Unlicensed contractors are tearing down older houses and building new homes under theguise of “additions,” selling them before major safety problems are discovered, according to Fairfax County supervisors.

Owners planning on “flipping” homes have exploited legal loopholes to avoid licensing, according to Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman. On average, the county receives three permit applications a week for additions that are actually “substantially altered new homes,” he said.