INCLUDING MATERIALS AND LABOR, REQUIRES A LICENSED CONTRACTOR AND POTENTIALLY A PERMIT FROM THE BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT. WE RECOMMEND THAT HOMEOWNERS CHECK WITH SEVERAL ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION FOR THEMSELVES. 

     THE CHEAPEST ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS DO NOT USUALLY PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICES. CHEAP DESIGNERS ARE USUALLY INEXPERIENCED AND MAY NOT CONSIDER VALUE ENGINEERING. WITH CHEAP BUILDERS, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, CHEAPER MATERIALS AND LESS SKILL. CONTRACTORS WITH LOW BIDS WILL LOOK FOR PLACES TO CUT CORNER IN ORDER TO GENERATE A PROFIT.  

SERVICES PROVIDED

SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:     

STRUCTURAL DESIGN

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES

APARTMENT BUILDINGS

TOWNHOUSES

ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADU's)

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

RETAINING WALLS

SWIMMING POOLS

REMODELS

ADDITIONS

NEW CONSTRUCTION

INSPECTIONS

ENGINEERING CONSULTING

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GERMAN ENGINEERING DESIGN AND CONSULTING SERVICES, INC.  SPECIALIZES IN ENGINEERING CONSULTING AND THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF BUILDING STRUCTURES.