Contractors: How Following the Basics Help You Win the Permitting Game

Construction can be challenging for Contractors when faced with time and budget constraints. And when you factor in the permitting maze, it takes knowledge of the fundamentals, careful planning, and work to minimize delays and frustration in pulling a building permit.

When talking with a business veteran the other day, he mentioned that the great Green Bay Packers’ Head Coach – Vince Lombardi would start each season by holding up a football and then say “…this is a football”. Vince, one of the most well regarded and winningest coaches in NFL history, knew the importance of learning, relearning, and executing the basics of football were key to winning championships.

Like football or any other profession, following the basics is an important aspect in accomplishing one’s goal. This is also the case with obtaining your building permit in a timely manner. So, before you carry a hard set of plans or submit multiple files in an online permitting portal, below are 5 basic steps to follow when needing a permit for a commercial or residential project.

• QA/QC Plans and Prerequisite Documents: Often times as the Contractor, you are provided plans by an Architect or Consultant of some sort depending on the scope of work. Before high tailing to submit plans to the jurisdiction, take time, at a minimum, to review the permit package to check if the proper building codes are referenced, that all required documents are included in package and if drawings are signed and sealed by professional.
• Check Jurisdiction Web Site: There is one thing I know for sure and that is expect changes of some sort at jurisdictions; and to avoid delays, visit the jurisdiction’s permitting web site to confirm applicable ordinances, building codes, forms, operational hours, plus more so you can save time and money plus eliminate headaches.
• Determine Project Phasing: The size, complexity, available labor, and long lead time for materials are considerations when evaluating if is best to phase work and permits. For example, for a new ground up building, do you have ample time and are materials on track to pull one permit for civil, foundation and building or are you at risk in one area where it is best to permit the civil site then the building. Understanding site conditions, overall schedule, costs, etc. are important in deciding if prudent to phase work.
• Complete Permit Application Properly: Checking the wrong box can send your plans down a rabbit review trail that is not required for your scope of work. But because the box was selected, the clock is ticking slowly; and you can be stuck in electronic system until reviews are completed. Make sure to thoroughly review permit application and if you have questions, ask an expert for assistance before hitting “submit”.
• Pull Permit: Taking chances in starting work without having a building permit can place your project in peril and threatens the relationship with your customer. This happens too often and is quite costly after the fact to obtain a permit so make sure to pull and pay for building permit before starting construction.

In Conclusion

Although construction and permitting are totally different, there is one thing they have in common with football and that is the basics will help you cross the goal line and win every time. So, embrace the 5 basic tips above and get ready to build your customer’s dream. And remember to huddle with your team and game experts like PermitUsNow where we are committed to pulling permits for our Architect, Contractor, and Project Owner clients without delay, eliminating their frustrations with the permitting process. Plus, we make it easy for you to work with us. Simply 1) Email us your plans, 2) Follow up on our feedback for any missing items, and 3) Let us get your permitting done for you. So, send us your plans today and we’ll free you up to focus on doing what you love – building your customers’ dreams. #BuildSafe

Two Critical Building Permitting Trends for Contractors to Consider in 2022

The number of building permits pulled in 2021 in most areas of the United States were trending higher than permits pulled in 2020. Single-Family residential showed increases in permitting activities in 2021 along with commercial and warehouses.

So, what does this mean for permitting in 2022?

The above insight is something to be aware of, but here’s what I do know for sure, regardless, if the construction market is hot, warm, or cold or if the Architect’s pencils are flat, Contractors still require a building permit in a timely manner. Why? Because the faster a permit can be pulled, the faster construction can start and get finished. Once a project is fully inspected and a Certificate of Occupancy, depending on project type, is obtained then the doors of a business can open. And it is only at the point when the doors are open that the Project Owner can serve customers and begin to obtain a return on investment (ROI).

With that being said, let’s look at two critical trends for Contractors to consider when preparing for 2022.

STAFFING LEVELS: Will be stressed in many permitting centers across the U.S. and jurisdictions will continue to have challenges finding qualified technical staff.

Jurisdictions like the Houston Permitting Center reported in October 2021 that they are recruiting for Plan Reviewers in many departments plus as a short-term solution they have rearranged some staff internally including at the management level and are expected to engage 3rd party Plan Reviewers to assist with the workload. The challenge the PermitUsNow team foresees is the length of time and impact of new Plan Reviewers coming up-to-speed and handling workloads. Also, new Plan Reviewers sometimes generate more comments which can cause delays. Suggestion: Make sure to know who is reviewing your plans and reach out to the Reviewer to answer any questions and provide clarifications.

Hot construction markets like in Austin, Texas will add more workload to Austin Permitting and Development staff. Contractors can expect similar plan review times and are to be observant of possible added pressure to permitting workload due to large corporations moving into the area resulting in increased population.

When swinging out to the West Coast, the City of San Francisco is expected to continue having long delays in reviewing plans and approving permits. Suggestion: Plan work accordingly and whenever you can do so, start early with your permitting so can minimize the late start of construction.

TECHNOLOGY: Expected to continue to play a strong role and can expect some system hiccups here and there as jurisdictions either come online with e-portals or are making improvements to their electronic system.

Note that some small jurisdictions still require hard copies for plan reviews. Suggestion: Review your pursuits and workload in your pipeline to identify the jurisdiction. Conduct research to figure out which electronic platform is being used or if the jurisdiction accepts hard copies only. Also, sign up for jurisdiction newsletters to stay abreast of changes to e-portals.

In Conclusion

There are huge opportunities to grow your construction business in 2022, especially when you pull permits in a timely manner. Have a plan to tackle the staffing level challenges and make sure your team stays sharp on electronic submissions as this continues to evolve. And remember to #BuildSafe in 2022 and call the PermitUsNow team at 1.844.PERMIT.4 if need assistance with permits.

The Top 7 Ways to say “Thank you” to City Plan Reviewers for Approving Your Plans for Permitting

Here’s the truth. The PermitUsNow team loves working with jurisdictions across Texas, through-out the US, and in Canada. We look forward to the challenges in meeting building codes and enjoy working with Plan Reviewers, Plan Analysts, Supervisors, and other city staff.

Now, before you shake your head thinking we are crazy; and wonder if we know that City Permitting Centers are a pain to navigate and Plan Reviewers are difficult to work with, know that we have a passion for obtaining building permits; and we consider Plan Reviewers to be our friends in the industry.

It can be tough sometimes at the Permitting Center and saying “thank you” goes a long way in working with City Permitting staff and below are the top 7 ways to do so.

• I appreciate your guidance on how the City applies abc building code on xyz type project.
• Thank you for taking my call today. I realize how busy you are with an increased workload.
• My sincere thanks for expediting this review. It really helped to eliminate further delays and save money for project owner.
• I am grateful for you approving my project plans today so can start construction on time.
• Thank you very much for doing xyz.
• Thank you for all your hard work and working OT to finish this review.
• Thanks a lot, we could not have gotten this approval without you today.

It is true that some Plan Reviewers are just doing their job and other Reviewers are overwhelmed with work and unable to respond to you as they like to do. Then there are those Plan Reviewers with a heavy workload that seem to always answer calls, respond to emails, and strive to meet target dates in the new paradigm shaped by the pandemic. Regardless of which bucket the Plan Reviewer reviewing your plans falls in, remember that it is best to treat others as you like to be treated. And saying, “thank you” shows respect and places you in a position to keep your project plans moving through the system.

But Helen, what if the Reviewer is short with me on the phone? Say, “thank you”. What if the Reviewer refuses to answer my call requesting a clarification? Say, “thank you” and then attempt another angle to obtain clarification or escalate. Okay, what about when the Reviewer’s comments are totally off the mark and are flat out wrong? “Say, “I appreciate you reviewing my plans. Are you available to meet on xyz date so I can go over on my project’s scope”?

I think you get the point. Your bottom-line objective is to continue moving towards the goal line to obtain your permit. Words like thanks, thank you, appreciate, and grateful help you pick up yardage on the field and minimize delays in permitting.

In Conclusion

Plan Reviewers, Plan Analysts, Department Supervisors, Fire Marshals and Permit Intake Coordinators are all demanding jobs and the PermitUsNow team appreciates their efforts on building safety, approving plans in a timely manner, working overtime, and releasing permits in the system for payment. When City Permitting staff across the country work together with Permit Expediters, Architects, and Contractors, the communities served thrive with construction activities and new businesses boost the economy. If you know of a Plan Reviewer that has gone above and beyond in delivering exceptional service, please let me know. I welcome hearing their story. Connect with me on Linkedin or call 1.844.PERMIT.4

#BuildSafe

Contractors – October is National Code Compliance Month and Why You Should Care

National Code Compliance Month was established by the American Association of Code Enforcement many years ago to recognize work that Code Enforcement Officers provide to make sure buildings are safe for use. They perform inspections using building codes and zoning ordinances on residential to industrial to environmental and other types of buildings and infrastructure. Being a Code Enforcement Officer is a demanding job; and PermitUsNow team members have worked with many Code Enforcement Officers over the years and we appreciate their support.

Now, as a Contractor, here’s why you should care about National Code Compliance Month. During the month of October, across the United States and Canada, Code Enforcement Officers in many municipal jurisdictions ramp up their efforts searching, identifying, and documenting violations known as red tags on buildings not permitted, missing a Certificate of Occupancy, wrong CO for building use or other violations.

This means that if you forgot or skirted around pulling a permit then you are in violation and are at a high risk of being identified and worse, your customer – Property Owner – can face fines. You’re also at a high risk of being red-tagged for failing to call for final inspection and the building is in use without a CO. How do we know this to be true? Aside from knowing the building codes and ordinances of hundreds of jurisdictions, we have keen knowledge from our 1.844.PERMIT.4 hotline ringing off the hook in October with calls from Contractors and Project Owners saying they have been red-tagged.

Below are a few examples of dire calls received in October from Contractors and Property Owners

Contractor: “I’ve just been red-tagged by City Code Enforcement for not having permits.”
PermitUSNow: What’s your project address? Is your project commercial or residential? What’s the scope of work and percent completion of construction?
Contractor: “This is a 30-year-old industrial facility and we’ve been adding to this building for a few years. Can you help us obtain the proper permits?

————–

Property Owner: “The City’s Code Enforcement Officer left red tags on all our houses today.”
PermitUsNow: What are the property addresses? What type of work are you doing on the houses?
Property Owner: “Construction was completed last year. What do we need to do?”

And one of the most interesting calls received from a Project Owner stating that “Code Enforcement has been driving from property to property all week in the industrial park across the street. Am I located on the County or the City side?”

If you are a Contractor, Architect or Project Owners that has performed work within a jurisdiction that requires meeting building codes and ordinances that were not permitted or lacks a proper CO, consider eliminating your risk of being red-tagged, taken to court, and fined by proceeding to obtain permits for construction work completed. The cost and stress of operating undercover or thinking that the City does not know can be significant.

If the above is your situation, the 7 corrective action steps to pull permit when caught without a permit by Code Enforcement can be helpful to minimize a violation.

• Develop scope of work and show on drawings
• Create a set of drawings, if needed, and include prerequisite documents per scope
• Complete permit application, package and submit correctly to jurisdiction
• Respond to any City Permitting RFI’s and comments
• Pull permit(s) and call for inspection(s)
• Obtain Certificate of Occupancy and post on site
• Properly store all documents (hard files and electronically)

In Conclusion

October can be scary for some Contractors that failed to pull permits or have issues with a CO. You can avoid looking over your shoulders and worrying when you see a City Code Enforcement vehicle driving by and take steps to do the right thing. If you need assistance with permits, call PermtiUsNow anytime at 1.844.PERMIT.4.

#BuildSafe

5 Things to Know About When to Pull a Building Permit after Home Damaged from Hurricane Nicholas

As I write this article early Tuesday morning, torrential rains from Tropical Storm Nicholas are still pounding in some parts of Houston and the surrounding areas, homes have flooded, trees have blown down punching holes in rooftops and hundreds of thousands of homeowners are without power. After hurricanes and storms like Nicholas wreak havoc, homeowners that suffered damage to their properties are often left wondering how to make repairs or worse the rebuild.

We live, work, and play in Houston and we get it. We have heard the sensitivity in the voices of homeowners when they have called our hotline after a hurricane asking questions like:

• A tree fell on my garage, do I need a permit to replace a portion of the roof?
• Our roof caved-in and the Contractor says we do not need a permit. Is this true?
• What kind of permit do we need when water came into our home and damaged our carpet and walls in the den?

To assist in calming homeowners during challenging times after incurring damage to their property after Hurricane Nicholas, following are 5 things to know about when and when not to pull a building permit.

Permits are Required in Most Jurisdictions When:

• Replacing and installing new windows and exterior doors that may have been damaged by fallen trees, flying debris or from the pressure from flood waters
• Repairing roof that incurred structural damage or installing a new roof
• Replacing or repairing structural walls or beams
• Replacing and installing siding that is greater than approximately 125 sq. ft.
• Installing new or repair to mechanical (HVAC) and electrical systems. Note that licensed trade contractors must pull a permit. To verify that a Electrician and HVAC are licensed in the state of Texas visit www.tdlr.texas.gov

Permits are NOT Required When:

• Replacing sheetrock and drywalling
• Repairing or installing new wood fence that is less than 8 ft tall
• Making minor repairs to exterior trim and soffit
• Placing a tarp on roof
• Repairing cabinets, flooring, carpets, etc.
• Painting, wallpapering and refreshing walls

Getting back to normal is the desire of residential owners after their property has been damaged from a hurricane. The list above on when to pull a permit and when a permit is not needed is a general guide for most jurisdictions along the Texas Gulf Coast. Some exceptions may occur in rural areas and suggest that you visit your local jurisdiction’s web site for more information.

In Conclusion

The PermitUsNow team stands ready to answer any questions on building permitting for restore residential and commercial properties and can reach a team member at 1.844.PERMIT.4.

#BuildSafe

5 Things to Consider when Permitting a Building with a Change of Use

There are too many times to count where PermitUsNow team members have answered the company’s 1.844.PERMIT.4 line and the voice on the other side says, “I am having problems getting a permit.” We ask the caller basic questions like the scope of work, location, type of use, and their City Permitting project number. The caller rattles off the scope, physical address and then indicates the use of the building. “What was this prior use of property”, we ask the caller. “It was a furniture store; and before, it was a residence.” And you are building out a medical spa, is that correct? “Yes”, says the caller in a barely audible voice.

This is the cause of their permitting woes as jurisdictions often require a full set of plans when a change of use is involved. And while Project Owners are focused on location, location, location for the site, doing so without understanding the impact of obtaining a site with a change of use, can be and often is costly.

So, what does change of use mean? Basically, a change of use means when a building undergoes major remodel for another use or may incur no physical changes but has a change in the type of business use. For example, if the building was a residential property and is being converted for retail or if the building was a grocery store and now becoming a school. Both illustrate a different type of way the building will be used and as a result, must comply with the appropriate building codes and obtain a change of use permit.

What is a change of use permit? A change of use permit validates that the jurisdiction has reviewed and approved plans for the proposed use. Approval signifies that the plans comply to applicable building codes. Once approved, a change of use permit is issued, and construction work can start.

If you’re a General Contractor that has a building project involving a change of use, below are 5 things to consider with permitting.

• What is current use of space versus proposed use? Answering this question will dictate how stringent the departmental reviews will be after submitting to jurisdiction for a change of use permit. Suggest meeting with a city Plan Reviewer early.
• Conduct a site visit with Contractor, key consultants, and if possible, with Project Owner to assess the work to be done and what type of changes will be needed to meet code. We have found that these changes are beyond what the Project Owner has thought about and a site visit helps minimize any surprises down the road.
• Do you have existing building plans? Jurisdictions usually require a full set of plans when a change of use is involved. If Project Owner does not have plans, check with the Landlord or Property Management. If these options do not yield any drawings, then contact the jurisdiction to see if plans are in archives.
• Taking building as-is? If so, then another route to consider is going straight to Occupancy to ask for an inspection. After paying the inspection fee, City Occupancy will schedule a site visit. During this visit, Inspectors will indicate what is needed to meet the code and provide you a written report. You can then take this report, most of the time, and use as punch list to address all items that require fixing. Once fixed, call for Occupancy Inspection again, and if approved, you are on your way to obtaining your Certificate of Occupancy and ready to open.
• Need help in obtaining change of use permitting? Consider contacting a building permit expert that has experience in permitting projects that involved a different use. Doing so can save time and money plus alleviate frustrations with permitting.

In Conclusion

Change of use permits can be a pain and present challenges in obtaining approval. The 5 things to consider are designed to get you to “think” and in doing so develop an approach to minimize delays in permitting and in starting construction. I love helping businesses to open and the 1.844.PERMIT.4 line is open now to take your request on permitting your next project.

#BuildSafe

Louisiana – 5 Building Permitting Tips After Suffering Residential Property Damage from Hurricane Ida

Hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana that were in the path of Hurricane Ida have either hunkered down or traveled to a safe place as I write this article. Living along the Gulf of Mexico has its benefits from great fishing to good food, and a culture like no other, but it also has a big risk. And that risk is hurricanes. As I native and resident of Houston, Texas, I understand this natural challenge like my neighbors in Louisiana.

In fact, you can still see blue tarps on residential roofs in southwest Louisiana; and you can see homes that were left in shambles and empty from prior hurricanes. The bottom line is that rebuilding from many residential property owners is not only stressful, but it also holds a lot of challenges, especially when making decisions on how to approach repairs, assessing insurance coverage, determining repair costs, investigating permits needed, and selecting reputable contractors.

To minimize headaches often associated with jurisdiction construction permits, below are 5 tips on when a residential permit is to make repairs caused by Hurricane Ida.

• Tip 1: Building new additions such as a sunroom, 2^nd floor, patio area, or bedroom
• Tip 2: Expanding interior rooms involving moving load bearing walls such as enlarging den, kitchen, or another room
• Tip 3: Installing new windows which impacts energy efficiency and structure on home
• Tip 4: Installing a new roof or major repairs to an existing roof
• Tip 5: Building a new shed or garage

While permitting may be less stringent in rural areas, in most cities, building permits are required for nearly most types of new construction, renovations and major repairs. This is contrary when doing minor repairs and below is a general rule-of-thumb and is applicable in most cities in Louisiana.

3 Types of Residential Work that Does Not Require a Construction Permit

• Emergency repairs to residence such as boarding up windows, doors, and placing tarps on roofs
• Cleaning up debris after flood and wind damage to home
• Replacing sheetrock, installing flooring, painting, and other minor works

In Conclusion

During times of destruction, many people become fearful and struggle in making the best decisions when hiring a contractor to make repairs or worse case in rebuilding their home. We get it! And we’re delighted to provide you with basic tips on when a building permit is required for fixing your home. If you have any questions about obtaining a building permit after incurring damage from Hurricane Ida, call 1.844.PERMIT.4 and a member from the PermitUsNow team will be glad to speak with you.

#BuildSafe

5 Permitting Tips to Employ When Slapped with Pages of Rejection Comments

Picture this: you sip your favorite cup of coffee, log into jurisdiction permitting e-portal to check the status of your plan reviews then you take a double-look at the screen, and then shake your head wondering why you have received multiple pages of rejection comments from Plan Reviewers. What the heck is going on and what are they doing with your project? Your project is straightforward and there’s just gotta be something wrong with the Plan Reviewers. Right?

We get it and have heard many stories from Contractors and Architects sharing how Plan Reviewers do not know what they are doing and are out to get you. Contractors go on to say that responding to pages of rejection comments costs money and pushes back the start of construction and then they ask what can be done to minimize the loss.

Here’s what we know for sure: Plan Reviewers do make mistakes. Yes, that’s right; and below are a few common reasons that Plan Reviewers make mistakes:

• Unclear on your project’s scope of work
• Heavy workload and missed key aspects of project scope of work
• In training and lack knowledge on standards
• Hit the reject button in error when instead project was approved
• Not clear on how to apply the latest ordinance or new policy issued in Permitting

By looking at the rejection comments, you can discern if any of the above reasons appear to have been a factor in producing rejection comments. And if so, be courteous in responding to rejection comments and be mindful that it is critical for your project’s approval to treat Plan Reviewers as you like to be treated. To do otherwise, may dig your hole deeper and generate a different set of rejection comments.

When shocked with pages of rejection comments, here are 5 tips to employ in permitting.

1. Check to see if pages were properly uploaded into the electronic system or if hard copy sheets were packaged per jurisdiction standards. This is a sure-fire way to receive lots of rejections during the completeness check. Jurisdiction staff expects to find the correct files in the right folder online or in the hard plan set. When plans are not correctly assembled or files not uploaded in the right folders, rejection comments will rise.
2. Look for commonality in city rejection comments. Often addressing one rejection comment will clear 4 to 5 other comments because they are related. Finding the linchpin can save you time and money. If have any questions, call the Plan Reviewer.
3. Prepare a thorough response sheet. Noting “N/A” or failing to respond to a rejection comment is risky and typically, causes more delays as the comment is there for a reason. If a comment is found not to be applicable then briefly point out the reason. Also, if a comment is about a missing sheet that is actually in the original submittal then note that xyz sheet is in the Civil set on sheet C.123. The goal is to respond to each comment with information that is helpful for Plan Reviewer to do their job in approving your plans.
4. Call or schedule a meeting with Plan Reviewer. This step can save lots of time and money as clarification ensure that you are clear on what the Plan Reviewer is rejecting and wants to see for granting approval.
5. QA/QC resubmittal package.

In Conclusion

We know the pain from Contractors and Architects calling our toll-free line asking for help with rejection comments. The 5 tips above are valuable to assist when responding to 2 to 3 comments or multiple pages. The PermitUsNow team stays in the batter’s box and on deck to assist clients in pulling permits in a timely manner. If you have any questions, you can reach a team of permitting experts at 1.844.PERMIT.4.

#BuildSafe

5 Reasons to Avoid Complaining About Your City’s Permitting Center

Have you submitted a perfect construction permit set before to a jurisdiction and it goes through every departmental review racking up every imaginable rejection comment? You scratch your head, begin to fume, and next release a mouth-full of complaints to the City Plan Reviewers and then worry how much delays in permitting will cost you.

With the increase in lumber prices, pressures from the lingering 2020 pandemic, long lead items, and unusually longer plan review times at jurisdictions in parts of Texas, California, and many other areas in the US., some contractors’ frustrations are running high. The PermitUsNow team hears the stories from small to mid-size to large contractors juggling to start a construction project on time and wrap up timely.

Here’s what I know from a couple of experiences and from listening to lots of contractors’ horror stories is that repeatedly hurling complaints at your City’s Permitting Center is not the best course of action in obtaining a building permit in a timely manner. Be firm, yes. Complain every time receive a City rejection or delay in permitting, I suggest that you avoid doing so for the following 5 reasons.

• Reason to avoid complaining No. 1: It takes you off your course versus being focused on finding ways to address any City comments and pull permit asap.
• Reason to avoid complaining No. 2: It creates a crap magnet attracting other negative energy that can derail your project in some manner like lost or stolen tools, delay in customer payments, and many other ways.
• Reason to avoid complaining No. 3: Turns off others. The truth is mostly everyone going to work shows up wanting to have a positive experience and when something or someone goes against this basic desire, people like Plan Reviewer will shut down and are slow to respond.
• Reason to avoid complaining No. 4: Triggers other rejection comments. After hearing a barrage of complaints some Plan Reviewers will then go line by line, letter by letter in the notes making sure everything meets building codes. This magnifying glass approach usually causes more rejection comments including very minor ones.
• Reason to avoid complaining No. 5: Eventually no one listens to a contractor that whines and complains all the time about City Permitting Center.

In addition to the above 5 reasons, steady complaining can adversely affect your physical health, impact the morale of your employees, and signal to the marketplace a different message than you may want to be conveying.

Industry statistics from Home Builders Associations to the Dodge Report note that permitting delays are a problem in many markets in the U.S.; and it is beneficial for Contractors to be proactive and have a solid plan when pulling permits in order to minimize delays.

In Conclusion

The 2020 pandemic flipped the way Permitting Centers work. From making an appointment to get inside the Permitting Center to fully online submissions to same-day permits now taking 3 to 5 days to many City staffers still working at home. Contractors’ goal was simple: continue working as construction projects kept moving forward in housing, aviation, transportation, mixed-use, and with many commercial projects. And I have to say, it is this kind of determination that keeps me writing articles with unique and helpful tips for contractors to be heads up when pulling permits. #BuildSafe and call 1.844.PERMIT.4 as the PermitUsNow team welcomes the opportunity to speak with you about your permitting needs.

What Do High Lumber Prices Have to do with Pulling Building Permits?

Time is money so let me get right to the point on the connection between high lumber prices and building permits.

It is no secret that since early 2020 lumber prices have increased to their highest point in history. High lumber prices combined with some jurisdictions taking much longer than usual in completing plan reviews and issuing permits, caused many contractors to make tough business decisions.

Here are three real situations that the PermitUsNow team has heard over the last 6 months from contractors stressed financially due to higher upfront material costs.

• Some contractors started work without obtaining a building permit and were caught by City Code Enforcement.
• Others took their demo permit too far and began actual construction.
• Smaller contractors were flabbergasted with the set of cards dealt.
• And a couple of developers have asked how long can a permit be held before it expires as they are considering waiting out the high prices.

The 2020 pandemic and its lingering bruises placed another straw on the camel’s back that stressed the supply of available lumber across the U.S. and North America. This added weight from increased homeowners DIY projects, the boom in housing new start construction, workers staying at home, and many lumber sawmills in North America had been either closed or working at a reduced capacity in 2019.

Many sawmills were barely eking out operations because lumber futures pricing was too low for them to make a profit and survive. Visit the Nasdaq and search “lumber futures”.

So, when the demand for lumber drastically increased in 2020, many sawmills in North America were what I call “flat-footed” and not prepared to handle the production demand with workers out and basically in quasi-shut down mode.

Economists that focus on the lumber industry indicate that lumber prices will be volatile for the rest of this year and longer. Even as I write this article there are signs of lumber yards working regular hours which may indicate another shift. For sure, the industry is bracing that lumber prices will most likely not return to earlier levels 2019 or 2018 years.

With the lumber scenario, I suggest that contractors across all markets be proactive and follow the 7 suggestions below to pull permits in a timely manner.

• Start early in gathering all necessary documents for permitting.
• QA/QC construction plan sets and prerequisite documents prior to submitting to jurisdiction.
• Realize that if doing remodels that 1-day permits are almost a thing of the past. In many jurisdictions, a 1 day permit now takes 3 to 5 days to obtain.
• Ask for help. Jurisdiction Plan Reviewers are available to answer any questions you might have in satisfying building code. Call and schedule an appointment with Plan Reviewer or connect live virtually.
• Respond as quickly as possible to any City rejection comments.
• Sign up for jurisdiction newsletters and alerts to stay on top of changes in jurisdiction permitting processes, new building codes implemented, operational hours, staffing levels and other areas.
• Avoid the risk of being issued a violation and placing your customer in jeopardy. Put safety first and pull the right building permits before construction. Note: Rural areas follow different guidelines.

In Conclusion

Market cycles occur and the lumber prices are reflective of one such cycle that have pressed many contractors against the ropes. Stay heads up, be proactive in pulling permits as shared in above 7 tips and adjust your contracting business in a manner to flourish. #BuildSafe and call 1.844.PERMIT.4 anytime to reach a permit expert.