Your Legal Questions Answered

If your contractor did not pull the required permits for roof and siding work on your house, you have several options to address this issue. If the work has already been completed without the necessary permits, you might still be able to pull the permits after the fact, although this usually involves paying more than the normal fee and passing a code inspection. If the work fails to meet local code requirements, your options are limited and may involve significant costs.

The responsibility for obtaining permits typically falls on the contractor or a subcontractor working under them. If your contractor was supposed to pull permits but failed to do so, and this was stipulated in your contract, you could potentially sue for breach of contract, among other legal grounds such as civil theft, fraud, or poor workmanship depending on the facts.

If the contract does not clearly assign the responsibility for obtaining permits, the situation becomes more nuanced. However, you can argue that an experienced contractor should know to secure permits before beginning work. Therefore, it's advisable to consult with an attorney to explore your options. This may include suing the contractor for breach of contract or other related charges if their failure to pull permits resulted in code violations or other issues. Additionally, you could file a complaint with regulatory bodies to seek sanctions or fines against the contractor for their oversight. If you would like to learn more, read our article "Can I Sue My Contractor for Doing Unpermitted Work?" If you would like to speak to one of our attorneys that deals with contractors that fail to pull permits please contact us to schedule a consultation.