FHA office closed, need an expert

[debbie graham]

Just inspected a home today, new roof. I had access to the home inspection before going out to the property and the home inspector stated that he could not find a permit pulled in the county.
I call FHA today, but they are closed, I would think that it has to be signed off for meeting code, especially here in Florida.
Also, I know windows must be unsealed for proper egress, however the realtor is saying code is only 1 per room. I believe FHA wants all windows operating properly in case of fire.
So, 1 per room or all?
Thanks
This is a purchase.
Deb

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

That Realtor is a real piece of work.

Outside of that, I think it really is one window per room, but I always test all and would disclose which ones do not property function. That is open, close, and lock.

Regarding the roof, I would state what I believe and that I could not find where a permit had been obtained nor inspections for code compliance had been performed.

Make sure you include that the final determinations regarding what to do about these situations is the responsibility of the FHA Approved Direct Endorsement Underwriter and that per the HUD Handbook, you will not discuss this with anyone other than the Direct Endorsement Underwriter. This helps ward off further entanglements.

 

[Marcia Langley]

FHA egress is at least one per bedroom.

 

[Charles Witt]

How about ingress?

 

[RSW]

I have never thought about all of the windows before! I believe the hand book says we have to test a sample of each room, windows, electrical, lights. Hum! I have gone around the room to try and open other windows when the first one would not open.

 

[Thomas Fiehler]

Marcia and Charles are right. About the roof-report what you see. We are not the permit police!

 

[CANative]

No record of permits.

Oh

My

God!

That's an illegal house. Someone put out a call for Mike Kennedy.

FHA doesn't care about permits. They care about conditions which adversely effect the livability, soundness and structural integrity and MPR's/MPS's..

 

[c w d]

Greg, my uncle has an excavator. Want to ride up there and tear it down so it'll be legal again?

 

[CANative]

What would happen if we didn't get a permit for the demolition? Would the new hole in the ground be illegal?

Actually that's not a far-fetched notion in a way. A couple of years ago the Mayor (or maybe it was a city councilman) of Ukiah purchased a residential property in one of the old neighborhoods. The residence had some sort of low level historical status. It also had decades of abuse and neglect and during a remodel project his contractor determined that it was probably a lost cause. They made the decision right then and their to bulldoze the entire structure except for a small portion of one wall. Seems you have to have permits and approvals to demolish more than a certain percentage of a historical building like that one.

Planning and building went ballistic (I think it was a ****ing contest more than it was a concern over a crappy old house being bulldozed) and it ended up in what I recall was a criminal trial. Nothing came of it but I think he lost his job.

 

[debbie graham]

Thanks everyone!
Deb