What You Need To Know Before You Build A Custom Garage
Laws for Building a Custom Garage
First and foremost, before a single shovel of dirt has been dug, you need to familiarize yourself with all the construction-related laws you should know before you build. These laws may reflect any type of customization including garage restrooms, custom garage cabinets, garage floors.
Lot approval
Ownership of land doesn’t mean you can do what you want with it. Further, everyone may not have been as careful as they should have been in the past, and laws can change over time, so the presence of an existing structure on a lot doesn’t mean it’s there legally.
However, property records are available to anyone. You’ll want to get the parcel map, find your APN (assessor’s parcel number) and make sure your parcel is an approved building site before you build. You can search online to find out where to go for records in your area. They are typically held at the county court Custom Garages, the county recorder’s office, city hall, or another city or county department such as the tax assessor’s office.
Zoning
Zoning laws cover how land can be used, and what type of building is permitted on the land. Zoning information is available to the public.
Talk to your local zoning office, city hall, or other local planning board about obtaining the zoning information relating to your lot to make sure there are no restrictions or regulations that would prevent you from building in your desired spot, and obtain their permission before you build. This is different than a building permit, which we’ll cover later.
Ordinances and Covenants
Even small rules and regulations can interfere with your build. It’s up to you to ensure your proposed build is in compliance with local ordinances and covenants.
Your zone might be approved to build a certain type of structure, but a local ordinance restricts the size or height of that structure. You’ll want to obtain written approval from the planning commission or commissioner in your municipality to ensure you’re good to go. The best place to find this information is typically your town’s city hall or mayor’s office, department of housing, or other local government office.
If you are building where there’s a Homeowners Association (HOA), you should also ensure the build is in compliance with neighborhood covenants. If you don’t have a copy of the covenants as an owner in the community, they might be available from the local county assessor’s office.
The bylaws of a community aren’t required to be recorded publicly, but you should at least be able to find your HOA contact’s information at the county assessor’s office, from whom you can request a copy.
Building Codes
While zones determine land usage, building codes deal with physical structures on the land and the details of the structure. In the U.S. as well as several other countries, these codes are a standard covered under the International Building Code (IBC). While some of this has to do with fire prevention, these codes also reference and are inclusive of other codes, such as the International Plumbing Code and the National Electric Code.
If your area uses the IBC, it adopts the other included codes along with it. Usually, your project’s engineer, builder, or contractor will make sure all aspects of the build meet code, but you can and should research them yourself. Many codes are available online by doing a specific search, but your city or town should have a local building codes department if you can’t find what you want.
Permits and Plans
Of course, a building permit is needed if you are building or remodeling a Custom Garage, and you’ll need to submit your plans for approval to your local code office. This includes drawings of the structure, measurements, floor plans, what material will comprise the exterior, and an elevation view. Your plans should include the amount of possible toilets, custom garage cabinets, floors, ceiling height, ventilation.
Under the law, the person who obtains the permit is considered the contractor for the project and is liable for construction-related damages. As the homeowner, you can partner with others in this process, but ultimately it’s on you to make sure your ducks are in a row.
Be clear with anyone on your team in this journey about who will be pulling (filing) permits, such as a contractor or builder, with a full understanding of when each permit needs to be obtained. If you’re working with a contractor who even hints at skipping this process, run.
You typically will need multiple, additional permits for different systems if you’re building a new home. If you’re replacing outdated pipes or installing an underground sprinkler system, for example, you’ll need a plumbing permit.
You may also need electrical, mechanical, and even grading permits depending on what your are building. An experienced contractor will pull all the required permits when needed.
Permits: Help or Hindrance?
Permits should be accounted for in your budget and can also affect your timeline. Include time and costs for permits before you build, even if your project is only a renovation or addition. Some people see obtaining all of these permits and following the rules as cumbersome, but a good, smart builder, architect, designer, or contractor will never skip these important steps.
How to Avoid Lawsuits Related to COVID-19
One of the big concerns on the minds of businesses as they reopen is the potential to be sued by employees or consumers who may contract COVID-19 after visiting their business. There has been enough concern that some states have even passed laws that protect businesses from such lawsuits. Regardless of whether or not your business is in one of those states, there are some things you should be doing to protect your business.
Monitor Employees
As an employer you are responsible for providing your employees with a safe work environment. Monitoring them for symptoms is one of the things you should be doing to protect them from contracting COVID-19. Consider implementing screening measures, such as taking employee temperatures, before beginning to work. If employees show signs of illness, send them home instead of requiring them to continue working. This will help prevent you from being negligent in protecting the other employees and your customers from whatever illness your sick employee has.
Floor Markings
When it comes to keeping workplace transmission down, repetition is the best strategy. Regular, repeated reminders help a message stick. Sure, you could ask people to keep their distance verbally or with signs, but floor markings may be more helpful. Floor markings can be a great tool for visually reminding customers and employees to keep their distance. They help everyone visually understand how far apart they should be. They also make it obvious that you as a business are trying to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and are taking precautions where you can. By doing so, you help protect your business from being sued for negligence.
Document Everything
Keeping good records of the measures you are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 serves a dual purpose. It helps protect you in the event of a lawsuit by providing evidence that you were not negligent in your efforts. Careful record keeping also protects your business because of what you have to do to record something. If you’re keeping records of employees you’re sending home, that means you’re sending them home. Recording when bathrooms are cleaned means you’re more likely to clean them regularly. Documentation is one way to improve employee accountability and provide evidence that you as a business are doing your part.
It’s important that you do your due diligence as a business to protect yourself from lawsuits related to COVID-19. Monitor your employees, utilize floor markings, and document everything. This can help establish patterns of healthy behavior that reduce the risk of employees or consumers contracting COVID-19 on your premises and thereby reduce your risk of being sued for it.
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CBD and the Law: What You Need to Know
CBD has become the latest trend in natural health products available. You can find CBD gummies, oils, capsules, lotions, and a plethora of other products that allow you to treat common pains and ailments with CBD. But just because it is popular and can help treat issues doesn’t mean that you don’t have to pay attention to legality. Here’s a brief rundown on the issues with CBD and the law.
Why Use CBD?
For those unfamiliar with CBD, this question is among the first that they ask. While the research on CBD is just getting started, the preliminary results show a promising ability to help with a large number of conditions, both neurologically related and physical. Many people use CBD for pain, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, insomnia, fever, rheumatism, and other similar conditions. For those with chronic conditions, many find using CBD easier on their body than prescription drugs that may have severe side effects or run the risk of addiction. Because CBD is naturally derived and contains less than 0.3% THC, it generally removes both of those negative aspects.
Source: https://www.hemmfy.com/blogs/guides/complete-guide-cbd-oil-benefits-uses
Is CBD Legal?
The short answer to this question is that it depends on where you live. Currently, 34 states allow legal possession of CBD, 16 have some level of legality with restrictions, and 1 state (Idaho) classifies possession of CBD as illegal. Even though the 2018 Farm Bill legalized CBD on a federal level if it was derived from hemp and contained less than 0.3% THC, it is still up to the states to modify their restrictions and make the final decision on the legality of hemp possession. It is especially important to be aware of different state restrictions if you plan on traveling. While most legal enforcement targets distributors or manufacturers, you don’t want to unknowingly violate state laws and end up with a mess on your hands.
Source: https://www.buscherlaw.com/state-hemp-legality
What Does the FDA Say?
Even most of the states with restrictions allow for the use of CBD as a legitimate medical treatment, when prescribed by a doctor. Because the FDA has the authority to regulate these products, this has become a source of a lot of questions for people. At this current time, the FDA has only approved one medication containing CBD, which is used to treat seizures. If other products are marketed as a treatment they may become subject to regulatory action from the FDA. They can still be sold, they just can’t claim to be a medical drug. That’s not to say that there will never be any other products approved. FDA regulations and approvals are made after scientific research has assessed the safety and effectiveness of the products. While this is a longer process than some people may want, it is a way to advance the use of CBD as a medicinal treatment.
Because CBD is still in the beginning stages of being studied and legislation is ongoing, it is important to keep up to date with the latest legal news for CBD. If you feel like CBD would be helpful for you, it would also be a good idea to consult with your doctor first.
How to Navigate Legal Issues With Elderly Parents
Navigating legal issues with elderly parents often isn’t easy for the parents or the child. It can be difficult for parents to accept that they aren’t as able as they used to be and that they are likely to continue to decline, albeit hopefully at a slow rate. It brings into stark reality that the child will lose their parents sooner rather than later. As difficult as it may be, there are some legal issues that it is really important to get on the same page about.
Managing Finances
Financial management can be a touchy subject. For many people, personal finances are a very private matter. Letting someone else get involved can be difficult, even if it’s their own children. This can be an important step to preventing elderly financial abuse though, so it’s important to discuss how finances will be managed. Discuss sources of income, necessary expenditures, the overall state of finances, and the need to establish a financial power of attorney. Be patient, kind, and understanding. Help your parents understand that this is for their benefit and that it doesn’t mean they are losing their independence . They’re just getting a little extra help.
Planning Long-Term Care Solutions
For many caregivers, there comes a time when the burden of care becomes too much for them to handle personally. This can happen due to a wide variety of circumstances, including the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Caring for an elderly parent who suffers from Alzheimer’s is incredibly taxing. There’s a lot to keep up with, including treatment options. Traditional Alzheimer’s treatments rely on limited pharmaceutical care solutions. Holistic approaches aren’t any more able to provide a cure, though they can help improve quality of life. Before the disease progresses, take some time to discuss long-term care solutions, such as having in-home nursing assistance or the transfer of care to a long-term care facility.
Planning End-of-Life Care
Discussing end-of-life care is another difficult legal subject, but no less important for it. Your parents may prefer to receive hospice care over care with the purpose of curing ailments. There are different levels of hospice care that you should discuss together. Discuss whether or not your parents want to have a DNR order. It can be difficult for children to hear that their parents prefer to be allowed to pass on instead of having potentially life-saving care administered. Try to see things from their point of view. They may not want to be left suffering after CPR is administered and may find it easier to just be kept comfortable as long as possible.
It’s important to navigate certain legal issues sooner rather than later. Having a plan for these things can help make life easier for everyone. Do your best to have these plans in place before they are needed to help make this time of life as simple as possible for all involved.
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