Watches over building code compliance

By Kurt Steele

There is a new face in Town Hall. Jerry Waters has been appointed Norfolk’s Building Official. He assumed the job on April 1 and succeeded Mike LaRosa, who resigned for personal reasons after 18 years of dedicated service to the town.

Waters comes to Norfolk with extensive construction and building code experience. He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree and has worked as an architect full or part time since 1984, doing a wide variety of projects that include town halls, schools, libraries and recreation centers. He is also the current Building Official for Barkhamsted and Deputy Building Official for Simsbury.

“Although my ultimate responsibility is building code enforcement,” Waters notes, “my goal is to be more of a facilitator to help architects, engineers, contractors and homeowners reach their building goals consistent with the building code. This can be a real challenge because the building codes are quite complicated. I’m particularly willing to work with do-it-yourself homeowners.”

He adds, “Connecticut is fortunate to have a strong, statewide code aimed at the construction of safe buildings. Under state law, a building permit is required for new buildings, most alterations to an existing building, and moving, demolishing or changing a building’s use.” Examples of alterations are finishing a basement or attic for habitable use, remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, replacing windows or doors and re-roofing.

Also requiring a permit is the construction of decks or storage sheds, building a swimming pool more than 24 inches in depth, installing new siding, building a retaining wall more than 3 feet high or a fence more than 6 feet high, performing anything other than routine maintenance on electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and installing supplemental heating systems such as wood or pellet stoves or fireplace inserts.

“The Norfolk building code is now available on-line,” Walters says, “but if anyone needs some help just give me a call.”

Building permits are issued by the town, and applications can be made at the building inspector’s office in Town Hall. Waters is available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons by appointment. Residents should call the First Selectman’s office to make an appointment.

If the planned work will be done by a contractor, homeowners may ask the contractor to obtain all required permits, but it is ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility to make sure that all permits are completed, submitted and approved. Waters explains, “It’s my job to validate that the contractor has the proper trade license, current home improvement contractor’s registration, and required insurance before issuing a building permit. All permits require a minimum of one inspection and final closure by me. My work helps protect the homeowner.”

Besides safety, there are other reasons for obtaining required permits. If it were discovered, for example, that you did not have a permit for your wood burning stove that caused a house fire, your property insurance may be voided. Another example would be that the sale of your house may be impeded if you were unable to represent to the purchaser that all improvements you made were properly permitted and inspected.

Waters particularly cautions that “no one should work with a contractor who says he won’t obtain a permit for the job. Doing that leaves the homeowner in a potentially unsafe situation.”

Photo by Bruce Frisch.