Up2code Permit Solutions

Three weeks from closing, the resale inspection comes back and there's an item on it nobody knew about. A deck. A bathroom. A converted garage.

The first instinct is usually to argue that it's been there for thirty years. That almost never works.

What does work is establishing what's actually required to legalize it, and how long that takes, before anyone panics. Sometimes it's a permit and an inspection. Sometimes it's drawings and an engineer. Occasionally it's a credit at closing and the buyer takes it on.

All three are survivable. What isn't survivable is finding out in week three that you needed to start in week one.

Thirty years in construction and property development taught me one thing that surprises people: the permit is almost never the hard part. The hard part is what's already built.

I'm Mark Everett. I run Up2Code Permit Solutions out of San Rafael, and most of my work starts with a phone call that sounds something like this — the house is in escrow, the resale inspection came back, and there's a deck or a bathroom or an addition on it that no one ever pulled a permit for. Now there's a buyer, a closing date, and a building department that has questions.

That's the work. Retroactive permits for things already standing. Resale report items cleared on an escrow timeline. ADUs, pools, retaining walls, creek and shoreline work that needs the Army Corps and Fish and Wildlife at the table alongside the county.

If you're a homeowner staring at an inspection report, or an agent whose deal just hit a permit problem, the fastest thing you can do is call before you guess. Most of these are solvable. The expensive version is the one where someone waited.

(415) 610-2457 — Marin County and the Bay Area.

Love these kind reviews 🙏🏻

Permit work in the morning, Guinness in the afternoon. It’s a good day. Happy St. Pats everyone

Work on permits in the morning and a pint in the afternoon. It’s a good day. Happy St. pats ☘️

I was at the Tiburon building department today resolving an RBR. I overheard a gentleman who paid licensed companies to model his home and learned that some things were left unresolved two years later holding up the permit final. It’s not the 99 things you do right it’s the dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s at the end which matter.

Just attended the San Anselmo chamber of commerce meeting and it does seem in the near future they will repeal the resale inspection requirement. They are a pain in the arse for sure but also cover it at the same time as seller are not always forth coming with their changes which should have an inspection. Homeowners Insurance also has the right to not pay claims for unpermitted work so roll the dice.

"It gets expensive when people try to save a buck by skipping permits—only to get hit with a penalty that's three times higher. It's better to call me ahead of time—I'm way cheaper than the fines."

It’s so frustrating when you’re ready to sell and then find out about unpermitted work during the resale inspection. I think the key here is staying calm and addressing the issues step by step. I can help people through that process, a simple walkthrough of the results is a great approach!