Do I need a San José permit to replace carpet with laminate?
No, as long as the job stays at the surface. The city lists floor finishes such as carpet, linoleum and tile as cosmetic work with no building permit, and floor sheathing repairs too, up to 10 square feet. A larger subfloor repair, or anything structural such as replacing joists, needs a building permit, and moving a drain or a circuit brings its own plumbing or electrical permit.
Will San José's Junk Pickup take the carpet we pulled up?
Its list of accepted items includes carpet, rolled into a tied bundle no larger than 6 by 2 feet and no heavier than 60 pounds, or 4 by 2 feet if wet, and flooring tied in bundles of up to 60 pounds. A request may cover up to 12 items. The program's general rules exclude construction debris, so plan another route for a contractor's tear-out. In a multi-family complex, ask the property manager where items go.
Our condo association turned down our wood floor plan. What does state law say?
If the governing documents require approval, Civil Code 4765 requires the decision to be in writing, made in good faith and not unreasonable, arbitrary or capricious. A refusal must explain why and describe the procedure for reconsideration, and you are entitled to have the board reconsider it at an open meeting. The association must also send members, every year, the list of changes that need approval and its procedure.
Does the construction debris deposit apply to a flooring job?
Only to one that needs a permit. The program is run for building permit holders and covers residential alterations of $2,000 or more, so a new carpet or plank floor, which needs no permit, does not trigger it. A subfloor or joist repair large enough to need a permit can, and then half of the debris has to be diverted for the deposit to come back.
Our house is in Fairglen. Can the new hardwood be nailed down?
Not into the slab. The National Register documentation describes San Jose's Eichler houses, Fairglen included, as built on concrete slab foundations with radiant heating, so the pipes run inside the concrete under the floor. A floor that floats or is glued avoids them, and the flooring maker's own instructions for radiant heat decide which products can go over an active system.
