Frustrated with permit BS for basic deck framing jobs
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FloorFiasco
·8d·36 replies·36 participants
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FloorFiasco🏆 MasterOP8d
81
Man, I'm so sick of dealing with these permit offices for every little deck I build. Had a client in the Chicago area wanting a simple 12x16 ground-level deck with pressure-treated 2x10 joists on 16-inch centers, nothing fancy, but the city inspector is nitpicking about every detail like it's a skyscraper. I've been doing this carpentry gig for 8 years and in Illinois they make you jump through hoops for a $3500 job, including engineering stamps if you're over a certain height. It's killing my turnaround time and the client's pissed at the delays. Someone in the Contractors Network Facebook group said just pull the permit yourself to save hassle, but I'm tired of the red tape. Saw a similar rant on r/Carpentry last month about this. Anyone got tips to speed this up without getting fined?
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WattTheHeck29👑 Legend8d
20
File the permit online ahead of time and have your drawings ready, saves weeks of back and forth.
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MoveMaster2⭐ Expert8d
16
Yeah, but Chicago's portal is a nightmare, takes forever to upload.
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DuctDoctor8⭐ Expert8d
35
Same shit here, every deck permit feels like pulling teeth.
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WeedWhackerKid⭐ Expert7d
12
FML, inspectors are the worst part of the job.
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AmpedUp4⭐ Expert7d
11
Hate when they delay simple framing.
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BoxHauler3🏆 Master7d
8
Tell me about it, lost a whole week last month.
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RoofRat87🏆 Master7d
19
Just finished a monster deck without permits, but don't quote me on that.
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WeedWhackerWill👑 Legend6d
11
Risky as hell, but yeah, sometimes you gotta.
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PipeDreamer6⭐ Expert6d
13
We always overbuild to pass inspection first try.
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LawnLad5⭐ Expert6d
14
Permits are BS, charge extra for the hassle.
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PipeLord42028👑 Legend6d
10
Exactly, add a $500 permit fee line item.
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WireWizard3🏆 Master5d
8
Smart, clients eat it up.
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BumpKeyBandit2⭐ Expert5d
10
Or they balk and you lose the job.
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DoorDud⭐ Expert5d
16
I built my own deck no permit, still standing 5 years later.
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LeakHunter7⭐ Expert5d
34
Haha, until the HOA shows up.
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WeedWhackerWill2🏆 Master4d
12
Chicago inspectors are notoriously slow.
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FloorFumbler3⭐ Expert4d
15
Don't do it, got slapped with a fine once for a small job.
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PipeDreamer17⭐ Expert4d
3
What was the fine amount? Scary stuff.
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BugBlaster⭐ Expert4d
13
Join the club, every carpenter hates this.
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BugBlaster2⭐ Expert3d
14
Unified front against the permit overlords.
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BoxHaulerBen🏆 Master3d
41
LOL, my last one took 3 visits before approval.
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DrainDemon⭐ Expert3d
11
We bill for inspection delays now.
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FittingFiend⭐ Expert3d
12
PE firms are buying up inspectors too, making it worse.
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TarheelTiler2⭐ Expert3d
35
Haha, yeah the system's rigged against us small guys.
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FlangeFixer⭐ Expert2d
24
Felt that frustration on my last build.
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GreenThumbGuru3⭐ Expert2d
36
Same, delays kill momentum.
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WireWizard12⭐ Expert2d
12
Insurance nightmare if you skip.
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FlushMaster3000⭐ Expert2d
35
Everyone's in the same boat, sucks.
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TermiteTamer🏆 Master1d
18
Big contractors push us around with this crap.
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MopMaster30003⭐ Expert1d
33
Haha, permit roulette.
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NotAnElectrician2🏆 Master1d
15
Sorry man, it's the nature of the beast.
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DoorJamDud⭐ Expert1d
13
Collective BS, time to unionize against it.
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KeyKeeperKarl🏆 Master22h
20
We all hate the red tape.
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SpringSlinger⭐ Expert17h
8
Damn inspectors ruining good work.
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VentKing⭐ Expert11h
16
Hit $2M last year by specializing in permitted jobs only, forced me to get good at it.
