If I may add my 2 cents in here, as for work without a permit, sometimes a neighbor or a realtor is the construction office's best friend. When 1 meighbor sees another doing work, and "How come they don't need a permit, buut I do?" When our office gets a call like that, the Construction Official ( CO) will go out and inspect the job to see if there was work done witout a permit. As John said, then the fines start to fly. Also realtors when looking at a house now come into the CO's office and look for permits for that basement that looks kinda new. They want to make sure the don't sell the property and find open permits for that job.
