New Hampshire under 200 SQ FT No Permit???

[Lorangerlife]

First I want to say great site and great forums.  I'm finally making my first post after about 3 months of being a spectator.

I own 3 acres in Bristol NH on a dead end street with a dirt culdesac.  Ive had the land for close to 15 years now and I really want to do something with it now.

I plan on building the builders cottage starting next spring but in the meantime I'd like to put up a 10x14 little house with a flat roof that the dog and I can stay in while I am building and clearing the land.

My question is can I get by without a permit in NH for a structure this cheap and small especially where my neighbors wouldn't even be able to see it?

Thanks so much and again I would like to thank everyone who participates on this site as you all have spurred me on to build my on small house(s) on my land.

[MountainDon]

  Lorangerlife. Glad to see you poke your head out here in the mainstream.

I don't know what your local zoning rules would have to say about a structure as you describe. There are places you could never get away with it, others that may say no problem, others that may turn a blind eye unless someone complains.

Sometimes there's no problem with building the "storage shed", but electrical, plumbing or a bed, makes it a "residence or home" and that makes a whole new set of rules kick in.

If no one can see you the odds shift into your favor.

To know whether or not you'd be bending, if not breaking some local rules you'd have to make discrete inquiries. Call them up and ask, don't give them your name or address if you wish to remain undercover. For the paranoid here's a telephone tip... use the *67 prefix before dialing the number... that blocks caller ID. You dial *67 then the number. You must ue the *67 for every time you want your caller ID blocked.

[glenn kangiser]

Glad you dropped in, Lorangerlife.

What Don said and thanks for the tip Don -- you never know when I my have to go incognito.

[Lorangerlife]

Thanks for the quick replies.

I'll have to do exactly that... just be discrete and find out.

Things seem to be pretty lax around here and the building inspector is only a part time guy who's semi retired so hopefully if anything I can pull a permit for a small structure.  I was just crossing my fingers that I would only have to go before the board and attend town meetings etc once I am ready to build the bigger small house lol.

[mvk]

Lorangerlife

Are you local? Seems like Bristol is like what my old town of Lyndeboro NH is/was like. Everybody will know what you are doing  Might not care, but I doubt it anymore. At onetime you could have slept in a tent while you built. There was a lot of development up that way around Newfound Lake don't know about Bristol though. Not sure if I every been there?

Don's right about electric service and septic changing everything. 

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Mike

[Lorangerlife]

Thanks for the welcome mvk,

I like to fly under the radar as far as everyone knowing what I am doing. That's the main reason I moved away from Lowell/Dracut and only go to Mass for work and to visit friends these days.

Pretty close to the lake but on the other side right on the very edge of what's considered in the town center on the way up to the slim baker lodge and inspiration point.  A lot has changed around here for sure.  They used to not even care if you had a campfire or even fired off rounds for some target shooting.

I'm off the paved road on a dirt dead (the very last property) end where nobody really should be and you cant even see where I tent camp unless you started walking onto my land looking for something.

The whole reason for the 'shed' is to cut my costs down so I can concentrate on starting the builders cottage come spring.  I've had a trailer out here with rain water collection system, fire pit, composting toilet, etc for 15 years without anyone saying anything until it was recently vandalized a few years ago.

It was my brothers land and we came up every weekend until he died in a motorcycle crash.  After that I lost the heart to keep working on the land and building a house.  Since finding this site I have been inspired once again to finish our dream and make it a reality anyway that I can.

The troubles arise when you have to pay rent in 2 places and commute 160 miles on top of that.  I'm in the process of stripping down my living standards to the bare minimum and it seems like this would allow me to camp here throughout the winter and while I am building the cottage.

I guess this state really isn't the land of the free anymore.

[Lorangerlife]

Talked to a few people and where my property is outside of the town center and not subject to the whims of the historic society getting a permit will be swift and easy.

[glenn kangiser]

That's great.

[Squirl]

You could also go down to the local county and pull the building permit application.  Codes only seem to be local by county.  Most are online.  Everyone I checked had what was expempt embeded at some point in it.  I searched many for deciding where to buy land.  Look for clues such as the fees section.  If it says 200 ft^2 to 1000ft^2 cost x for the applicion and that is the smallest one, it is a good bet that there is no fee required under 200 ft^2.

[Lorangerlife]

You need a permit to put up a fence in this town 

Land Use Permits are required for any new construction (including modular and mobile homes), any change of use of an existing
structure, additions or alterations to existing structures, demolition or relocation of any structure, installation of any detached structure
(including sheds, barns, garages, decks, docks, six foot fences, signs and in-ground swimming pools); or any other renovation with a
cost of $500 or more. Land Use Permits are not required for any cosmetic maintenance (painting or siding), re-roofing, entry steps,
landscaping, or residential paving.
Fees for Building Permits are as follows:
Residential

New one or two family dwelling $0.15 per square foot (minimum fee of $150.00)

New multi-family dwelling $0.20 per square foot (minimum fee of $200.00)

Residential addition/accessory structure $0.10 per square foot (minimum fee of $25.00)

Interior alteration or renovation $0.15 per square foot (minimum fee of $25.00)
Commercial

New commercial or industrial building $0.20 per square foot (minimum fee of $300.00)

Commercial addition/accessory structure $0.15 per square foot (minimum fee of $100.00)

Interior alteration or renovation $0.20 per square foot (minimum fee of $50.00)
Other

Minimum Processing fee, change of use, fences, $ 25.00

[Lorangerlife]

Anyway...

I finally bit the bullet and went down to the town offices... The smaller accessory buildings only take a day to get a permit.

I have a few things to get squared away but I will be looking forward to making my first build thread post pretty soon.

~A~