First time home buyer here and we have never worked with a contractor. We have an existing 300 sq ft patio in our back yard. We had a contractor give us an estimate but we are unsure what to do about city permitting. We are not adding anything on or making structural changes, but are reenforcing load bearing beams, replacing floors and adding ceiling panels. The city is saying they are required but I don’t know if they just air on the side of caution and tell everyone to apply for permits because they don’t have enough details about the project. It seems like overkill for a patio refresh. It seems like everyone I ask says they’ve done more without permits and not to worry about it. Anyone advice on pros vs cons of city permits would be appreciated.