The best thing about being a homeowner is the opportunity to create spaces that reflect your style. You may want to paint the walls or pick out the perfect furniture. Maybe just adding the right art or accent pieces will take care of what is needed on a blank white wall. Perhaps you decide to remodel certain parts of the home by redoing the kitchen, updating the bathroom, or adding windows to help bring in more light. Whatever the project, it always feels great to step back and admire the work once completed. One thing that you may not have thought about while designing, fixing, or remodeling your home is the legality of the changes that you want to make.

Did you know that most municipalities require a standard building code? These codes are in place to guarantee that any building or structure is safe and that it will provide many years of comfort to the homeowner. Without the building code, your home might look great on the outside but have many problems behind the walls.

You will need permission to build, add to, take down, or move any building. This requires a detailed plan outlining the work to be completed. In return, and usually after much review and some fees, you receive a permit stating that it is okay for you to begin your project. The permit must remain on the project at all times to confirm that you paid and received permission to start your project. Unfortunately, if you are caught without a permit the inspector will shut the project down until the fees and now the added fines are paid.

Let me share some of the things that might require a permit in your community. Did you know that changing a water heater might require a plumbing permit or that removing a large tree on your property might also require a permit? Any electrical, plumbing, insulation or structural wood that is added, replaced, or redesigned behind your walls could also require a permit.

Cosmetic decorating, like adding wall paper, painting, replacing a faucet, adding new tile or new carpet are the type of things that would not normally require a permit. It is important to check with you local permit codes by going to the city or county building department website.

Why should you get a permit? It would seem easy to just do the work with the doors closed and make the changes yourself without paying for the permit. It can be time consuming to wait around for all the paperwork to be approved just so you can change your water heater or simply cut down that messy tree.

This type of thinking though could actually hurt you and others physically and financially in the long run. Just recently, a new home homeowner cut down a group of trees not realizing the need for a permit. The permit for this process may have been for aesthetic conservational reasons, but also for the safety of the neighbors. This resulted in large fines and associated fees that could have been avoided. There are many horror stories of unscrupulous building practices done without permits that have had severe consequences. Fires, structures falling, roof leaks, electrical shock, and unstable foundations are just a few of the more common problems that have occurred because of sloppy workmanship. All of these issues can be prevented by attaining proper permits.

The permit process is in place to protect homeowners. It is important to have a contractor build your home or remodel your bathroom with the guidelines stated in the building code. In addition, this guaranties that a city building inspector will confirm that things are built to code. The inspector will then sign your permit stating that everything met or exceeded the codes.

Permits are important because they protect the current homeowner and any potential new homeowners, should you decide to sell your home. In the case of the person who cut down the trees, the neighbors can benefit as well.

There are many reasons to live in the bay area. One of those reasons is the amazing amount of outdoor activities available all within a few hours drive depending on where you live. From skiing in the mountains of Lake Tahoe, to surfing the waves of Santa Cruz, there are very few places in the world where you can have coffee in the city for breakfast and a fine glass of Merlot in Napa Valley by dinner.

One of the many activities that doesn’t cost you anything (except maybe the gas to get you there and sometimes a small entry fee) is hiking. It has become the “Joie de vivre” for many with so many beautiful trails and open spaces to explore.

Eight well know hiking destination are located on the Peninsula just south of San Francisco.

The first one is the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve just up the hill from Palo Alto. You can use Page Mill Road as one of routes to get you there. Monte Bello means “beautiful mountain” and this area is truly stunning. You will find rolling grasslands, deep river valleys, and, of course terrific views. There are several different hiking trails available dependent on what you’re looking for.

The next hiking spot, Purisima Creek Redwoods, is located just off Skyline Blvd in Woodside. This area is very peaceful, with a nice mix of covered and exposed trails, redwoods, and stunning views. The trails are wide and you can even use your mountain bike if you would like. This is a perfect hike on a nice warm day.

Russian Ridge, with just about 2000 acres of open space and trails, dense forest and wide-open meadows is well known with the weekend hikers. You can see views of both the bay and the ocean depending are where you are on the trail. During the early spring, you will experience the beauty of all the wild flowers, which paint the hillside with color. This is a perfect spot to see the sunset on a clear day.

About 30 minutes from Woodside, CA towards the coast, you will find Sam McDonald Park, which said to be one of the best secret hiking areas in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Once there, you will find 850 acres of dense redwood groves, vast open fields, varied terrains, and stunning views. If you’re an equestrian, this would be a perfect place to ride. It does take a little longer time to get there but worth the drive.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is located in Portola Valley and has over 1300 acres of hiking area for you to enjoy. There is a combination of open space and plenty of shade from all the trees. At the top, you’ll find sweeping 360 degree views perfect for pictures. This trail can be a bit more challenging of a hike to the top, but well worth it. The park is dog and horse friendly giving your animal’s ample room to run. The park should be added to anyone’s “Must Hike” list.

Wunderlich Park located just 5 minutes from downtown Woodside and conveniently located just off Woodside Road. This park is an amazing place to visit. When at Wunderlich you will find yourself surrounded by beautiful redwood trees amongst the lush green foliage. There are benches scattered around making it perfect for a snack or picnic.

Huddart Park in Woodside offers a mixed level of difficulty. Although this is perfect for hiking, it is also excellent if you are a runner. Huddart Park has tall tree covered trails that provide ample coverage to keep you cool on those hot days. You will also find a large open meadow, which is perfect for a picnic. You will see wildlife throughout the area and probably run into a few horseback riders. The park is located just 10 minutes from downtown Woodside off Kings Mountain Road.

Rhus Ridge Trail is a 2-mile long trail located in Los Altos. The hike is a bit steep to the top with some shaded areas along the way. You will definitely find some nice views of Los Altos throughout your hike. If you want to continue your hike, you will find that this trail connects to Black Mountain Trail giving you the opportunity to continue your adventure.

For more detailed information about hiking parks in the Bay Area: click here