Timing

The time schedule for when to get a building permit will vary depending on the state, city, or county regulations. The only way to know for sure how long before starting construction to apply for building permits would be to visit the local town or city hall to find out. Many times the contractor hired to build that addition or home will secure all of the proper permits for the owner. This can save a lot of headache, but owners should be sure this service is included in their contract with the contractor to avoid extra costs.

Regulations

One reason the timing on securing a building permit will vary is because of the different regulations from location to location. One county may not have strict rules concerning building, while the adjoining city may have extremely strict rules. Meeting with someone at the town or city offices will help to learn these different regulations.

Another reason timing may vary is because there are different building codes for different homes. For example, if someone is looking to do an addition on a home built in the 1970's, the wiring, plumbing, and construction will have been built to the code that existed in the 1970's. If the addition was built according to the code established for current homes, the mixture of standards could prove dangerous in that wiring systems could become overloaded or something even worse.

Inspectors

One way that the city or town ensures that an addition or home construction is following the code is by requiring the owner to have inspectors come and inspect the building process. Sometimes inspectors are sent before a building permit is even issued to verify information provided by an owner or contractor. If this is the case, owners will have to plan for a delay in receiving their building permit until after the inspector has come.

Because inspectors must come at certain times during construction, the inspection process may cause delays in construction. For example, an inspector may need to come and check the foundation before anything can be built on top of it. Or, an inspector may need to test the wiring system before the walls can be put in place. All of these types of things will cause a delay in construction.

When establishing a building plan for a home addition or home construction, be sure to work with a contractor that understands the local process for securing a building permit. Or, owners should be sure to research the process themselves. The process of securing the permit and having periodic inspections by inspectors will cause delays in a plan that does not account for these technicalities.