Homeowners often question the time and expenses vs the value of obtaining permits while doing work on their homes, whether for repairs, upgrades, or new builds of the homes.
The main reason for the permit process is to ensure work done fits or exceeds the current building codes for health and safety reasons. Building codes are revised periodically to reflect current findings and incorporate new technology in our ever-changing environment.
One example is if one lives in the WUI (Wildlife Urban Interface) area where homes are more prone to wildfire, the building codes, depending on areas, can have special requirements for exterior windows, wall sidings and sheathing, under eaves, and decking.
This recent Washington Post article about real-life testing of Florida's newer building codes battered by Hurricane Irma, to see if buildings were able to withhold the rages of Hurricanes sheds a light on the importance of adhering to building codes.
Click to read Hurricane Irma Could Test Strength of Florida’s Strict Building Codes