Code violation and permit resolution in San Jose
A code-enforcement notice or an unpermitted addition doesn't have to derail your plans. We assess the flagged work, pull the retroactive permits, bring the construction up to current code, and walk it through inspections until the case closes. One licensed contractor handles the whole thing.
Most homeowners find out about unpermitted work at the worst possible time: a code-enforcement letter arrives, a buyer's inspector flags an addition, or a refinance appraisal doesn't match the county records. In San Jose, any change to structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems requires a permit and inspection, and the city treats work done without one as illegally constructed work. Buying the house that way doesn't help: change of ownership, and the passage of time, do not legalize what was built. Somebody has to fix it, and that's exactly the work we do.
What we resolve
We legalize and correct the unpermitted work San Jose flags most: additions and enclosed patios, garage conversions built without permits, decks, water heaters, HVAC changeouts, electrical panels and rewiring, plumbing relocations, and walls that were moved or removed without engineering. We also close out open or unfinaled permits that a previous owner or contractor abandoned, and we handle the construction side of code-enforcement Notices of Violation from start to case closure. If you're not sure what category your situation falls into, our San Jose code violations guide walks through how the system works.
How the process works with us
First we assess the flagged work in person: what was built, what condition it's in, and what current code requires of it. Then we pull the retroactive permits and produce or coordinate the as-built drawings and any structural engineering the city's plan review needs. Once permits are issued, we correct the work to current code, which sometimes means opening walls so an inspector can verify framing, wiring, or plumbing. Finally, we schedule and attend the inspections through final sign-off, so the case closes and any recorded notice can be released. It's the same disciplined sequence we use on every project; see our process. David, our owner, regularly handles San Jose code-enforcement correspondence himself, so the person talking to the city about your case is the person responsible for the work. If you just received a letter and want to understand it first, start with our guide to what a San Jose code-enforcement notice means.
Why act now
San Jose can issue a $1,000 citation for unpermitted work, but property owners who come forward and voluntarily seek compliance may avoid it. That window rewards moving early. Cases that sit unresolved escalate: administrative fines that can accrue daily, cost recovery for the city's enforcement time, and eventually a Notice of Violation recorded against your title with the County Clerk-Recorder. A recorded notice clouds title and surfaces in escrow, which is why unresolved violations so often blow up home sales; we cover that scenario in selling a San Jose home with a code violation. For how the fines and the appeal process work, see our fines and appeals guide. Figures and procedures here are general and can change; confirm current specifics with San Jose Code Enforcement at (408) 535-7770 or CodeEnforcementInformation@sanjoseca.gov.
What it costs
Honest answer: it depends on what was built, how well it was built, and what current code requires to legalize it. A hidden water heater swap and an entire unpermitted addition are very different projects. Some jobs are mostly paperwork, drawings, and inspection access; others need real corrective construction. What we promise is that after we assess the work, you get a fixed price in writing before anything starts, with the permit strategy spelled out. Plan on the timeline being real too: legalizing unpermitted construction commonly takes about 6 months to a year, so the sooner it starts, the sooner it's behind you. Financing is available if you'd rather spread the cost out, and our permit guide explains how San Jose permitting works in general.
Where we fit, and where we don't
We are a licensed general contractor, so we handle the construction and permit side: assessment, drawings, corrections, and inspections. We are not attorneys, and nothing on this page is legal advice; if your case involves legal liability, disclosure disputes, or hearings beyond the standard appeal, bring in a lawyer. Blight complaints like overgrown yards or stored vehicles, and landlord-tenant disputes, go through different city channels; San Jose Code Enforcement at (408) 535-7770 can point you to the right one. If the problem is construction that needs to be legalized, that's us.