Title: Are you considering buying a home in Dallas? Read this before!
I get the whole permit thing, but sometimes it feels like a bit much. When I was looking at places, I saw a garage that had been turned into a “home theater”—looked super cool, popcorn machine and all. The owner swore it was “grandfathered in,” whatever that means. My agent started side-eyeing the ceiling height and wiring, and suddenly my dreams of movie nights turned into visions of city inspectors knocking on my door.
But honestly, I kinda get why people skip permits. The process is slow, expensive, and half the time you’re just waiting for someone to show up and sign off on stuff. Not saying it’s right, but if you’re handy or know someone who is, it’s tempting to just go for it and hope nobody notices. Especially when you see how much contractors charge just to pull a permit.
That said, I’m not brave enough to risk it myself. The idea of buying a place and then finding out I have to rip out half the walls because something wasn’t up to code? No thanks. But I do wonder if sometimes we make too big a deal out of minor stuff—like, does it really matter if there’s an extra closet or a tiny shed that isn’t on the plans? Maybe for resale value, sure... but for living day-to-day? Feels like overkill.
Anyway, I guess there’s no perfect answer. Permits are annoying but skipping them can be worse. Still, sometimes I wish there was a middle ground where you could just sign a waiver saying “I promise not to sue anyone if my bonus room collapses.” Would make things way less stressful (and probably more fun).
I hear you on the permit headaches—when I refinanced last year, the appraiser flagged a sunroom addition that wasn’t on record. It turned into a paperwork mess and delayed everything. I get why folks skip permits, but it can bite you later, especially with lenders or insurance. Has anyone actually had to undo work because of missing permits, or is it more just a threat agents use to scare buyers?
Has anyone actually had to undo work because of missing permits, or is it more just a threat agents use to scare buyers?
I've seen it happen—my neighbor had to tear out a finished basement because the city wouldn't sign off after the fact. Not just a threat, unfortunately. Curious if Dallas is stricter than other places, or is it about the same everywhere?
I've definitely run into this—had a project in Richardson where we had to rip out a new bathroom because the permits weren't pulled. It's not just scare tactics, though sometimes agents do play it up. Dallas can be strict, but honestly, I've seen similar issues pop up in Plano and even smaller towns around here. Is it just me, or does it feel like the rules change depending on who you talk to at the city?
Is it just me, or does it feel like the rules change depending on who you talk to at the city?
Honestly, I’ve noticed the same thing. One inspector says you’re good, the next one wants you to redo half the work. Ever had a situation where you got conflicting info from two different departments? I had a kitchen reno in Garland where planning said one thing and code enforcement said another. How do you even keep track of what’s actually required?
