Question: We want to start a remodel. Where should we start?
Answer: First, determine if you need a permit. Perhaps you have a design in mind or have hired someone to draw up a design for you. Make a visit to the city permit department and bring a well-thought-out description of your project. Remember to check your HOA requirements as well. Remember this: The building department likes specific, not vague questions.
Do you know your city building department? Permitting is a very specific skill. ICC certification is generally required to monitor permits. Those who work in the building department are highly familiar with the code book of the city where they are employed. You will find that most cities are working from the 2018 building code but there are some exceptions.
Q: What will they be looking for when I present my project?
A: Small projects like moving walls, adding electrical and/or plumbing features will require a minimum permit. However, adding a room or changing the basic footprint of the home will require a lot more time and research.
Projects that require permits: (this is a sample code; check the city where the home is)
- Building — Required for all construction work including additions, patio covers, carport enclosures, walls/fences, retaining walls and accessory buildings
- Plumbing — Required to install, alter, reconstruct or repair any plumbing system, gas system, lawn sprinkler supply, water heater replacement
- Electrical — Required to install, alter, reconstruct or repair electrical wiring on any building, structure, swimming pool or mechanical equipment
- Mechanical — Required to install, alter, reconstruct or repair any furnace, refrigeration or other air conditioning equipment or system, except portable or window units
Building codes also dictate your finished product
- Setbacks and height – Designed to preserve one’s light and air. This involves looking at the easement requirements on both sides and front and back of your home as well as height. The setbacks are different for a detached vs. attached additions and on hillsides vs level lots.
- Drainage – The city will want to verify this project doesn’t divert surface rainwater into the street or cause a problem for your neighbor.
- Septic tank — The size of the septic tank is based on the number of bedrooms and the number of fixtures in the house. If you are adding a bedroom, they will be checking to make sure that the tank is adequate and separated from the addition.
- Smoke detectors — All remodels after 2012 require the addition of smoke and carbon detectors. The preference would be for hard-wired detectors on a dedicated circuit. Systems that are battery operated and linked via internet are acceptable in most cities in the event there is no attic space to work with.
- Fire sprinklers — Some cities require sprinklers in all remodels. Other cities require them to be added on large remodels that are over 50%of the value of the home. Some county islands do not require fire sprinklers.
- Building pad — Homeowners may be required to hire an engineer if the room addition requires the foundation to be raised to meet the height of the rest of the house. The engineer may need to be on sight during the process of building up the pad.
- Aesthetic review of project — Some cities have begun to examine the aesthetic quality of the project, in effect acting as an HOA for communities that don’t have them.
Q: What are my options if they don’t approve my project?
A: Redesign and adapt to code. Variances are very hard to get as a homeowner must prove hardship. Or move to the county. There are still pieces of land that are not incorporated into a city limits and are considered county islands. If you live on a county island you may be surprised to find you must go to the county for the permit and not the city with your postal address.
Q: Is it worth it?
A: It may seem like a lot of trouble to go through the permitting process but, permitting is designed to keep homeowners safe and to ensure that the home is built using best practices. Your project will be much more likely to increase the value of the home if it is permitted properly. Remember that if you are planning to sell your home, you must reveal unpermitted projects. When buying a home, hire a good home inspector. They should be able to spot additions or modifications. It should be a sign to take great caution if there has been work done with no permits pulled.
