Improving your home’s curb appeal can make it a more pleasant place to live and boost its value. Before you upgrade your yard, learn about local building and zoning regulations. You won’t need a permit for minor changes, like planting flowers, but for other projects, you will.
Landscaping Projects That Generally Require Permits
A permit is typically required for work that will significantly alter a property. For instance, if you want to excavate part of your yard or make other changes that can affect drainage, or if you want to have trees cut down, you’ll need a permit.
Many outdoor projects involve adding a new structure, such as a pool, deck, patio, fence or retaining wall. Those kinds of additions typically require permits. You might have to place the new structure a minimum distance from the property line, and a fence or wall might have to meet height restrictions.
Some areas are subject to additional regulations because of environmental concerns. If you live near a waterway or a protected habitat, you might have to meet more stringent requirements.
What Can Happen If You Don’t Get a Permit
Obtaining a permit for a landscaping project can be a hassle, but it can protect you and others. If you’re supposed to get a permit, but you don’t, you might be required to stop work in progress and pay a fine.
A landscaping project that’s done wrong can lead to much more serious problems. For example, if the grading in your yard is modified incorrectly, it might cause erosion or flood your neighbor’s yard. If your new deck doesn’t meet safety codes, someone can get seriously injured, and you can be required to pay higher insurance premiums in the future.
If unpermitted work causes problems for your neighbors or damages the environment, you might get sued. If a project is not inspected, you might be unaware of a safety hazard until someone gets hurt. If you decide to sell your house in the future and the buyer learns that you had work done without a permit, a deal might fall through at the last minute.
Permit requirements and safety inspections are intended to prevent all of that. If your contractor makes a mistake, it can be caught and corrected before it causes a problem. If an inspector concludes that everything has been done correctly, that can give you peace of mind.
Research Local Requirements
Zoning rules and building codes can differ significantly from one city or town to another. Getting a permit might be simple and straightforward, or you might need help from a professional. For example, you might need to have an engineer create a detailed plan and submit it to the local authorities for review. Talk to a landscape architect or contact your local building department to discuss your plans and learn about your community’s requirements.
