Plumbing infrastructure is something that is both complex and requires a lot of work to get just right. That’s why if you need any plumbing work done, whether it’s a repair to a broken system or an upgrade to improve things, it’s best to let experts like a certified Greensboro plumber do the job for you. Unless you are looking for employment opportunities, in which case you will also need plumbing permits.
However, bringing in an expert isn’t always all you need to do. In some cases, before the work on the plumbing can't even start, without the permit. So what is this document, and why do you need it? We’ll explain that, and the reasons you need it now!
1 - Keeping the city updated
You can probably take a guess from the name alone about what a plumbing permit is. It’s an official, legal document that is issued to you by the municipal government of Greensboro, stating that they have approved the plumbing work you want to do on your home or workplace.
Of course, that means you’ll first have to submit an application to the city that needs to be evaluated before the approval and permit can be given. The first and most important reason you may want a plumbing permit for your next project is that this is protection for you. It means that any work done on your home is not just approved by the city, its presence has been logged, verified, and exists in the city records.
This means that if you decide to sell your home one day, and the potential buyers bring in a home inspector, that home inspector won’t run into a big problem for you, such as finding out the renovated bathroom you added doesn’t exist in city records, and is therefore illegal. This would adversely affect the outcome of selling your property once the buyers believe you were trying to deceive them with illegal work in your home.
2 - It’s the law sometimes
You don’t need to secure a plumbing permit for every job. If you’re just repairing an existing piece of plumbing, such as a water pipe sprung a leak, or the kids flushed something down the toilet, and the drainage pipe needs to be cleared, a Greensboro plumber can get straight to work on that, with no extra documents required.
However, if something is going to be a major addition or alteration, such as a new water heater is being installed, or you’re renovating your home and adding a new bathroom/water closet, that means the plumbing infrastructure of your home is fundamentally changing. In these cases, the law requires that the new addition is registered with the city and a plumbing permit be issued.
3 - It’s not that expensive
While a plumbing permit isn’t free, it also doesn’t take a big bite out of your budget. Plumbing permits are broken up into two parts. The first is the flat fee for the permit and inspection, which is $75.
Added to that is whatever the nature of the job is, so there may be an additional $10 if a gas pipe is being built in for a water heater, or there may be a cost of $7 if a water softener is being installed.
If you have any plumbing work that needs to be done in Greensboro, NC, make sure the job is done right. Get an experienced Greensboro plumber to help, and see if you need a plumbing permit for it.