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Getaway
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 02:53am
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Hello, first time user. I just bought 2.12acres land by Huntsville. Previous owner had built a 16 by 16 cabin...it’s 3/4 complete. He didn’t get a permit for it, and I am wondering if I need to or not. The cabin is sitting atop or on cement blocks and level. It doesn’t appear to be touching the ground. Would this have been done as this may avoid the need for a permit? And if I do need a permit, how are they with pre-existing builds when a new owner buys land? I really don’t want to have to tear the cabin down. I’m going to try to attach a picture.....thx in advance. Any info would be appreciated.
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hunt_camper
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 06:29am
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You will need a permit in Huntsville area. Contact the local building department. Being proactive might make the process go a bit smoother. Keep us posted!
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Princelake
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 06:54am
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Permits and inspectors are going out of control these days. I'm doing a job right now where the lady bought a house with a newly renovated recroom. She pulled a permit to put in a bathroom. When the inspector came he saw the new recroom and knew no permits were pulled. She is now going through title insurance and we are gutting and redoing a perfectly fine recroom. If you call the building department they could make you take it down, fine you, or if your lucky just bring everything up to code. Now on the other hand the building department looks at satellite images and could see a new structure or if a neighborhood is upset they can call and say theres some new building up on that property. So you can say nothing and hope you never get caught or call and get the headache dealt with.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 07:01am
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Call the town. What state is Huntsville in?
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Irrigation Guy
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 07:03am - Edited by: Irrigation Guy
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You can always call them up and speak “hypotheticallyâ€
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hunt_camper
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 07:29am
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Quoting: Brettny What state is Huntsville in?
Oops...I assumed Huntsville, Ontario, Canada when I posted my comment. I know, us Canadians are always so self centered  !!
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Bruces
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 08:00am
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Your lawyer should of caught that before transfer
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 10:36am
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I hope you bought the place for the price of the land only. Usualy these questions are asked prior to money changing hands.
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Getaway
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 12:46pm
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Hi, thx for the feedback so far. Yes I did pay a price reflective of just the land. The cabin is nicely done and would really like to finish/use it. I would like to think these inspectors practise common sense and are open to the idea of exceptions? It would be a shame to have to tear down this nice cabin. Ya think an inspector would be able to come out, have a look, and if there is anything wrong with it.....have me fix it and everyone is happy. I’m wondering if the fact that the previous owner built the cabin up on cement blocks negates any permits issues. Thx
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jsahara24
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 01:25pm
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It completely depends on your local laws/inspectors. Where my cabin is that design would be fine, other places it would require a sealed drawing to support it.
What is the pulse of your area? What do you see from other properties? Can you see the cabin from the road?
Really you have two options as far as I can see it. Decide if you are willing to put money into the cabin while risking potentially getting caught without a permit, and pleading ignorance if you do and hoping for the best.
Or bite the bullet and go thru whatever formal process the municipality/county has in place to get it permitted. Hopefully it would go as you described above, but I work in an area where they would most certainly make you remove it, and my cabin is in a place where they would be amazed you reported yourself and would definitely work with you. So its hard to give advice without knowing what type of area you're in....
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2020 01:26pm
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Building on concrete blocks certainly does not negate permits. At least in Ontario
I wouldn’t count on an inspector being reasonable but certainly many are. Your only option is to call and start the discussion
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bushbunkie
Member
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2020 08:09pm
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I'm on the Bruce Peninsula and agree with FishHog...call and ask some hypothetical questions but don't be surprised if the building is already on bylaw's radar... and that's why the guy may have sold it if he was ratted out by a nosy neighbour. As someone else said, this information should have been cleared up by your real estate agent, though maybe you got a heck of a deal on the land value alone and the cabin is just icing on the cake, so no biggie. In our area, real state says clearly upfront that acerage cannot be purchased for trailers, bunkies, etc. until a permanent dwelling is onsite built to code, so you know going in.
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