A Writer's Notebook, One-Thousand-Eight-Hundred-And-Twenty-One

Melissa and I had a meeting with a contractor about the work that needs to be done here and I wasn't too impressed.  For one thing, he told us that, because of the previous contractors screw ups, he wouldn't be able to get the work permitted, and that there is not any possible way to get around that, and that's not acceptable to me.  Honestly, I do not trust a contractor who is willing to do unpermitted work after our previous experience.  At this point, I need to be certain that the work is being done right, and that includes having it permitted, just as a matter of course.  Beyond that, I am also aware that not having permits can cause problems down the line with insurance claims, not to mention just how disastrous it could be if we wanted to sell.  What concerns me, though, is that I understand his point.  The truth is, to get the work permitted will require having someone sign off on it, and I don't know who will want to take on the responsibility of making certain that the previous work was corrected and made right.  It is one thing to do a job from scratch, but this is far more complicated.  I really am afraid of the possibility that we might be stuck, but if the work isn't be done the right way, it will just be a source of stress and concern for me.  Having the work permitted is a requirement for me, and now I am being told it is not a real possibility.  I wish that didn't feel so familiar.

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