Q: Three years ago, I bought a house from a do-it-yourselfer who had cut into the garage trusses in order to build an attic storage area with pulldown stairs. I don’t think he got a building permit for the work, but now I want to have it done correctly, even though it could cost about $5,000. But I’m nervous about going to the city about getting a permit. What will they say about the rest of the house?
A: As long as you get your plans drawn up by a structural engineer, you should have no problems. Cities want to work with you to correct these unpermitted types of issues in your house, and they won’t run around your house to look for other problems to complain about.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and from 9-11 a.m. on KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
