On Long Island, the building department you deal with depends on whether your home is in an incorporated village, a city or an unincorporated hamlet. Neighbors a few blocks apart can answer to different offices. Here is how it works in the communities we serve most.
The Incorporated Village of Freeport has its own Building Department at Village Hall, 46 N Ocean Ave. It enforces the building, plumbing, electrical and housing codes inside the Village, and most construction, plumbing and electrical work needs a permit. The Village also offers an online portal for permit applications and inspection requests.
A few Freeport rules homeowners ask us about: homeowners cannot do their own electrical or plumbing work, and must hire a Freeport-licensed electrician and a plumber who is licensed or reciprocal with Freeport. Replacing only roof shingles does not need a permit, but replacing roof plywood does. Fences and decks need permits too.
Merrick, North Merrick, Baldwin, Bellmore, North Bellmore, Oceanside, Roosevelt, Wantagh and Seaford are unincorporated hamlets in the Town of Hempstead. Building permits there come from the Town of Hempstead Department of Buildings, which also runs an online permit center.
The City of Long Beach runs its own Building Department, and so do incorporated villages such as Rockville Centre. If you are not sure which office covers your address, ask us. We pull permits in all of these places.
Steps that protect the home right away, like extracting water, drying, boarding up and tarping a roof, should not wait. The rebuild that follows, such as structural repairs, new framing, electrical or plumbing work, is where permits usually come in. Rules change, so confirm with your building department or let your contractor handle it.
Unpermitted work can cause trouble when you sell or refinance, because building records are often checked for open permits and violations. Doing the rebuild right the first time protects the value of the home.
Gotham Builders of New York, family-owned since 1995 and based at 108 W Merrick Rd in Freeport, files the permits our work requires and schedules the inspections, whichever office your home falls under. Call (516) 377-0400.
Permit requirements change. Confirm current rules with your local building department.
Our service: General contracting in Freeport and Nassau County
See also: Areas we serve
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