The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Home and Saving Thousands on Your New House by Corie Richter

Author:Corie Richter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: building a house, construction, site, loans, financing, insurance, plans, subcontractors, building codes, style, design
Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc.
Published: 2013-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8: The Beginning of Your Castle (Phase One)

8.1: Permits, Building Codes, and Inspections

Most cities and counties will not allow for any kind of construction on a piece of property without a building permit. The type, details, and location of the construction all need to be approved to obtain this permit. The required sanctions are obtained through government offices; without such, nothing can be done to initiate a build. It is critical to start this process in advance so it does not interrupt your proposed ground-breaking and start date.

You may, however, be able to begin clearing the trees and brush from the building site so long as heavy equipment is not brought in. Because building codes and laws vary so much, check on this detail before firing up the chain saw and gassing up your four-wheeler. Avoiding fines and delays should always be in the front of your mind. Do not be smug and assume no one will know; there could always be a neighbor or nearby worker willing to notify authorities.

The different permits can be confusing. Visit the code enforcement officer or equivalent person in your city or county. This individual, or others working in the office, can clarify requirements so you understand them. They will explain what permits are needed, the fees associated with each, and where the document needs to be located on the property during the build. Workers in these offices are usually fountains of knowledge, so ask a lot of questions, and do not feel stupid; they have heard them all.

Notes From the Field

You may find the clerks behind the desks at town halls in small towns to be armed with more information than those in the busier metropolitan areas. This is normally because they typically have more time on their hands to have discussions with residents, the code enforcement agent, and appraisers.

The application normally consists of one or two pages. They must be accompanied by a complete set of drawings and the surveyor’s plans, showing the locations plus orientation of the house. Fees associated with the permit are characteristically based on the square footage of the home. These fees can be itemized into an understandable list upon request if it is not already available to you.

Once the building permit is issued and construction is complete, officials perform an inspection to determine whether all the codes were followed properly. If you have any questions about this process, ask. Contact your state’s regulatory agency or your local building department. It is not possible to have too much information, but it is possible to not have enough. Do your research well.

Money-Saving Tip:

When you visit the code enforcement office, request a copy of all the codes that may pertain to your building project. If they cannot produce a copy, ask them where you can search on the Internet for this information. If there is no information online, request if they can speak to you personally about the codes so you can write everything down. Having this information at your fingertips or in your files will save you money.

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