re: Any of you D.I.Yers ever build without a permit?

I wouldn't worry to much about it.

About the only card the city can hold over you is the approval to the electric company to get a meter. If the work you are doing doesn't require a new meter there isn't much they can do.

I suppose there are extreme circumstances where they could seize the property and/or get your power shut off but I don't see how unless the structure was condemned.

I find it comical that the city even pretends the inspection process means anything when the first thing they have you do is sign a hold harmless agreement when you apply for a permit. They hold no responsibility for the fitness of the structure for any approval or denial of any inspection whatsoever.

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our inspector never said anything about the addition

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He wasn't going to cost the Realtor a sale because then he would never get another referral from them.

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You have x-ray vision to see the framing

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Go inside the crawl space/attic, it will tell you most of what you need to know.

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electrical

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Hire an electrician for an inspection.

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insulation inside the walls

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Infrared heat gun

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It really is amazing what passes for inspectors. Both city/code enforcement guys and the independent guys. I have seen some that couldn't build a house out of legos much less actually enforce codes. I have also seen them interpret the codes to suit their little dick syndrome just to be an arse to people and make up for being picked on growing up.

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fricking this. I get a fair amount of business from contractors just writing letters to this one dickhead inspector that has no idea what he's talking about on structural issues and loves to break everyone's balls.

What a dumbass. You can't see inside the walls. Inspection is to uphold minimum standards. If you don't have that, well history will repeat itself again and again.

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if you think $125 covers inspection costs and administrative costs you are sadly mistaken.

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That's for small jobs. They make plenty of money of off commercial jobs and new construction. At least they do here.

One Parish here turned everything over to a privately owned business that won a contract with the Parish to handle it. I guess that business is doing it for fun since according to you they aren't turning a profit.

Your solution is to not have building codes?

I'm never for more absurd laws and the Gov telling you what you can do on property you own within reason.

Yes, you need standards to protect people on new construction and shitty contractors they hire but do you really need to tell someone they can't build a deck on their property? Do you really need to make someone pull a permit to have a portable shed delivered or to have a privacy fence installed?

People survived for many years without asking someone's permission to have a shed delivered to thier house. Why now?

What a piss poor counterargument.

History shows you are a moron.

My neighborhood (north palm Beach, Florida) is extremely strict. With that being said I did French doors leading out to back porch and put up a side fence without permits. No big deal. I did have permits for obvious jobs like garage conversion to living area and a new roof.