Even if your repair or renovation is completed and everything seems to be fine, it could be years before you find something wrong. Even worse, you could learn about problems after you decide to sell your home. At a minimum, you’ll have to disclose the problem. More than likely, you’ll have to make some repairs and/or reduce the price of your home. That is exactly what happened to one of our contractor’s clients.
During one of the extreme cold spells we experienced in northern Nevada this winter, one of our contractors was contacted to repair some damage caused by frozen pipes in a “cottage” on his property. When our contractor went to look at the damage, he realized that the dwelling was not up to code and he suspected that it was a converted garage. There were issues with the sewer vent, grading, electrical and fire hazards and other problems that made the dwelling illegal and unsafe. He explained to the homeowner the liability issues and that as a licensed contractor he couldn’t perform the work without bringing the cottage up to code.
The homeowner had already received quotes from other contractors that were willing to just fix the pipes.
It turns out that the homeowner’s mother had purchased the property and none of this was brought to her attention. The “cottage” was built without any permits and the property is not zoned for duel dwellings. The homeowner has now listed the property for sale as though the “cottage” doesn’t exist. He thanked the contractor for saving him from making a huge mistake. “If I had pursued the repairs,” he said, “I could have run into major problems and expenses on all levels.”
Visit the Builders Association of Northern Nevada Remodelers Council webpage for a list of remodelers dedicated to providing professional service and quality work.
You can also contact the Nevada State Contractors Board to make sure your contractor is licensed by calling 775-688-1141.
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