It’s common in older Valley neighborhoods: a garage turned into a bedroom, a patio enclosed into a family room, a casita built years ago without a permit. It may never matter, until you apply for a permit to do something else.
Why the city asks
The plan reviewer checks the whole property against the city’s records, not only the new work. When the drawings show living space where the records show a garage or an open patio, the reviewer will usually ask that the existing work be permitted as part of the application. Building codes treat work done without a permit as a violation (IBC 114 and the local equivalent), and the city won’t sign off on the new work while the old work is unresolved.
How to find out what’s permitted
- City permit search: most Valley cities let you look up past permits by address online.
- County assessor: the recorded living area and garage count are a quick cross-check.
- Seller disclosures and the inspection report from when you bought the home.
If the living area on the assessor’s record is smaller than the house you live in, something probably wasn’t permitted.
How legalizing usually works
- The unpermitted area is drawn on the plans and labeled as existing work to be legalized.
- It’s reviewed together with your new project, on the same application where the city allows it.
- At inspection, the inspector may need to see framing, wiring, insulation or plumbing, which can mean removing some drywall or opening an access panel.
- Anything that doesn’t meet current code, such as a bedroom without an egress window or missing smoke alarms, gets corrected.
Plan for it in the budget
The cost of legalizing depends on what’s hidden in the walls. Treat it as part of the project from day one, not something that shows up halfway through plan check.
We do drafting and permit plans for additions, ADUs and conversions in Arizona, including drawing existing work for legalization. Ask for a quote; we reply within one business day.