Always Get a Permit and All Approvals Before Building on Your Property!
There are a couple reasons property owners don’t think they need to get permits before building on their property. For one, it is their property so why do they need to ask permission? Plus, permits can be expensive and the whole process is time consuming. No matter the reason, plenty of people build illegal structures or expand structures on their property without all of the approvals and then have to deal with the headache of correcting the issue when they go to lease or sell their property. You can save a lot of time, and money, by doing it right from the beginning.
Ask for Permission, Not Forgiveness
When it comes to building a new structure on your property or expanding an existing structure, obtaining any required zoning variance or special exception in addition to approvals from the Columbia Association or Howard Research & Development as well any condominium or homeowners’ association (where applicable) and applying for a building permit before starting is always the best course of action. While the process might seem like a hassle, correcting the issue will be far and beyond more difficult and expensive.
Get Help Navigating the Permit & Approval Process
Getting permits and approvals to build or expand can be complicated enough, but if you plan on using that space for residential or commercial purposes it is even more important to ensure that the proper process is followed. Hiring a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer from the get go can help make the process easier to navigate and ensure you don’t have any issue down the road.
One of our clients built a barn on his property several years ago without any permits or approvals and then ran water and electricity to the barn and added an apartment upstairs. The client subsequently rented the apartment in the barn without obtaining a rental housing license. When the client went to sell the property several years later he had to spend tens of thousands of dollars correcting structural and permitting issues which would have only cost a few thousand dollars if done correctly from the beginning.
Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. Today
Practicing together in Howard County since 2004 – first in Columbia and now in Clarksville, The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A., is here to help with a variety of business, real estate and finance law issues. We have a long list of practice areas, a long list of industries served, and a long list of success stories and recommendations in helping businesses, no matter the size, grow, reach their goals, and surpass them. If you’re seeking counsel on a business, real estate or finance law issue, always feel free to contact us via our contact page or call us at (410) 531-1700. While you are here, remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter,Google+, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with our blog and the latest happenings at our firm.