By BILL ANDERSEN
With age, houses in Sunnyvale have worn out and passed out of style. Sometimes, they grew too small or in some way became inadequate.
Owners of these houses, in increasing numbers over the years, replaced roofs and windows. Some remodeled kitchens and bathrooms. Others converted garages or added rooms or a second story.
In so doing, owners changed the structure, mechanics, plumbing and electrical system of their houses--changes that by law require the approval of the city of Sunnyvale.
Most of these property owners or their contractors dutifully obtained approval by applying for a permit at the city's Building Department, paying a fee proportional to the value of the improvement, and having their changes inspected at the appropriate phase of completion.
Mr. and Mrs. Ivra Timrepon did not, and their omission caused them great difficulty and expense. Though the Timrepons are fictional characters, their experience is real in various degrees for some actual property owners.
When Mr. and Mrs. Timrepon decided to move to the foothills of the Sierra, they discovered they could not sell their Sunnyvale house despite many years of caring ownership. Very attractive, the house was modernized by the self-sufficient Timrepons with replacements, improvements and additions. Their real estate agent informed them that finding a buyer was no problem--but the Timrepons could not transfer title to a new owner.
Having done the work themselves and having acted as their own contractor, the Timrepons had failed to acquire permits and approvals from the city of Sunnyvale for their modernization. Buyers would not or could not buy their property because of the unknown and possibly large expense of obtaining approval. Banks would not loan money to a buyer because the illegal changes might invalidate the homeowner's insurance in the case of an accident.
The Timrepons would have to obtain approval if they wanted to sell.
When the Timrepons requested that the city approve the changes they had made, building inspectors examined their property. Several shingles were removed in determining that the replacement roof was satisfactory. To inspect the electrical wiring and plumbing necessitated cutting open many of the walls. Although the wiring was up to the code requirements at the time of installation, under the present code it was not. Much of the wiring had to be replaced.
The chimney was broken open to inspect for adequate steel-rod reinforcement, which was there. But the added room over the garage was found to be structurally unsafe and had to be torn down.
As a result of their neglect through ignorance, the Timrepons endured an expensive and lengthy travail obtaining approval from the city for their already completed changes. If the Timrepons were real, I am sure they would warn you to avoid the difficulty they brought on themselves.
Don't think that obtaining a permit is an unnecessary nuisance and that no one will ever notice or care whether the changes you are planning for your real property are approved or not. Arrange ahead of time with Sunnyvale's Building Department to obtain approval.
Bill Andersen is a Sunnyvale real estate broker.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 28, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.