Looking for an architect or engineer to "sign and seal" a request for a MoCo building permit to divide a room

[MG-70]

My application to erect a non load-bearing separation wall in a back to back townhouse bedroom dividing it into two rooms has been rejected because my file name is too large and because it needs an architect or engineer seal. There's one big room above (master bedroom) and another below (living room) where the proposed wall is going to be erected with no supporting beams or nothing. 90% of the same model houses in the condo have two bedrooms in this same space which already contains two windows, two closets with doors, and even an entry hallway to a second room that was blocked by the builder, turning it into a niche. Since it's in a condo association, the county treats it as a commercial permit. I have provided architectural plans with exact measurements of the before and after.

It's all a money making scheme, of course, I had to pay for a commercial application which was non-refundable ($753, IIRC) but I still need a professional's signature and seal. The only engineer I know is an electrical engineer and I don't know whether his seal would be good enough for the approval. The house is located in Germantown.

If anyone knows of a reasonably-priced architect or engineer who does this sort of thing please either reply or shoot me a PM.

Thanks in advance, and a good and safe weekend for all!

 

[Threeband]

I cannot believe you would need a permit for a non load bearing partition.

 

[RJRjr]

I would have just built the damn wall. F them.

 

[Rich1911]

I cannot believe you would need a permit for a non load bearing partition.

I would have just built the damn wall. F them.

In a condo? You probably need a permit to take a shlt..

 

[MG-70]

I usually try to do the right thing. In this case it appears to have backfired!

The process has been started and I'm out of $753, so I might as well at least price the added cost of the seal, no matter how ridiculous and overbearing the government's requirements are. To make matters worse, I don't remember reading about this required seal in the information available prior to applying.

If anyone knows an architect or engineer that does this sort of thing, please reply.

Thanks again!

I seriously hope the gov doesn't start charging me to take a dump, especially since they're about to charge higher taxes and are providing a lot less law enforcement, allowing people to drive under the influence, allowing people to race on public roads, etc., etc., etc., all the stuff you all already know about.

 

[rseymorejr]

It's going to end up costing you more to get permission to build the wall than it will to actually build it.

Build that wall!

 

[Threeband]

Make Mexico pay for it!

 

[6-Pack]

I cannot believe you would need a permit for a non load bearing partition.

Same thought here. I’m not a huge fan of permits, whether required or not.

 

[Threeband]

A non-load bearing partition is not a "wall." A Wall is structural; a partition is not structural. You could build an equivalent partition out of paper or cardboard. Would you need a permit for that? Do you need a permit to paint the interior walls? Would you need a permit to place a row of ceiling-height bookcases down the center of the room?

You could use gaffer's tape to secure full sheets of drywall vertically down the center of the room. Would you need a permit? What if you screw a 2x3 to the ceiling and floor to replace the gaffer's tape? Would you need a permit then? How about adding a vertical 2x3 every 2 feet? Do you need a permit for that?

A partition is NOT a wall. Those bureaucrats should be drowned like rabid cats.

 

[Doodads]

My application to erect a non load-bearing separation wall in a back to back townhouse bedroom dividing it into two rooms has been rejected because my file name is too large and because it needs an architect or engineer seal. There's one big room above (master bedroom) and another below (living room) where the proposed wall is going to be erected with no supporting beams or nothing. 90% of the same model houses in the condo have two bedrooms in this same space which already contains two windows, two closets with doors, and even an entry hallway to a second room that was blocked by the builder, turning it into a niche. Since it's in a condo association, the county treats it as a commercial permit. I have provided architectural plans with exact measurements of the before and after.

It's all a money making scheme, of course, I had to pay for a commercial application which was non-refundable ($753, IIRC) but I still need a professional's signature and seal. The only engineer I know is an electrical engineer and I don't know whether his seal would be good enough for the approval. The house is located in Germantown.

If anyone knows of a reasonably-priced architect or engineer who does this sort of thing please either reply or shoot me a PM.

Thanks in advance, and a good and safe weekend for all!

An electrical engineer would not be able to seal the drawings. I have seen this happen before, and the engineer got fined and had his PE license suspended. You need a structural engineer with a PE license. If you have the drawings with the proposed changes and you have not found an engineer yet, send me a message. I know a structural engineer that might be able to help you.

 

[MG-70]

An electrical engineer would not be able to seal the drawings. I have seen this happen before, and the engineer got fined and had his PE license suspended. You need a structural engineer with a PE license. If you have the drawings with the proposed changes and you have not found an engineer yet, send me a message. I know a structural engineer that might be able to help you.

A BIG THANKS for the offer to help! It turns out, after calling a number of firms who only deal with large projects, whose info I found on Yelp and the online Yellow Pages, I discovered the website Homeadvisor.com and was able to locate a handful of structural engineers who gave me quotes for signing off on the project, after reviewing plans and visiting the property. Hopefully, this week, one of them should be able to stop by.

Thanks again and a safe week to all!