I've really gotten to see how many people value money over morals.I for one, could never hire someone knowing they're committing a crime.I've also had customers whom I've done work for ask that I write out an invoice as if the work was done on their rental property so that they could deduct it on their taxes.
You know, I just had a thought--maybe all of this illegal hiring (and resulting rationalization) is simply a reflection of the breakdown of morals that our society seems to be suffering from.
As far as valuing money over morals: I want to enclose the laundry room on my rental property. It's a simple project, involving extending the party wall (it's a townhouse, the laundry room is at the back of the house in it's own room not accessible from inside the house--now you know why I want to enclose it).
Most people would probably just go ahead and do it without getting a building permit.
I want to get a building permit, even thought it will cost more, for a number of reasons the biggest of which is that I'll know that the final project will be inspected and will comply with building codes.
I've already found out that the wall needs a 2-hour fire rating and that the existing concerete patio slab doesn't have footers. If I hadn't bothered to get a building permit, I would not have known those two things.
I guess the point is, there are logical reasons why one should get a building permit before doing construction just as there are logical reasons that one shouldn't hire illegal aliens, even though both things may cost more money.
It all seems to boil down to this: You get what you pay for.