Permits

[Bbear]

I’m trying to install a wall charger and was really surprised by my permit/inspection cost of $400. It increases the project cost significantly since the electrician quoted $500 for installation. I’m curious to hear from people with more experience, is this a typical amount for a city to charge?

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[timbop]

I don't remember for sure, but I think I paid around $150. Permitting is like parking tickets: an extra (nontax) revenue stream for a city so they charge whatever they feel like.

 

[RickMachE]

No, it is not. $90 here.

 

[hybrid2bev]

My contractor took care of the permits. It was <$100, don't remember the exact amount.

 

[Maquis]

Did you get that information from your city code enforcement office directly? It seem quite high.

 

[alexgorod]

It was included in my contractor's quote, don't even know how much it was. And the quote was lower than the one from another contractor, which did not include the permit fee, so I guess it was negative. ?

 

[worachj]

My electrical permit was for $36.00 and was paid by the electrician.

 

[generaltso]

I’m trying to install a wall charger and was really surprised by my permit/inspection cost of $400. It increases the project cost significantly since the electrician quoted $500 for installation. I’m curious to hear from people with more experience, is this a typical amount for a city to charge?

It can vary widely by location. My town doesn't have inspectors, so...............

 

[rkmoray]

I paid 700 to the electrician and 150 for the certificate(no permit cost needed).

 

[Jimrpa]

I am assuming my contractor pulled the required permits. They weren’t itemized on his receipt.

 

[RickMachE]

Not an expert, but most permits then require inspections I think.

 

[kdonnel]

Not an expert, but most permits then require inspections I think.

When I finished my basement I made sure to pick a general contractor that was pro permit.

Historically in Metro Atlanta basements are finished without permits and future buyers didn't care. Over the years there have been more people moving to the area from states where doing work without a permit is not the norm so they are turned off by a home that has had work done without a permit.

I watched the inspector come on a camera I have pointed out the front of the house.

The inspector arrived, got out of his car, walked around to the basement, inspected the 1200 sq ft of framing rough in, electrical rough in, and plumbing rough in, walked back to the front of the house, pulled the permit out of the holder, signed it in three places, returned the permit to the holder, got back in his car, and drove off.

56 seconds.

At least in my area, inspections don't mean anything.

 

[RickMachE]

When I finished my basement I made sure to pick a general contractor that was pro permit.

Historically in Metro Atlanta basements are finished without permits and future buyers didn't care. Over the years there have been more people moving to the area from states where doing work without a permit is not the norm so they are turned off by a home that has had work done without a permit.

I watched the inspector come on a camera I have pointed out the front of the house.

The inspector arrived, got out of his car, walked around to the basement, inspected the 1200 sq ft of framing rough in, electrical rough in, and plumbing rough in, walked back to the front of the house, pulled the permit out of the holder, signed it in three places, returned the permit to the holder, got back in his car, and drove off.

56 seconds.

At least in my area, inspections don't mean anything.

Actually, they do mean something. You stated it: "Over the years there have been more people moving to the area from states where doing work without a permit is not the norm so they are turned off by a home that has had work done without a permit."

The other reason is to keep the electrician / plumber / builder "honest". Besides maybe not getting away with shoddy work, it prevents them from trying to rip you off for unnecessary things. When I got my 240v circuit wired, one estimate insisted that my panel could not take any more demand (forget space issues). Another insisted I needed to add a device to shed the charger load if I exceeded 85% of capacity (200 amp service). I asked the inspector, his first comment was "what is that", and after I explained it he said "you have the capacity, that's ridiculous". Installer insisted on speaking with the inspector, eventually agreeing with him that I didn't need anything (saving me $895 as I recall), and ended up combining four lighting circuits into two lightning circuits to make space when the half-height breakers didn't fit in my panel.

I will agree on the lack of detailed inspection. They took pictures of the inside of the box where the hardwiring was, of the passthrough of the cable before they filled it with foam, and of the inside of the fuse box. The inspector didn't look at any of the pictures. He didn't take the panel off the fuse box. I was not impressed.

When I got my home generator, two inspectors had to come. The gas inspector came and looked at how the connections were, and signed off. The electrical inspector came and removed the panel to ensure that the neutrals were isolated from the ground as required, he also looked into the transfer switch. He remarked that the prior electrical inspector (see above), who did it part time, had been "retired".

 

[kdonnel]

Actually, they do mean something. You stated it: "Over the years there have been more people moving to the area from states where doing work without a permit is not the norm so they are turned off by a home that has had work done without a permit."

Yes, I should have been more clear for sure. I should have said an inspection doesn't guarantee safety, in my experience.

Permits are primarily a money making method for localities.

A game that must be played in some areas of the country and one that can be ignored in some areas of the country.

 

[A-A-Ron]

I’m trying to install a wall charger and was really surprised by my permit/inspection cost of $400. It increases the project cost significantly since the electrician quoted $500 for installation. I’m curious to hear from people with more experience, is this a typical amount for a city to charge?

Is that the cost from the city or the cost from your electrician? I had a home that included a 3rd party home warranty that I used when my hot water heater needed to be replaced. I was forced to use the warranty company's plumber and they tried charging me $200 to pull a $19 permit from the city.

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