best way to get a building permit?

[Lewisthepilgrim]

Anyone built a shop/garage all by themself? How exactly is the best way to get a permit?

What do you present to the building inspector? exactly what are the steps here?

What are some tips for ease of building??

 

[58Yeoman]

I called city hall and asked them what I needed. A simple drawing on paper with dimensions, and distance to lot lines. Of course, this was in a town of 5500 in '99.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Yep, call the city codes office and ask them what is required. A detached structure usually makes things easier.

 

[Roots]

Every municipality or AHJ is different. You really need to start there with your due diligence.

 

[rbonitz]

In my township you need permit - but don't need inspections for less than 1000 square feet.

My current project (equipment shed) is 37X27.... 999 square feet.

Ray

 

[hh76]

Every place is different. Some municipalities require long applications along with engineered drawings, and some are run by part time people who only require a fee be paid. The one thing they all have in common is that you can call them and ask what is required.

 

[spotco2]

Yup, call and ask specifically what they want and when they will want to do inspections.

Around here, they will accept a simple drawing on notebook paper. They want to inspect footings, pad before pour and final project. Their only requirements were the building had to be 20' off back property line and 10' off the side.

Not everywhere is this simple and some are not this complicated.

 

[hockey88fan]

In my township you need permit - but don't need inspections for less than 1000 square feet.

My current project (equipment shed) is 37X27.... 999 square feet.

Ray

I did the exact same.

 

[Falcon67]

Every municipality or AHJ is different. You really need to start there with your due diligence.

This. $50 here gets you a receipt. The "permit" which doesn't exist other than the receipt from the clerk is good for a year. We require inspections - foundation, electrical and framing - on a garage. Foundation is inspected when the hole is dug and all the rebar is in place, footers, etc and before any concrete can be poured. The last two can be a combo and must be done before you can close up the walls. Inspections are $100 each and the city pays the fee.

The next city over has a whole list of fees plus you can't do your own electrical unless you take a test. A $24,000 building like ours would have been $160, the foundation would have cost more, etc.

Some other place it might be $2000 and require stamped engineering drawings plus you pay for every inspection. Go to City Hall and ask point blank.

 

[pmiranda]

Definitely ask. For small buildings you might not even need one in some places.

 

[Moose02]

had a friend that was going to be an architect help or do plans for me and took them to the township they said they were too professional and I would have to have them stamped by a licensed one.

had to have a licensed architect redo and put his signature block on it and pay for the exact plans

did I say this town *****

 

[bams50]

All posts by tjuyumac9 trigger my virus protection!

 

[Smiliesafari]

I hired mine done. Quick and easy.

 

[bcoke]

I only had experience on Long Island NY, town of Brookhaven [aka crookhaven]There you have to buy three or four hula hoops and practise jumping thru them ,as they will kill you with fees, archtectual drawings, one inspector has some thoughts the next one says no good etc..... very political! Was told I needed to go to a permit "service" who informed me they charge $500 for their service [1990 prices] , I said OK they said $2500... I asked what the extra $2000 was for she just smiled, and said to garuntee your permit.....Goodbye decided then and there to move!http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/images/smilies/shocking.gif

 

[where2]

I drive the mile across town to the building department and ask what they need for my projects. Then I go home, pull together everything then need and go back with my application pre-filled out, talk to the notary to get the owner builder form notarized, then carry my happy checkbook over and write a check. It IS that easy.

You want complicated, talk to the department of environmental protection about a dock permit on land you don't own... Yep, got one of those too. Just jump through the hoops.

 

[Frank N. Stein]

Here in Denver, the city website tells you everything you need. I was able to put a packet together with rough drawings, set-back measurements, framing detail, etc. - everything they ask for on their website to pull a permit for a garage. When I met with the permit clerk, he pulled up my house on google maps and I was able to further explain my project. Wasn't difficult, just a little bit of time to go downtown.

 

[bjmac]

Same as all the rest here in our small town. Owner/builder is pretty easy. Drawing, property lines, info on building. I will add that after building three structures, I have always found following the rules and being friendly go a long ways!!!

 

[trbomax]

First of all,dont call it a "garage",its a "shed".

 

[where2]

First of all,dont call it a "garage",its a "shed".

In my neighborhood, you better call it a garage if you want a permit. A "shed" is a rin-tin-tin or wood building you assemble from a kit or from scratch with no architect or structural engineering design, with little or no foundation which you intend to store yard tools in, and watch blow away in the next hurricane. A garage has a footer, a slab, an architect or structural engineer's wind load determination, and is built like a tank. A garage also gets quite a few inspections during the course of being built.
Sheds go up on Sunday afternoon, and get a code violation notice from the building department on Tuesday morning. (the town I live in wrote the model for HOAs when it incorporated in 1958. There is no HOA where I live, just a set of strictly enforced ordinances, like no mowing your yard before noon on Sunday or construction work before 8AM on week days).

 

[brownbagg]

here its, Hey bob i need a permit, ok, keep it ten feet off your property line, that be $212

 

[ddawg16]

It helps to put your location in your profile. Every area is slightly different. In some places, all you need is a sketch....others..full blown plans.

A few pieces of advice.....

1. It's never big enough
2. When they ask you what your going to do with it, tell them "It's just a garage".

In my area....draw up plans....take it to the building office....if it meets code...pay for permits....get inspections as you go....

Click on the link in my signature to see how I did mine....

Oh....and....it's never big enough.....

 

[Bib Overalls]

Where I live (semi-rural, unincorporated) permits are not required. If you are building a structure with black/grey water output you need a perk test and an approved septic plan. If you are tapping into rural water you need to have a third party supply line inspection. Electrical coop inspects service entry. That is it.

 

[Blue Thunder]

In our town do everything they ask, have everything drawn by a certified arcitec. engineer. Wait six months and they will still tell you to change at least 6 things because they know more than your engineer. We are not the city of Owatonna we are the city on Minnesota, one guy went through everything I said and they then deceided it did not meet the covenents for his neighborhood and made him tear it down after he had all the approvals and paid the fees, had all the inspection with only the siding left. Clueless bunch in city hall. Lawyer time I would say.

 

[rburke65]

Everyplace is different. Go to your holding department and ask. Here at home, they hade a packet for the garage/shop builder with all the directions, what you need to do, when, and basic drawings and all I had to do was to insert the dimensions. Good luck. And oh, did we mention that they are never big enough?

 

[atfulldraw]

I went down to the county office.

They asked if I was planning on building in the flood zone.

I said no.

They said, ok. No permit, no fee.

That's the best way! God bless Texas.

 

[Consaka]

and where do you live? lol I wanna move there!. Here Clark County is known for being, well how should we put this. Well to just be nice about it they are a pain in the A@@. If they can see it from the air and compare to see if its new they will check to see if you had a permit to do it.
Not that I would know personally. Just what I have heard. Get with the right people that know and there is plenty to hear. Everything from sheds to gravel being spread without a permit. And there is no way you are going to pull it off for less than thousands spent in permit fees.
Im thinking underground garage. muhahahaha.

here its, Hey bob i need a permit, ok, keep it ten feet off your property line, that be $212

 

[brownbagg]

the $212 was for my three bedroom house

 

[storagemaster]

Well, my best advice is to never assume anything. Every county has different restrictions. Try visiting this link on how to get a permit for a shed.

This probably sums up the steps best.