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Having fallen from a ladder a couple of years ago, my husband has had a few unfinished projects. This year we decided to contract out and, believe me, it is such a relief to leave it to the professionals. You know, the people who when it says “this is not a step” know what it means. Anyway, we started out hiring a painter for the house and then a mason to do the front steps. All of a sudden the garage doors looked old and, of course, the walkways seemed a little cracked. The list is endless. All you homeowners will be empathetic to this and feel my pain. During the course of this home improvement journey, I discovered that you need permits from the City of Methuen to do almost everything except painting and wall papering. Who knew? I have gotten quite an education during this process and decided to share it with others, because there seem to be a lot of misconceptions about what you need a permit for and what does not require a permit. A visit to the Department of Inspectional Services located in the Quinn Safety Building was very helpful. I spoke with Gwen Martone and she helped demystify the permitting process. An eight inch thick book called The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 780 CMR-Sixth Edition (effective 2/28/97) helped a little too. This book can be viewed in the building inspector’s office or online at http://www.mass.gov/bbrs/newcode.htm. Basically, according to section 106.2: The building official shall receive application and issue permits for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, demolition, removal or change in use or occupancy of buildings and structures; inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued and enforce compliance with the provisions of 780 CMR. This meant I needed a permit to repair my front steps and replace the façade of each step. I had been under the impression that if you were repairing the steps and had the same footprint, no permit was required. I was wrong. I went to the building inspector’s office with a wish list of future possible home repair and improvements. I dealt with a very friendly and capable Gene P. Walsh, Certified Local Inspector. I got the permit for my steps and garage doors. My permit is posted conspicuously in the front window for all to see. When I asked about the new sidewalks I planned to install and the new driveway, I was told that those projects fell in the realm of landscaping and no permit was required. Further, I asked about the back steps through my garden and I was told that project also did not need a permit. Who knew? A few years ago when we changed our back porch we got a building permit because, to us it was very obvious. We doubled its size and added pillars. When my husband had his accident, he never finished the project. The design we planned and will eventually do will be to add a pergola to host our wisteria. While doing research for this article, I have recently discovered that once a permit is issued, work must begin within six months of the issuance and “proceed in good faith continuously to completion.” According to 780 CMR 111.0, Permits 111.7: Expiration of permit: Any permit issued shall be deemed abandoned and invalid unless the work authorized by it shall have been commenced with six months after its issuance; however, for cause and upon written request of the owner, one or more extensions of time, for periods not exceeding six months each, may be granted in writing by the building commissioner or inspector of buildings. There are a few exemptions to the permitting process. They are enumerated in section 110.3: Exemptions: A building permit is not required for the following activities... One story detached accessory buildings used as tool or storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet... Retaining walls which, in the opinion of the building official, are not a threat to the public safety health or welfare and which retain less than four feet of unbalanced fill... Ordinary repairs as defined in 780 CMR 2... Ordinary repairs shall not include the cutting away of any wall, partition...the cutting of any structural beam, column...change of any required means of egress, addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standpipe, water supply, mechanical system, fire protection system, ...Greenhouses: a building permit is not required for the construction of greenhouses covered exclusively with plastic film... At one time fences were included in the exemptions category but now due to a local ordinance all fences require a permit. Again, who knew? All
of this may seem a little intimidating, but if you visit
the customer friendly office of the Inspectional
Services, people like Gerry Deschene, Gene Walsh,
John Gibney, Ralph Hall, James Quinlan, Michael Murray,
Dorothy Avery,Wendy Anderson or Gwen Martone will be able
to help you. In the words of Gwen Martone, “If
you’re not sure, call.” They can be reached at
(978) 794-3225. The New Building Permit Fees
Schedule * New
Construction ($10 per $1,000 est. cost of const.) *Kathleen Corey Rahme is the Central District Councilor in Methuen and the founder of the Methuen Youth Corps. You can email her at kcoreyrahme@comcast.net *Send your questions
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As soon as the nice weather hits,
it seems as though everyone embarks on home improvements.
It usually starts with one house and then suddenly it
spreads through neighborhoods. It’s almost
infectious. My house has been the one with
permanent scaffolding and perpetual peel.