Permit process (in NJ - Princeton)

[pauster]

All,

I am starting the process of getting designs and quotes and would love to get feedback on how to manage the permit process (Princeton, NJ) - and recommendations of who to build with and whom to avoid ...

BTW I switched to BBB (mostly) after I discovered this forum last year and it works great !

Thanks a lot !

Patrick

[waste]

Patrick, though I grew up in NJ and had my first pool job there, I can't help you with who to avoid or to go with in getting a pool You'll have to check the various builders and decide who seems most capable of doing the pool you want.

As for the permits, it should be the job of the contractor to obtain them and have them before any work starts. However, if I remember the way things work in NJ, discretely dropping a couple of $100 bills while talking to the inspector and asking "is this yours?", will facilitate almost any problem you might encounter

I wish you well with the new pool build, you know where to ask any questions which might arise

[cleancloths]

Your biggest problem these days in NJ is wetlands rules. If you are within 150 feet of a stream or river forget a pool - you will never get a permit for one anymore.

[gverntz3]

I live near a large body of water and applied for a cafara permit in NJ. Waited 6 months and received my dep permit in NJ. Enclosed is my pool.

[Jeffski]

That is unbelievable. You win.

[pauster]

now that's what I call a body of water !

I'll get the process started soon - but I have to be careful because if you don't start construction and have the first inspection within 6month, you have to reapply for the permit and pay a small fortune for it again

[CarlD]

In my town, try the "dropping $100 bills" and the inspector calls the cops...Really--I think they got drummed out of the "New Jersey Inspector Club" for being honest.

What I did was go down and talk to them about my pool concept and what were the restrictions I needed to abide by. While they were abrupt and ranted "I can't be helping everyone" they STILL went and got me xeroxes of codes and looked at my concepts to tell me if I was in the ballpark or not.

They required mods of my original plans: vague items they interpreted in the most restrictive ways. But when it as inspected, since I didn't deviate from my plans (at least not noticeably) I got approval on the pool itself first time out.

The moral: Do your homework on what is required. Ask the inspectors what you need to be compliant BEFORE you submit your plans. Find out if your town's inspectors are clean or bribable--I can't suggest you bribe them--that IS a crime. But being a cheerful, curious homeowner "I WANT to do it right the first time" should get them to want to help you JUST to get you out of their hair.

And, if a builder tells you an inspector is tough, absurd and a so-and-so who makes people do crazy stuff, (but he's honest) he's probably the ONE guy you WANT inspecting you pool!