The contractors you hire would be responsible to you for the work they do. They would be responsible to the city for having the required licenses and insurance.

If you are suggesting that you would ask contractors to tell the city that they will do the work and then allow you to do it instead, I suspect you would both be in violation of the law. What the punishment for that is I don't know but I can't imagine why a licensed contractor would risk having his license suspended or revoked in these difficult times.

Do you need permits to do the work yourself?

What jasperdog said. It's a good idea, even if you are an ace at wiring and plumbing, because they are on top of whatever code changes have happened in the last several years. Our town has the same rules, with an additional one that no one but a licensed plumber is allowed to work on any gas lines - so you can't go the "consultant" route if you need to move the lines for your stove, dryer, water heater, etc. That makes a lot of sense to me b/c the danger extends beyond any one person's property lines when you start messing with gas lines.

The purpose of electrical and plumbing permits is to prevent an unlicensed person from doing electrical and plumbing work (other than simple repairs) for a house and to allow a city inspector to review the work at certain stages. Whatever you do to circumvent that process will be illegal.

The best you might be able to do legally is to persuade the contractors to let you so some of the work yourself under their supervision (in other words, while they are on the site) but the cost savings to you would probably be minimal and the risk to them quite high and not covered by their insurance.

If you want to circumvent the building code why get a permit?

The town wants to be sure that the work done in their jurisdiction is safe and to code. In other words, yes, you technically can do your own work, but only if you are a licensed electrician or licensed plumber. A trade can work on his own house. A homeowner, no, they don't want DIYers mucking up how their system works. I know plenty of guys in the trades and not one of them would sign off on work done by an amateur or let one work for them even under "supervision".

And I know towns like this. The minute you start to go around how their process works is the minute the code inspector shows up on your doorstep and puts a halt to everything. Fines you. If you think you can get away with not hiring a pro, then you will most certainly have issues living in this municipality.

My city allows home owners to pull their own permits. The work can be done by anyone. The work does have to be code compliant or better.

I have worked on houses where a 'pro'(meaning a licensed company/person) did unacceptable work, but had a 'deal' with the inspectors who passed the work.

The result is that different areas have different requirements and home owners are still responsible for their own work and making the best decisions about who does the work.

In our area, homeowners can apply for permits involving submitting plans for a plan review by the county, any structural being engineered by a licensed professional, any soils compaction concerns or perk testing done by a licensed firm and state licensed electricians and plumbers performing the work. Any sub for that matter is required to be licensed by the state and insured. This is for new builds, remodels, additions, decks, etc.

You may have been misinformed by the building official or perhaps you misunderstood he/she yourself, but no sane contractor in their right mind would sign their game for you to obtain a permit, no matter how much dinero was involved for a fee, which as stated, would be illegal in any area as I understand it. Reminds me of the old days here when builders who had retired would "sell" their license to unlicensed individuals to perform under their # until the county caught on imposing fines and in one case, jail time foe both parties involved.

I would go down and have another go at talking with your building official at how the process works in your area, but this time ask for the "boss", not the person greeting you at the front desk.

"Our town has the same rules, with an additional one that no one but a licensed plumber is allowed to work on any gas lines"

Where are you?
Sounds like Massachusetts.

"The purpose of electrical and plumbing permits is to prevent an unlicensed person from doing electrical and plumbing work (other than simple repairs) for a house and to allow a city inspector to review the work at certain stages."

The purpose is to assure that work is done to code.

Inspections are used to assure the work is to code.

Allowing only licensed electricians and plumbers is a job protection strategy for the electricians and plumbers, nothing more.

The north east US seems to have a LOT of this type of 'job protection' law.

"The town wants to be sure that the work done in their jurisdiction is safe and to code."

This is what inspections are supposed to assure.

There are plenty of homeowners that are capable of performing their own plumbing, electrical, and even gas work.

The last few gas explosions around Northern Virgina have NOT been from homeowner work.

Some cities and towns in Ma. allow single family owners to pull permits, the town I live in does. Ma. law allows cities and towns to supersede state and national codes.When you get to multi unit dwellings it is a whole different ball game, every trade must be licensed.Only a licensed plumber may install gas appliances in any dwelling.
Any structural renovations or new construction must be stamped by PE.The potential for serious loss of property and life is very high. Many cities have a high density of mutli unit wooden structures. One simple mistake by a homeowner could be disastrous to a whole block.
The city of Somerville which is right next to Cambridge has the distinction of being one of the most densely populated cities in the country and 95% of the housing stock is wood framed.
Right now there is a push to install sprinklers in all new construction and renovations.This group has had people by the short hairs for a long time,sprinkler fitters and design firms of which there are only a handful and costs are pretty much fixed no matter who you use.

Thanks for all the great info guys. I agree with brickeyee its just job protection laws. I don't see why I can't do work on my own home and then have the county inspect it to make sure its up to code and done right. If its not I'll tare it out and do it again until its right. The end result is the same. Its just frustrating to not have the freedom to work on your own home anymore.

I was just surprised that the boss ( not the girl at front desk) at the planning and development office told me to get a contractor to pull them for me then it was ok for me to do all the work on my own he even gave me a name and phone number of a guy who would do it. Sounds a little shady to me. If I was a contractor I would never attach my name to somebody els' work no matter how good they are. Sounds like the best option is to hire a contractor as a consultant but according to some of you that might even be illegal.

Dependent on how it goes in your state, you might contact the next county over and see how it works there. Sometimes it varies county to county and getting info from another county gives you a chance to ask why it would be different in yours. If you find out there shouldn't be a difference then you know something is wrong with your building official's info and possible scam.

Homeowners out here are welcome to do it all, it just involves some licensed pros to get the process started as mentioned above in my response. Inspections are inspections no matter who does the work and have to meet the minimums layed out by the state, county, town typically following the I.R.C. with area specific differences when applicaple.

I've seen homeowners that have done way safer and saner work, electrical, plumbing, or otherwise on their projects and I agree with you that "Its just frustrating to not have the freedom to work on your own home anymore", or at least that's the direction it seems to be headed.

Multifamily housing has always required more certified workers, but not allowing ANY homeowner work (especially if they live there) is nothing but trade protectionism in the name of 'safety.'

Another use of the permits is for the assessors to increase the assessed value for taxes.
Update an old kitchen and the assessors eyes brighten.

What is usually the punishment for not pulling permits?

Fines and on completed projects, they can make you remove sidings, roofing, drywall, floorings, all for inspection reasons everything from structural, electrical. plumbing, etc. On projects in progress they will shut you down, fine you, get you to start the permit process and remove anything hindiring an inspection(s). When or if you decide to sell and it's known that work has been done without permits/inspections, that can come back to bite you as well. I'm sure there are many other variables in which you would get hammered, so why take a risk on something that will end up costing big in the long run. If you research and communicate with your building dept. on how the process works, it's not that big a deal in most jurisdictions, and contrary to popullar belief, not all that involved monetarily considering the number of people involved and the inspections during the process. A lot hinders on the project though and the size and steps involved with it. Out here you have to permit up just to fart, then hazmat is involved along with the E.P.A. on you for spewing toxic gases!

It really just boils down to money for the most part in most cases, but permitting typically coincides with safety/codes

The north east US seems to have a LOT of this type of 'job protection' law.

I offered to rewire my Mom's house in the Rotten Apple. But she absolutely refused, pointing out that if this outrageous act was discovered, the wiring would have to be ripped out and reinstalled by a licensed electrician.

"Public safety" is the all-purpose excuse for protectionism. If they had their way entirely, the unions and their captive pols would return us in an instant to the pre-capitalist Guild system.

So far, here in socialist Canada (Toronto, at least) I'm able to wire, plumb (gas lines excepted) and build in my own home as long as it meets current Codes and passes inspection.

Anyone old enough here to remember when painting unions forbade the use of rollers? Too bad they didn't think to have them outlawed in the interest of public safety. (Or nowadays in the War on Terra.)

For DIY first you must get caught. How,neighbors with an axe to grind, overzealous building inspectors who cruise around looking for tell tale signs and yes, Brickeyee certain trades people.
Sierraeast got most of it, but I will say the revenue is what is no.1. Permit costs are based on estimated value of a project, these inspectors must earn their keep. Your town has no vested interest in your property, but they do want their pound of flesh.

"Anyone old enough here to remember when painting unions forbade the use of rollers?"

You would be run out of the union if you got caught using them.
Brushwork only.

The Greater Kansas City area has a lot of individual townships, all having their own variant of the Building Codes.

Very often, I found I knew more about the building codes than the inspector. When I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the codes office would send out new inspectors for training, especially if we were rehabbing a house.

Building codes were originally developed to protect the home/building owner from unsafe/incorrect workmanship/materials.

Did not take long for authorities/unions/politicians to subvert that intent and make the codes into protective/money making affairs.

"The Greater Kansas City area has a lot of individual townships, all having their own variant of the Building Codes."

Time to lobby for a statewide uniform code and state level preemption of the local authority.

We had the same problem in Virginia for many years, with each county and city doing what it wanted.

This led to things like applying the 180 V-A allocation 'per receptacle' used for sizing commercial work to residential work, ad that was the least of it.

If you tried to run a large motor only circuit they inspectors thought you came from mars. "Those wires are smaller than required. You cannot use anything smaller than #10 on a 30 amp breaker."

Article 430? "What's that?"

Article 440? "Never heard of it.

you should have seen the cost they caused on an industrial elevator branch circuit.

The overall lack of any actual industry in the area caused all sorts of problems for the few commercial and residential users who had heavy equipment (lathes. mills, shears, power bending and forming equipment).

I had to deal with them both for my equipment an the equipment at my employer.

No knowledge of current limited control circuit rules "You can only use AC for those." ended up as a protracted fight over low voltage control wiring.
We finally told them to cite us and call the prosecutor after we refused to kowtow to the stupidity.
It was NOT pretty.

Now we have a Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) and the only fight is some of the bogus interpretation foisted off by locals occasionally.
The locals seem to have gotten a little more reluctant to fight over things they do not know.

I'll admit, I did not hear this first hand. "Its 208 you better call the the power company its supposed to be 220, these people are getting screwed"

"Building codes were originally developed to protect the home/building owner from unsafe/incorrect workmanship/materials. "

Building codes in the US were originally developed to protect buildings from fire and reduce insurance company losses. Some large cities had codes in the mid to late 1800's but it wasn't until 1905 that the National Board of Fire Underwriters published the "National Building Code". Codes that required protections for occupants were not developed until the 30's and 40's and did not include single family homes until later. There are still parts of the US where there are no residential building codes.

Permits anyone. This article just appeared in the Boston paper.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1390733&srvc=rss

"Permits anyone. This article just appeared in the Boston paper.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1390733&srvc=rss "

And this appears to be a licensed plumber.

So much for the job protection laws improving safety.