Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

A few years ago we dormered our house - now the contractor is telling us we can't get the CO because we have a shed in our backyard that doesn't have a permit.

Evidently, he found out about it when he applied for the building permit, but instead of telling us, he indicated on the permit that they would knock down the shed since it has no permit. (he never mentioned this to us)

Now we can choose to
a) pay him $700 to get the permit for the shed via the contractor
b) apply to get the permit ourselves.

I'd like to argue the need for the permit since the shed was there when we bought the house
and
we received a different CO for different work before we dormered the house and it was not an issue then.

The shed is 10X10 and on a cement block.

I also would rather pay someone else to take care of this for me than the shady contractor that I once liked, but now am pi$$ed with b/c he knew this would be an issue amd did not mention it to us once..

I work full time and have a 19 month old - no time to do it myself.

Any advice at all will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

You can apply to get the permit yourself. Its not a hard process.

You need 3 copies of your survey

Two more copies with the shed drawn in showing the size and location of the shed.

A drawing of the shed, if you have a brochure from the shed company make 2 copies of that and bring it

Two or 3 photos of the shed

An application (can be filled out and notorized while at the town) and a check for $200 made payable to the Town of Hempstead. Fill in the cost of construction on the application as $1000 or less if it cost less. That makes the town fee the cheapest. If they determine it to be more than $1000, you will get hit for an additional fee at the end when the permit is approved

It isnt hard to do but its not the most pleasant place on earth.

Good Luck

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

I might try to negotiate the price with the contractor. I think the problem you are going to run into is the fact that he stated on his permit application that they were going to take down the shed. They may not allow him to close out his permit and get the CO for the dormer if the demolition of the shed was not completed and this was included in the work description on his permit. I would ask him for a copy of his permit application to see if this is even true before I even considered giving him another dime.

You could probably go to the Town to explain what happened, but you have to go M-F between 9-4:45 and you might not get it all cleared up in one visit. For me, I would be ticked off that the contractor did this, but I might try offering the $200 the PP mentioned for the Town fee and give him an extra $100 so I don't have to take the time off from work. Whatever you do, I wouldn't pay him his money until I had something in writing from the Town, showing that the CO was issued.

After reading the post above mine, I am going to add....these should be 2 seperate permits. I would want to know if they were actually combined into 1 permit before I did anything. If they were combined, I think the contractor screwed up or knew he could get more money out of you if you didn't ask him to take the shed down. If the shed wasn't included in his application, you should be able to apply for the permit yourself.

Message edited 10/22/2009 4:16:17 PM.

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

Welcome to the not so wonderful world of the TOH Building department. I don't understand how you could have bought then dormered a house with no CO for the shed. I would go there and check for yourself, but bring your patience with you.

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

Message edited 10/22/2009 5:22:50 PM.

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

feel like sharing who your contractor is? is it levitstyle?

you can FM me...

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

How did they not tell you that your shed was illegal when you bought the house?

Mine is illegal and i'm TOH and they told me when I went into contract on the house!

Meanwhile, why the hell do you need a permit for a shed? Its basically on "on the property storage unit"

Wish I could help you!

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

This happened to us and we had 3 shed, it cost up a small fortune

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

call his bluff and tell him that you don't "need" your permit right now...

why did he wait all those years to get your permit? shouldn't it have been done PRIOR to the work getting done?

Re: Getting a Permit for a Shed in Hempstead

bring your baby with you and get it yourself... make sure it's a day that your baby screams alot... they'll get you in and out. add in a smelly diaper too...

Did your house pass the final inspection?

this will probably be bigger than you think it is, i tell you this from experience with that contractor.