Building permit help?????

Thanks all for the help.
I'm sorta in the middle.....Exactly where I new this would head. Long story short I avoided this for several years because we don't own the land. It is my wife's inheritance.......assured to us written in stone blah, blah, blah.

Fast forward to me and the wife ready and willing to relocate and walk away to get on with our own dreams. One being the building.
They got wind and are now eager to help, but only with extremely cheap financing. So here we are....cheap loan, still not the owner of land, and handcuffed to pull permits and the shots.

They are stubbornly passionate about doing this without a permit.....another long talk.

I got 90 percent of it all ready for permits. The building is fully engineered with stamps and drawings. Yet they are going to sign papers tomorrow to get it all aggricultural. Something Davie requires.

God help me this shouldn't be a fiasco.
Guess I will here something tomorrow.
 
That's going to be tough. I wouldn't want to go through all that trouble and expense and not do it right.

Why avoid building permits? It's not complicated or expensive.
 
rockcity said:
Why avoid building permits? It's not complicated or expensive.
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Come on down to Gaston County, I'm sure they'll change your mind :p
 
jeepinmatt said:
Come on down to Gaston County, I'm sure they'll change your mind :p
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Meh. I've pulled permits in Catawba, Pitt, Wake, Mecklenburg, and Durham counties. It can't be anymore than what I've experienced. Although I've heard of some horror stories recently of some pretty strict cities and towns.

Pitt County has been, by far, the easiest to pull permits and go through the inspection process.
 
rockcity said:
However, if your permit office says you need it, regardless of the the GS states, get it for $25. Otherwise you'll spend 20 times that proving your point that they are wrong and you are right to the one office that you really want to be friends with and don't want to piss off
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Solid advice. :D
 
Call the building inspector and invite him/her to lunch. Explain everything you want over a meal. You'll get the right answer and a proactive view from them. Could help out in the long run.
 
Directly from LiensNC website...

Q: Will my Appointment be required if my project includes a garage, shed or other accessory building?
A: Yes, if the use is incidental to the residence, a Lien Agent if the combined improvements cost $30,000 or more. However, a Lien Agent will not be required for construction of an accessory building being added to the owner's existing, established residence where improvements are being made to the property. (As defined in the NC residential building code.)
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If you're adding this garage to property where your house is, the answer is no, you don't need it, at least that's how we've always interpreted the law. It's convoluted and isn't worded very well. It's a pain for the public, it's a pain for inspections departments. That being said, if they want it, just get it. The law has been interpreted many ways and comes down to what the local County Attorney believes it says.

On to the agricultural exemption, there are 5 legal options to be a "bonafide" farm in the State of NC. Specifically those are found in NCGS 153A-340 for Counties. I don't know much about town/city law so I'm not certain as to where their definitions are, but they can be a lot more strict on ag. buildings. Basically to qualify as a farm exemption you need one of 5 items:

A) Farm sales tax exemption certificate from the Department of Revenue
B) A copy of the property tax listing showing the property is eligible (or participating) in the present use tax value program.
C) A copy of the farm owner's or operator's Schedule F from the owner's or operator's most recent federal income tax return.
D) A forest management plan.
E) A Farm Identification Number issued by the USDA - Farm Service Agency.

In addition to those items, the building has to be used for production or activities relating to or incidental to the production of crops, grains, fruits, vegetables, ornamental and flowering plants, dairy, livestock, poultry, and all other forms of agriculture. Non-farm products that the Department of Ag. and Consumer Services recognizes as a "Goodness Grows in NC" product is also protected. Generally storage of residential items such as R/V's or non-farm vehicles removes the building from this protection. Don't use the "it's an ag. building" as a way out, because if anything you'll come under a lot more scrutiny.

As an aside, this is the reason why you get chicken houses all over the damn place. Counties can't regulate their location, even in the slightest.

Regarding your builder saying you don't need a permit, be wary of the pre-fab metal building folks. They almost never pull permits, and prefer to be completely out of the loop when it comes to getting them. They are generally un-licensed and only have interest in setting up the building and getting out of there. They do good work, but usually have no interest in getting permits. I can tell you point blank that your building needs a permit, and your way out as an "ag. building" really isn't an option.
 
Agreed completely, tell that to my 80 year old father in law. He's the pain in the ass who doesn't want to play ball. I had his word he would sign what ever was needed.
I learned years ago his word wasn't shit. Now here I am. Again.
I had the wife convinced to walk away from this 95 acre plot........wish we would have ran when I had the chance.
BTW your spot on for the stance of this building outfit....but I knew that going in.
 
(a2) No permit issued under Articles 9 or 9C of Chapter 143 shall be required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code and costing fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or less in any single family residence or farm building unless the work involves any of the following:

Now that is a huge bridge through the land of Oz.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
I had the wife convinced to walk away from this 95 acre plot........wish we would have ran when I had the chance.
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Eh, it might be worth it. 95 acres in Davie isn't so bad. Davie County is growing decently enough, and Mocksville is a fairly nice town. I know the Town Manager for Mocksville and he is a great guy and will only do amazing things with the Town. You're not far from Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Statesville, Hickory, and only an hour or so to Charlotte. Uwharrie is right at your back door too, like an hour away. If you get it for free or close to it, I'd call it a win.
 
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The lower half does this very often. Completely unusable, except crops that get flooded regular. Deer, coyotes, and Turkey. None that I can hunt til somebody pushes daisies. But I damn sure here about everything 100 years old needing kept up.
 
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