Need advice :(

[blown86lx]

So me and a couple of my buddys who do construction built my garage with no permits. Everything was built to code and done right but I must have a neighbor who called because I woke up today with a buisness card from the county inspector in the garage door. My question is what can they do? I read on there website they will double the cost of the permit, but I have a friend who swears they will make me tear it down. Any construction guys hhave any advice for me?

[adragon72]

That happened to me and I paid double and they inspected it.

[Racin Jason]

Nothing. Pay the permits. Always. It's cheaper in the long run.

[sean]

And find the neighbor thats to nosy to stfu and mind his own business and knock the shit out of him.

[blown96cobra]

And find the neighbor thats to nosy to stfu and mind his own business and knock the shit out of him.

Yea what Sean said dammit

[Walter]

When the county reevaluates property values for taxation purposes, they will take note of any new structures or additions and compare with any permits that may or may not be on record. May have not been a neighbor at all.

[cstreu1026]

When the county reevaluates property values for taxation purposes, they will take note of any new structures or additions and compare with any permits that may or may not be on record. May have not been a neighbor at all.

Exactly, it may have been that he or she noticed passing by.

If you don't meet all zoning requirements such as set back, minimum square footage, or maximum square footage you may have to apply for variance and go before the board of zoning appeals.

[INSANEBA]

Thats bullshit Caleb, I know it will be over the minimum size, that baby is nice! I would just pay their permit b/s fees and be done. I would ask how they came across the new shop, just out of curiosity though. Then handle the business!

['92Stang]

Had the same thing happen at my last property. I tore down an eyesore of a barn and built a new pole barn. Built it on an existing foundation, so I thought I was good to go. Not the case since it was within 50 ft and had livestock in it. Not a big deal. I drew up some plans, went in front of the variance committee with them, and all I had to pay was the initial permit fee. I did however have to have the neighbor sign a piece of paper who's property I encroached on.

[blown86lx]

Luckily I live in the sticks and there are no zoning permits in my township. We just finished the overhead doors about an hour ago so I have it all locked up. Now im just hoping he will just leave me alone since its all the way finished but I doubt it knowing my luck

[crowbar032]

If there was a building there before, the key phrase is "I reworked an existing structure". The taxes are assessed on the older structure and no permits required. At least according to someone who got away with it, although you do have to get the new building up pretty quick.

[Dirtyd0g]

Zoning started a war between all my neighbors always blaming a neighbor for calling.
One neighbor built a porch over the "build line" without a permit.
Zoning saw it and fined him, etc.. Told him that a neighbor had called.
He proceeded to call on everyone around here including me for fences, sheds,roofs,etc....Zoning made a fortune and man did they give me crap about a bunch of things but gave up because everyhting was replacement or I had a permit with the old zoning guy. When I got the permit for my garage I included a lean-to. I didn't build the lean to right away. When all the crap started I built it and immediately zoning was on me about it. I gave him the run around for a couple months until he set up a court date for me. I then told him to check the original permit and then he shut up and realized he had been played.
I asked once about business zoning and they gave me the run around saying it was too difficult to do. the next day a "random guy" stopped by to tell me that the only way to fix zoning was to come up with 30,000 in cash and bribe them. Then they guaranteed it would pass. These are the people our taxes pay. If I had the money I would have bribed them wearing a wire and sold the tape to the news. They have had problems liek this in the last few years. I think it was batavia township and pierce township. Why do these corrupt people keep their jobs?
Alan

[blown86lx]

I don't have any zoning though and my closest nieghbor is about a quarter mile away from me. It has been about a week and I don't think he has came back. If he does come back im just going to pay the permit fee and hope he doesn't make me tear it down.

[Katmandu]

I like this little "Zoning" trick.

Up here in Troy, there was a old roadside bar sitting along a main strip.

Someone bought it and erected a much larger aluminum building OVER TOP of the old bar. They then went and demolished the bar that was inside the aluminum building.

The building now houses an Insurance office.

I believe they got around some Zoning issues by saying they "restructured or rehabbed" the old bar.

Pretty slick. :cool1: