Building a home is a process. There is the physical process of laying the foundation, framing the house, adding the roof, and finishing the interior and exterior. Also, a paperwork process includes a series of permits and inspections. Both processes need to go smoothly to keep your building experience pleasant and to ensure that your house if finished on schedule.
Permits
Before you begin building your home
Before you are even able to get a loan to build your home, you will have to obtain a building permit. Permit regulations and the documentation necessary to receive a permit vary by state. To find out exactly what is required in your state you can go online to the U.S. Census Bureau website at census.gov and look up the specific requirements for your state.
The most important thing to know about getting a building permit is that it is something that your contractor, not you, will take care of. There are a number of things that your contractor will need for the building permit. He will need a complete copy of the building plans, most states want two complete copies of the plans. He will also need statements from both the architect and the structural engineer associated with the foundation. Depending on the location of the house, there may be other necessary documentation.
Once the contractor gets the building permit approved, you will have to pay the permit fee. The permit fees are based on things like the size of your project and the location. This fee is non-negotiable and might cost between $400 and $6000 dollars depending on the projected value of your home. Unless your house is very big or very small, you can probably plan to pay in the neighborhood of $2000 and you should include this cost in with the construction costs.
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