Updating your home in Alameda without a permit?

It's always a good idea to mantain your home and keep it in tip top condition. However if your considering updating items in the house without a permit from the city you may want to reconsider. Now I go against the norm, statistics mention that the average homeowner moves roughly ever 7 years or so. I've been where I'm at for over 28 years with no immediate intention on moving. But many (not all) owners update their home to spruce it up for a sale hoping to net a few extra dollars. Well, times are changing in our city and it appears someone is on the lookout for those upgrades that were done without building department permits. How you ask, easy, the City of Alameda's website has a link to a site that anyone with internet access can go to check on a address. And someone is doing just that, anonymously, anyone can. So you tell a neighbor who tells a friend who tells another friend etc;or you tell your realtor who places pictures and a fine description of that remodeled kitchen that once had tile counters and now has a shiny granite counter, or maybe the sink or oven were relocated. The cat is out of the bag at this point and you are fair game for whomever is doing this. Believe me it is happening. At an office meeting a few weeks ago the head of the building department told our office he has a stack of files numbering over 700 to weed through.

So if you have updated research the amnesty program to see if you can apply. If your contractor is licensed have him get down to city hall and get the correct permits pulled and finaled.

Whats the penalty? How about up to four times the cost of the original permits and the possibility of removing what you just updated. I have heard of penalties up to $20,000 from an architect who was called in after the fact. My advice be proactive not reactive.

Why all of a sudden has this become a hot issue? Two reasons I feel, the city finances as most cities are in are very low. The second and most important reason is we have lots and lots of older homes, some dating back to the late 1800's. Those homes when built had enough electric service for the time, no refridgerators either, ice boxes. Someone on the main island had just such a home that had a couple electric outlets in the kitchen. Imagine a refridgerator, answering machine maybe a coffee pot and even a telephone quite possible all plugged into one extension cord of course, so they could have other free plugs which were on the same circuit. This owner went to sleep one night and unfortunaley something overheated in the night, caught fire, and the owner lost his life in the fire. Need a better reason? Be proactive not reactive!