Is it necessary to obtain a building permit in PR to do any construction around a house? Someone appears to be building a structure in the laneway behind my house which I wonder if it has been actually approved. Would it be ok for me to inquire at City Hall about this?
Unfortunately, no. City hall no longer takes inquiries from the public. To even get in the front door you need to know the passcode, the secret handshake and have your retinas scanned. There is a sign on the front door to direct any bylaw complaints to Larry Golden. He’s the sheriff round these parts.
Is this person actually impeding on your laneway preventing you from using it(ie…do you use the laneway, is it even cleared or accessible?), is he bothering you in any way or are you just trying to play city police here?
Building permits need to be obtained for larger construction jobss (replacing windows, building a new porch or deck, anything structural)…things like painting or minor repairs, aesthetic improvements don’t need permits.
That being said, I would say more than 50% of people don’t get building permits and risk it.
You can get a file on the house from City Hall if you want. It should have information an all permits and work done to the house.