# sticky situation. need help/advice with closing out a permit



## TonyG7 (Nov 17, 2009)

I took out a permit back in 2004. All the inspections have been passed except for electrical which passed rough inspection.

At the time my electrician walked off my job/home. Reason I was helping too much i.e. drill some of the wire holes through studs etc. He did not have an issue with that until it became an issue. I understand and don't want to get into that...

I do have quite a bit of renovation experience, framing, electrical, plumbing etc. But I decide to do this under a permit as I was upgrading my service to 200amp with a 100 amp subpanel as well.

I am in SW Mass.

Now to my problem... I ended hooking up my own outlets and switches. This was for what would be a future showroom/retail commercial space (my home is commercially zoned) but I have my small woodworking shop there now.

All has been fine for 12 or so years now. I have icynene insulation and radiant heat in the space so sheetrock (final inspection) has never been a pressing issue. Just myself there, no employees, OSHA etc :whistling

Now I have the house on the market and have contacted the town inspector, the electrical inspector (the same person 2004) and another electrician who has worked at my home also in the past.

Building inspector said no problem but maybe I would have to offer some bonus money to have an electrician rewire stuff that I did.

The electrical inspector has not returned my call. I spoke to the electrician who said he would contact the electrical inspector to see what could be done. No word yet.

Are there any MA licensed electrician's who could help out with this? or am I up the creek without the proverbial paddle?

Any advice. referrals, recommendations welcomed in closing out the electrical inspection would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Or permits are only good for a year. If that happened here I would have to apply for another permit.


----------



## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Or permits are only good for a year. If that happened here I would have to apply for another permit.




Apply, and PAY for a new permit... 

I am speculating that you probably need to have a licensed electrician come out and check everything out to make sure and verify it is done correctly this way you can close out your open permit if you never had a final. However of course each state/town/county has its own set of rules


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Silly me. ..... I'd just call the AHJ / inspector.


----------



## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Silly me. ..... I'd just call the AHJ / inspector.


Think you need to read the post, he did call. The inspector has not called back


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

That's why the OP needs to call.


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

480sparky said:


> That's why the OP needs to call.


Since that didn't work the first time, it's worth another shot? Or how about just go to the Building dept and actually speak to someone instead of hoping for the best the second time around.


----------



## TonyG7 (Nov 17, 2009)

Sorry for late reply. Thanks for the input. I did talk to building inspector and got some insight why the electrical inspector never returned my call. Basically he doesn't talk to homeowners as his responsibility, only licensed electricians. I get that. 

He also said I can't close this one out and need to get the final for electrical. So I need to keep searching for MA licensed electricians willing to unwire/take out switches and outlets I put in and redo them and assume responsibility for closing out my permit.

Thanks again


----------



## MikeFL (Oct 7, 2016)

Google is your friend.
Search for "Electricians near me"


----------



## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

TonyG7 said:


> Sorry for late reply. Thanks for the input. I did talk to building inspector and got some insight why the electrical inspector never returned my call. Basically he doesn't talk to homeowners as his responsibility, only licensed electricians. I get that.
> 
> He also said I can't close this one out and need to get the final for electrical. So I need to keep searching for MA licensed electricians willing to unwire/take out switches and outlets I put in and redo them and assume responsibility for closing out my permit.
> 
> Thanks again


I don't get that at all !!, a home owner can do his own electrical work, and the last time i c/kd the home owner pays his wages, at least return a call.
Round these parts that permit timed out, no call for a inspection in six months the project is considererd abandoned .


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

sunkist said:


> I don't get that at all !!, a home owner can do his own electrical work, and the last time i c/kd the home owner pays his wages, at least return a call.
> Round these parts that permit timed out, no call for a inspection in six months the project is considererd abandoned .


Not every AHJ sings out of your hymnal.


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Not every AHJ sings out of your hymnal.


But it's nice to know how others work so you can check with your's.


----------



## dutchroots2 (Sep 20, 2016)

Unless the inspectors want to be jerks (and some definitely want to be) this shouldn't be hard to fix.


----------



## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

"All has been fine for 12 or so years now. I have icynene insulation and radiant heat in the space so sheetrock (final inspection) has never been a pressing issue. Just myself there, no employees, OSHA etc "

"Building inspector said no problem but maybe I would have to offer some bonus money to have an electrician rewire stuff that I did."

You probably wired something incorrectly, building inspector suggested you get someone to fix the wiring, it's been 12 years... (don't think he is nice about it, he just playing with you the bad inspector/good inspector, in the mean time both of them laughing at you because without final you can't do anything and they know that" 
"It has not been a pressing issue" now it is a pressing issue for you... because you cannot sell your building without that inspection. 
Around here they would charge you per day for any violation or using the building without final inspection, they would or red tag your building.... so consider yourself lucky they let you use the building without final inspection.

Now electrical inspector is piss'd off, can you blame him?
But that's what happens all the time when you try to get away with stuff... Now you need a licensed electrician, get a new permit probably, rewire everything per code (12 years lot's changed since then) and get everything inspected so you can sell the building. The reason you don't hear from your electrician is because he knows now it will be a hassle to get something approved or get his inspection.


----------



## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

TonyG7 said:


> Sorry for late reply. Thanks for the input. I did talk to building inspector and got some insight why the electrical inspector never returned my call. Basically he doesn't talk to homeowners as his responsibility, only licensed electricians. I get that.
> 
> He also said I can't close this one out and need to get the final for electrical. So I need to keep searching for MA licensed electricians willing to unwire/take out switches and outlets I put in and redo them and assume responsibility for closing out my permit.
> 
> Thanks again



You passed your rough electric right?

Any final electric inspections ever done on my jobs was checking GFI's breakers, etc. They never pulled out switches or outlets from the boxes.

Do you have the safety outlets that keep kids from sticking forks and whatever in them?


----------



## Joe Pro (Aug 14, 2016)

Tony, don't worry too much about this. You are gonna need a new permit, Ma states work started in 6 months and forward progress thereafter. 12 years could be a stretch for that. 

Ask around for a good sparky, supply house, friends, building dept ect. Your gonna have to comply with 2016 codes, which might only mean some arc fault breakers, tamper proof receptacles ect. (I'm not an electrician ) Any good electrician I have worked with will want to open up everything you did and inspect it. While he does this he will have the inspector out to look at everything. If the rough passed you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Your gonna pay some $$$$ for someone who will take this on. Well worth it to get your place sold. I will never touch plumbing or electric in MA for very good reason.


----------



## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

SO whats stoping him from pulling his own permit, he said the sparky walked off the job.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

sunkist said:


> SO whats stoping him from pulling his own permit, he said the sparky walked off the job.


Regulations vary from one area to another. Many places, only a licensed electrician can do that.


----------



## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

sunkist said:


> SO whats stoping him from pulling his own permit, he said the sparky walked off the job.



I think it may have to do with the "retail" space.

Sounds like a mixed use property.
If that were the case he could do all his own electric in his residence/living quarters, but I 'm guessing when he starts messing around with the store front he would not be allowed.


----------



## TonyG7 (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I have not had the time to call around to find electricians, but I think that's my route needed to take.

I did not think about 2016 codes but town building inspector never mentioned that... 

JoePro, building inspector never mentioned about needing a new permit, only to close out the existing. 

Thanks to all and will give an update as I get more feedback from calling other electricians.


----------

