Building Permit Help - Specific Scenario

[Valriera]

Hi all, I’m reaching out for some insight from someone who has some construction experience. We moved into a house last year that had some unpermitted work on it which we knew beforehand but naively didn’t understand the implications. We opened a permit application of our own to do a screened in porch conversion, partly because we need the space but also partly because the porch was falling down. We started the demo and framing while the initial approvals came in from the city, because the situation was not safe, but they stopped work and held our permits. That was a year ago.

Fast forward through seven thousand dollars of engineering certification for past work, special site plan approval (we are really not doing anything) from the zoning board and the epb, and we are finally at the end I think where the city is doing the paperwork to close the permits for the existing work and give us ours for the new one. All the while my family and I have been living on a construction site for a year and just welcomed our second.

I would have done a lot of things differently if I could do this again, but my question ti any experienced pros are:

a) have you run into a scenario this bad before?

b) what would you do if you were me today?

[Phil]

@Mike maybe you can help?

[josh]

b.) Put up a nice sign acknowledging the local authority determining this, as well as special recognition for the main person in charge. A big pink and yellow sign in your yard.

[josh]

oooohhh make it a thanksgiving sign. a big fucking turkey with the main dudes name on it.