Building Permit Mess

[MABOAT]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? SC

Advice on SC State Guidelines Building Permit/Septic Process

We contracted on a home to be built as a 4br 3ba. The closing took place in May 06.

The builder applied for a 2br 2ba 2 story building permit. The home was built turnkey and finished as a 4br, 2ba, 3 stories.

DHEC approved a 2br septic field. They can only provide a "guess" as to where our drain field is located. The man that did the final inspection quit an he never finished the job. The drawing they have on file is a "rendering" based on notes.

DHEC states they rely on the building permit office to tell them if the home is not a 2br. DHEC does not inspect the interior of the home.

The Building Permit office states they are not required to inspect for the room details on the home. Yet the permit is specifically for a 2br, 2 ba - 2 story home. The actual home is 3 stories with a floor plan that never could have been mistaken for 2br.

I do not need advice on the role of the builder in this mess. I want to understand how a building permit office is not liable to inspect based on the permit that was applied for?

Does DHEC have to provide detailed documents based on a septic approval?

What SC state department oversees DHEC and Building Permit rules.

Thanks for all advice!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[John Se]

State your problem clearly

This is hard to understand, thebuilding permit process is based on doing what you say your going to do. You say 2br 2 ba house permit for septic system to meet that, done deal. Now if you (or whomever) builds more house then the septic system usually has to be larger (is there enough room on your lot?). Maybe thats why your builder said its only 2br, 2 ba. Septic systems are usually overdesigned by a great factor (x2) is yours failing? I mean what the real problem, or issue or dispute?

 

[MABOAT]

The only problem is that the home was built 4br, 3ba. Because of the permit process it can only be sold as a 2br, 2ba.

Builder sold it as 4br, 3ba.

 

[HomeGuru]

The only problem is that the home was built 4br, 3ba. Because of the permit process it can only be sold as a 2br, 2ba.

Builder sold it as 4br, 3ba.

**A: yes, that is the problem.

 

[MABOAT]

Thank you for your input but these are the questions I hoped to get advice on. Does anyone have experience with the building permit office/dhec? I just do not understand how a building inspector is not responsible to ensure the building permit is not correct?

I do not need advice on the role of the builder in this mess. I want to understand how a building permit office is not liable to inspect based on the permit that was applied for?

Does DHEC have to provide detailed documents based on a septic approval?

What SC state department oversees DHEC and Building Permit rules.

 

[John Se]

I still dont get it

You own this house now correct?. Is there some issue, Like you cant get an occupancy permit? cant live there?, cant insure it? cant get a mortgage? Cant Sell it?

stop calling it 4 bedrooms 3 baths, call it 2.25 baths and 2 br with a study and a art studio (see how that works?)

Generally building permits have plans submitted and reviewed for compliance to zoning and code requirements. other rooms (similar to bedrooms) may have been called other things, like study's, pantrys, closets, storage

When they got your septic permit, just because you have 3 wet rooms they may not be classified as full baths. so you may really have 2.25 baths (see how that works) depends on the number of water fixtures in each room. Do you have three toilets, three sinks, three showers or baths?

The building permit office will inspect for compliance to the plans. Have you seen the original plans approved for the permit? Di the house just grow the extra bedroom and bath?

Your DHEC Provide no document other than approving a septic design for the job as submitted.

your DHEc is probably part of state government, you building plan permit department will be more local. like the city or county.

 

[John Se]

definition of a full bath/partial bath

Bathroom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the United States, bathrooms are generally categorized as a "full bathroom" (or "full bath"), containing four plumbing fixtures: bathtub, shower, toilet, and sink; "half (1/2) bath" (or "powder room") containing just a toilet and sink; and "3/4 bath" containing toilet, sink, and shower, although the terms vary from market to market. In some U.S. markets, a toilet, sink, and shower are considered a "full bath". This lack of a single, universal definition commonly results in discrepancies between advertised and actual number of baths in real estate listings. An additional complication is that there are currently two ways of notating the number of bathrooms in a dwelling. One method is to count a half bathroom as ".5" and then add this to the number of full bathrooms (e.g., "2.5" baths would mean 2 full baths and 1 half bath). The other, newer method is to put the number of full bathrooms to the left side of the decimal point and to put the number of half bathrooms to the right of the decimal point (e.g., "2.1" would mean 2 full baths and 1 half bath; "3.2" would mean 3 full baths and 2 half baths).

 

[MABOAT]

Yes, we own the home. The problem will come when we do try to sell it.

The building permit office states they rely on the honesty of the builder. The Building permit office did not look at our building plans and states that they are not required to look at any building plans unless the building is over 5000'

We built the home per the building plan. The top floor has a master br, ba the main level has 2 br with 1 full bath. The basement was finished with 1 br, 1 ba. The house size was adjusted to fit the foundation which had already been poored. The final square footage is a close to 2700'

The building permit office states that they do not have to ensure the home is built to the spec's of the permit that the builder filled out. Nor do they have to review any of the building plans and make sure the plans are compiant.

On the inspection list by the building department the last entry noted was that the builder was required to pay an additional fee for the heated basement. I find it odd that the inspector missed 2 out of 4 bedrooms and completely missed the 3rd full bathroom while going thru the inspection process.

 

[MABOAT]

Thank you for the definition. The home has 3 "full" bathrooms.