26 practice questions

Permits, Inspections & Building Codes

The prime contractor is responsible for every permit the job needs. These scenarios cover when permits are required, how inspections are sequenced, and the residential code requirements that inspectors check most often.

1. 01Who is responsible for permits on a Maryland home improvement job?The prime contractor. Under COMAR 09.08.01.08 you must obtain all necessary permits and licenses before work begins, and structural and plumbing changes always need them.
2. 02Can you skip permits if the homeowner asks you to?No. COMAR 09.08.01.08 makes pulling permits your duty as prime contractor, whatever the homeowner wants. Skipping them risks license revocation, lawsuits, and criminal liability if something fails.
3. 03How do you build permit costs into a contract?Include permit costs in the estimate and the contract so the price is transparent. Whoever pays the fees, COMAR 09.08.01.08 makes securing the permits your duty as prime contractor.
4. 04Which home projects need a permit in Maryland?It depends on your jurisdiction. Cosmetic work and like-for-like fixture swaps usually need none, taller fences often do, and water heaters usually do because of gas, water, and venting. When in doubt, pull the permit.
5. 05Do cosmetic bathroom refreshes in rentals need permits?It depends on the actual work. Replacing a vanity or toilet usually needs no permit, but moving plumbing does, and retiling a shower may need inspection. Walk every unit, define the scope, and check local permit rules before you quote.

6. 06What happens when an inspector finds work without a permit?Expect a stop-work order, double permit fees as a penalty, possible fines, and a possible report to the MHIC. Permit the work immediately; all existing work must be inspected, and some may have to be opened up.
7. 07What is your liability when unpermitted work fails?You face both the injury claim and MHIC discipline. Your $50,000 liability insurance responds to the claim, but because the work was never permitted or inspected, you also answer to the MHIC, and the homeowner's request is no defense.
8. 08How should you handle a problem the inspector finds?Acknowledge the discrepancy and commit to correcting it before re-inspection. You are responsible for all work on the job, including a subcontractor's, and arguing with the inspector does not change the code.
9. 09Why do building inspections happen in stages?Because work gets covered up. Each stage, from footings through framing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and insulation to final, must pass before it is enclosed; skip one and you open the walls back up at your own expense.
10. 10How do you get a building permit approved faster?Submit a complete, accurate application the first time and ask the permit office what was missing before. Clean submissions are processed faster, while incomplete ones are rejected and go to the back of the line.
11. 11Where is fire blocking required under IRC R302.11?In concealed combustible wall spaces at floor and ceiling levels, at stairway connections, and at other specified locations, using approved materials such as 2x lumber, 1/2-inch gypsum board, or mineral wool batts.
12. 12When does a basement bedroom need an egress window?Whenever the room will be used for sleeping. IRC R310 requires an egress window with at least 5.7 sq ft of net clear opening, 20 inches of width, 24 inches of height, and a sill no more than 44 inches above the floor; calling it a bonus room does not change that.
13. 13Where are smoke alarms required after a renovation?Under IRC R314: in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor level. New construction and renovations call for hardwired, interconnected alarms with battery backup.
14. 14Can a homeowner refuse GFCI outlets in the kitchen?No. NEC 210.8(A) requires GFCI protection for kitchen countertop receptacles and other wet locations, and a homeowner cannot opt out of electrical code. A tripping appliance is a problem with the appliance, not the outlet.
15. 15When does a deck stairway need a handrail?When the stairway has four or more risers, under IRC R311.7.8. The handrail must be graspable and run the full length of the stairs, and raising riser heights to avoid it breaks the maximum riser rule.
16. 16Does a bathroom need an exhaust fan under the IRC?It needs either a window of a minimum size or mechanical ventilation under IRC R303.3, but many Maryland jurisdictions require an exhaust fan regardless, especially in renovations. Check your local rules before relying on a window.
17. 17How must a deck ledger be attached to the house?With 1/2-inch lag screws or through-bolts at the specified spacing, under IRC R507.9.1.3. Nails are never acceptable, and improperly attached ledgers are a leading cause of deck collapses.
18. 18How is energy code compliance checked on an addition?At the insulation inspection, before drywall. Maryland adopts the IECC, most of the state is climate zone 4A, and the inspector will verify R-values, so keep the manufacturer's documentation on hand.
19. 19Does the ADA apply to a single-family bathroom remodel?No. The ADA does not apply to private single-family homes. Universal design touches, such as blocking behind shower and toilet walls for future grab bars, still cost little and add value.
20. 20When does a retaining wall need an engineered design?In most jurisdictions, once its exposed height exceeds 4 feet. A taller wall needs a geotechnical assessment, an engineered design with drainage, a building permit, and inspections.
21. 21What is required before removing a load-bearing wall?A structural engineer's design, a permit, and inspections. The engineer confirms the wall carries load, sizes the replacement beam, specifies temporary shoring, and checks the foundation can take the new point loads.
22. 22Can you build a deck over a utility easement?No. The utility has a legal right to access the easement and can force removal of anything built on it at the owner's expense, and the building department will not permit it. Redesign the deck to stay off the easement.
23. 23When does a patio trigger stormwater management in Maryland?When it adds enough impervious surface to cross your county's threshold. Maryland's Chesapeake Bay rules are strict; permeable pavers, rain gardens, or French drains can meet them, and some counties count existing surfaces too.
24. 24Does a building permit override HOA approval?No. A county permit covers building code compliance; HOA architectural approval is a separate private obligation of the homeowner. Ask HOA homeowners for approval before you start, and stop if a dispute arises.
25. 25How do you take over a job another contractor abandoned?Never inherit the previous contractor's liability: sign a new written contract for your scope, pull permits in your name, have existing work inspected, and document pre-existing conditions. The homeowner may recover through the Guaranty Fund.
26. 26How do you assess a homeowner's failed DIY renovation?Judge it against code before quoting. Undersized framing, unlicensed electrical, wrongly sloped drains, and missing moisture barriers cannot be built over; that work must be demolished and redone, or you inherit the violations.