Need a permit? Absolutely!
Question #1
I live in Canyon Country and will be putting a sink into my garage. There is a cleanout nearby so I will be tying this into the cleanout during installation.
Considering that this is outside of the home in the garage, do I need a permit for this?
Jim L. Answer #1
Jim, yes you do need a permit. This involves sewer gases, and the sink needs to be properly vented. Let’s say you’re outside working with the garage doors closed during the winter and this hasn’t been properly vented — sewer gases build up and you’ve just put yourself in an unsafe situation due to lack of permitting.
The basics of the permit process is to have the knowledgeable eyes and minds of those who enforce safety. Working with the city of Santa Clarita Building and Safety Department is an easy process; they are a great bunch of people and take amazing care of those who are doing projects.
It’s definitely something that takes time, but it ensures that your projects are done correctly with safety in mind and you’ll not have to worry. When it comes time to sell your home, also, you’ll need to disclose these projects.
Being able to answer “yes” to the question “Was this permitted?” is a huge selling point; the buyers know that the work has been inspected and is safe.
I encourage you to contact the city, show them a rough sketch and begin this process. If you’re putting the sink on the wall between the house and garage, you’ll be opening up drywall and they’ll want to see — on final inspection before you button it up — that you’re adequately protected on that fire wall for any potential fires.
All of these things are details that can seem inconvenient, but again, they are there for safety. It is absolutely worth the extra time it takes for this process to know that you and your family are safe after such a project. Good luck.
Question #2
My husband is taking down a metal fence and replacing it with a block wall, separating us and our neighbor with more privacy. I told my husband that we should get permits for this but he says “no” because there’s already a fence in place there.
I hate to put you in the middle, but after all I hear you say about permits I’m a little scared to even blink without one. Please be the deciding vote here with your expertise. Rita S.
Answer #2
Rita, yes, absolutely. I can’t stress this enough: The permit process is there for everyone’s safety and is a great asset to all; it’s a process that controls the quality of work done. Even a layman can raise a block wall with the guidance of the information so readily available these days and the inspector’s expectations.
Of course, if you don’t do it daily it’s likely not going to look like a professional job, but you can still do it.
The key, though, is to follow the city’s guidelines and go through the permit process, as this will ensure that each step of the way is completed with safety in mind. When you’re raising a block wall there is much to consider, especially with earthquakes in mind.
If the blocks are not set in the proper footing and don’t have the proper amount of rebar placed in the correct ways, even a small earthquake could take down an entire wall. Unbelievably, even the slightest settling can make an improperly installed wall become unstable — and should a child, let’s say, be on or near the wall at any given time, this could be deadly.
The city will guide you as to how far you can build before they are to come back for an inspection. They’ll certainly inspect your footing, followed by the fourth course where horizontal rebar should be.
Once this is complete, they’ll notify you of the next inspection. They’ll check that every other cell is filled with concrete prior to capping, and the city will have the right to have you take everything down should you decide to do this without a permit.
It’s definitely not worth the gamble on any of those notes. Good luck to you, and know that the city of Santa Clarita will take great care of you during this project.
Robert Lamoureux has 38 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at robert@imsconstruction.com.