Would you buy a house if Former Owner finished the Basement?

[Jim Becker]

I would personally be more concerned about electrical screwups than plumbing screwups. I can't think of a plumbing problem that would result in a call to a plumbing equivalent of the local fire department.

I'm with you there, but many of the local jurisdictions don't require permits for incidental electrical work which is what commonly gets done in projects like this thread talks about. I will say that when we bought this house three years ago, the very first things I needed to fix were some VERY SCARY electrical things that the previous "weekend warrior" did...including wire nut splices in walls and romex run along a baseboard with spackle over it to hide it. And all of the outlets I've replaced were using "push in" connections on the back which was sketchy on some. That dates back to the original builder in 1993.

[Bill Dufour]

My town used to have a good site showing what you needed permits for or not. Now it is no way to know everything is call and find out. Used to be a 100amp panel or larger changeout required no permit. under 100 amp a permit was required. Has that changed. I have no idea.
BilLD

[Brian Elfert]

I don't think Minnesota technically allows any electrical work without a permit with one exception. My understanding is a contractor can remove and reinstall light fixtures and receptacles if they are replacing siding, drywall work, or the like. They can only reinstall the same fixture or receptacle. A replacement fixture or receptacle would technically require an electrical permit, but I am sure many contractors have installed new light fixtures and receptacles while doing other work.

Electrical permitting is a state thing in Minnesota.

[Perry Holbrook]

I don't think Minnesota technically allows any electrical work without a permit with one exception. My understanding is a contractor can remove and reinstall light fixtures and receptacles if they are replacing siding, drywall work, or the like. They can only reinstall the same fixture or receptacle. A replacement fixture or receptacle would technically require an electrical permit, but I am sure many contractors have installed new light fixtures and receptacles while doing other work.

Electrical permitting is a state thing in Minnesota.

I want to make sure I understand this. Are you saying that if you go down the electrical isles at Home Depot or Lowes, that all those people buying wire, light switches, light fixtures or wire nuts, etc, need to have a permit before they can use them? I'd say it would be very rare (except for some contractors) here for anyone in those isles having permits.

[Mark Wedel]

Permit requirements vary location to location. But a lot of people do minor stuff that technically require permits, but almost no one ever files a permit for it unless it is part of some larger work.

In many places, replacing an outlet or light switch does not require a permit. Adding a new outlet might, but lots of people might add one without a permit. Replacing a water heater probably does every place, yet home depot is selling those and I imagine a lot of folks are replacing their old ones and not pulling permits for it. But for those, at least after the fact, it is pretty easy to look at it and see if it was done safely/properly, so I'd be a bit less concerned buying a house with the homeowner replace the water heater without a permit vs them doing electrical or plumbing work which is hidden behind drywall.

[Brian Elfert]

I want to make sure I understand this. Are you saying that if you go down the electrical isles at Home Depot or Lowes, that all those people buying wire, light switches, light fixtures or wire nuts, etc, need to have a permit before they can use them? I'd say it would be very rare (except for some contractors) here for anyone in those isles having permits.

They sell all kinds of stuff at Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards that technically require a permit to install, or is simply not legal to install. For example, flexible water heater connectors are not legal to install in Minnesota yet you can buy them at pretty much any store that sells plumbing supplies. You could buy all the lumber and materials to build a house from Menards, but most jurisdictions would require you to have a permit to build a house.

It appears that homeowners can replace receptacles and manual switches without a permit. Anything that requires installing wire is technically going to require a permit. For example, you can replace an existing receptacle with a new receptacle without permit, but you need a permit to install a new receptacle in a new location. Not that plenty of homeowners don't install new receptacles and switches in new locations without a permit.

[John C Cox]

Check the local jurisdiction for the specific laws. Specifically, some places strictly require permits for everything and some don't. Further, some locations "Grandfather," unpermitted work after some period of time - often 10 or 15 years, while some never grandfather anything. I've been in both places. In nearly all cases, Caveat emptor strictly applies. Once you buy the place it is legally YOURS, and you are responsible for any and all problems unless there was specific wording in the contract that says otherwise..

With the current, massive housing shortage, that's hard because properties are often under contract the day they are listed... But... In the case where you don't have time to do proper diligence prior to the offer, you better protect yourself by putting exclusions in the contract.

The moral of the story is: Buyer beware. It is the buyer's responsibility to do due diligence and make their offer accordingly.