3 Ways to Avoid Getting Caught up in Permitting Woes When Repairing Single Family Homes After a Storm

Devastating storms such as hurricanes, tornados, floods from thunderstorms and the recent Texas freeze create a bonanza of work for Contractors. From blown off roofs to busted pipes to fallen sheetrock, Contractors rush in to assist homeowners in repairing damage homes.

Challenges often crop up during construction and some Contractors scratch their head on how to proceed in obtaining the proper permits. Below are questions that The PermitUsNow team has received from Contractors over the last few weeks.

“Hi Helen, we still have at least 2 months of single-family residential repair work from the recent freeze. We have some customers that want us to expand rooms. Can we knock out walls and install new windows with a general repair permit?”

“The homeowner is wanting their bathroom to be ADA compliant since we are placing in new sheetrock and making other repairs to counters due to busted water pipes. Do we need a building permit for this new scope?”

“The City Code Enforcement stopped by and gave the homeowner a violation for converting their garage into a family room without a building permit. What is the best way to proceed as we were only under contract to provide roof repairs?”

We share with Contractors several educational tips on when building permits are typically needed in most jurisdictions across the US. Note: Rural communities may and are often a different scenario. For example, here are some tips that our team provided to Contractors.

• Tip 1: Cosmetic repairs involving sheetrock, painting, new carpet, etc. do not require a permit. Contractors can proceed with task using quality workmanship.
• Tip 2: Room expansions and additions involving moving structural walls require a set of plans and is to be submitted to the appropriate jurisdiction for permitting.
• Tip 3: Depending on the full scope of work, ADA work such as widening bathroom doorways, tearing out walls to install new counters and adjusting plumbing, installing a compliant shower stall with handheld bar normally require a building permit.

To avoid getting caught up in permitting woes when repairing single family homes after a storm, below are 3 areas to consider before starting work.

• 1^st Consideration: Make sure to fully assess damage to home and review with homeowner findings and that work is deemed cosmetic or general repair. Pull general repair permit where needed based on jurisdiction work being performed in.
• 2^nd Consideration: From our experience after incurring severe storm damage, we often know that homeowners like to finally have their long-time dreams come true in expanding a family room, creating an extra bedroom, or expanding the kitchen and on and on. If this is the case with your customer, make sure to pull a building permit that covers demolishing walls and building new structural walls, expanding roof, etc. A set of Architectural and Structural plans will be required and changing the overall square feet of the home may trigger a set of civil plans.
• 3^rd Consideration: Make sure to use jurisdiction’s checklist on permitting residential homes. Adhering to this list can minimize frustrations once fully into construction and if the homeowner wants to change scope.

In Conclusion

Storms cause destruction to all types of properties including single-family homes. This presents an opportunity for Contractors to not only be of service to those homeowners in need but also allows Contractors to grow their business. Remember the educational tips mentioned above to avoid permitting problems and experiencing delays in completing home repairs. If you have any interesting stories in obtaining permits for home repairs, please call me at 1.844.PERMIT.4 I love to hear your story.
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Permit Us Now Featured by H-E-B Grocery as Diverse Supplier Success Story

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Media Contact:
Helen Callier, President
281.312.9981 Mobile | helen@permitusnow.com

Permit Us Now Featured by H-E-B Grocery as Diverse Supplier Success Story

HOUSTON, Texas (March 25, 2021) – Permit Us Now, a building permitting expediting firm, was selected by HEB, one of the largest independent grocery chains in the U.S., to be featured in a video on HEB’s Supplier Diversity website as a small and diverse supplier success story. Permit Us Now has managed over 300 building permits for HEB since 2017 and has been instrumental in saving HEB time and money.

Recently launched, the Permit Us Now story has inspired many small businesses visiting HEB’s Supplier Diversity website. The featured video highlights two key points: 1) Partnership with HEB has helped to grow Permit Us Now’s business even during the pandemic; and 2) Doing business with HEB enabled Permit Us Now to give time and monetary contributions to the communities in which they live and work.

“Permit Us Now is the epitome of a great H-E-B partner. They consistently deliver building permits in a timely manner with helps H-E-B to save money and ultimately, to provide the ideal shopping experience for our customers in Texas.” Crystal Royal, H-E-B, Manager of Diversity

Permit Us Now also played a key role in helping HEB permit about 60 projects across the state of Texas in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. From expanding curbsides and meal simples, Permit Us Now services helped HEB to meet customer demands.

“It means a lot to us to be recognized by HEB; and this is a reflection of our team’s commitment to save money; and be innovative in navigating jurisdictions to pull permits fast. We are truly grateful for HEB’s business.” Helen Callier, President of Permit Us Now

Building permitting can be one of the most frustrating aspects of any construction project. And when operating in an industry that typically has 1% to 2% margins, as in the grocery industry, every dollar that can be saved is critical to the bottom line and in satisfying customers needs. With offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, Permit Us Now covers the state of Texas for HEB with a team of building code experts that are passionate about saving clients’ time and money plus removing the pain with building permits.

About Permit Us Now, LLC

Founded in September 2016, Permit Us Now is the go-to one-stop building permitting firm that helps Architects, Engineers and Contractors to save time and money plus start construction in a timely manner. Permit Us Now covers over 400 jurisdictions in Texas and has a national presence. Permit Us Now has offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, Texas. Permit Us Now manages permitting from design phase to close out for commercial, institutional, and residential projects with a team of recognized experts. Permit Us Now was also recently recognized by Subcontractors USA for innovation in the construction industry.

Through its parent company, Permit Us Now is a certified minority and woman-owned business through the City of Houston and NMSDC. Clients of Permit Us Now include H-E-B, JOERIS, Burns and McDonnell, United Airlines, Crystal Clean, Brake Check, and CVS.

Learn more on Permit Us Now, LLC, visit www.permitusnow.com or follow @permitusnow, on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Winter Freeze – 5 Tips on When a Residential Repair Permit is Required in Texas

As I write this article, millions of my fellow Texans are still without power and attempting to stay warm huddled inside their homes. Others have sought shelter at warming centers to weather the freezing temperatures and to protect their family.

Just like the Texas electrical grid’s, managed by the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), infrastructure failed, some houses in Texas were not built to withstand freezing temperatures for any long period. As a result, water pipes inside walls can and do burst causing damage to sheetrock, electrical wiring, flooring, and cabinetry. When this happens, and if you live within a city jurisdiction, make sure any trade contractor that you hire pulls the required repair permit. We have heard too many horror stories from other natural disasters where a trade contractor completed work and then months later found out that a permit was never pulled. Don’t let this be you!

Consider the following tips as general rule-of-thumb when residential repair permits are required, especially when living within a city jurisdiction limit in Texas.

Repair Permits are Required:

• Major plumbing repairs and installation of new plumbing
• Replacing electrical wiring
• Remodeling
• Replacement or repair of structural members

Repair Permits Not Required:

• Sheetrock repair and replacement
• Painting, wall papering
• Repair of cabinetry
• Replacing countertops
• Replacement of carpet and other flooring types
• Minor electrical repairs

In addition, our historical industry data from prior natural disasters in Texas show that when faced with making repairs and minor work, homeowners often decide that it is a good time to complete major remodel work that they have wanted to do for a long time.

In this scenario, note that building a new addition, enclosing a carport, converting a garage, expanding a room, adding porches, and other similar work involving substantial changes to the house structure require actual Architectural and Structural plans to submit to City Permitting to obtain a building permit. Also, some home associations rules and regulations may require approval before proceeding in any major remodels.

In addition, if a house was destroyed by fire due to faulty wiring, improper use of generators, space heaters and more, a building permit is required by most city jurisdictions to rebuild a fire damaged house in Texas. Note, rural areas and county jurisdictions have other requirements which may be less stringent. Check permitting jurisdictions web sites for additional information.

In Conclusion

Wintery storms and freezing conditions are dangerous in areas that normally have warm winters and lack the infrastructure to properly handle inclement weather like being experienced in Texas this week. This also includes residential housing that may require repairs to electrical wiring, plumbing, walls, cabinets, and floors when water pipes burst. When this occurs, take the necessary precautions, and ask licensed trade contractor if work being performed requires a repair permit. If the answer is yes, then ask Contractor if repair permit has been secured.

We are deeply moved by the extraordinary fortitude of Texans during challenging times and offering tips on when a repair permit may be needed is a showing of our commitment to the Lone Star state and to the construction industry. Are you a Construction Project Executive or Contractor in Texas, call the PermitUsNow building code experts at 1.844.PERMIT.4 for any questions on building permits or visit www.permitusnow.com to request a quote for your next residential construction project.
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The Essential Guide for Construction Project Executives to Pulling Permits Fast

In many markets across the United States, Construction Project Executives are being challenged more and more to start construction on time and within budget. Recent construction industry studies show that building permits are causing significant delays and much pain for Project Executives.

Avoid unnecessary delays. In “The Essential Guide for Construction Project Executives to Pulling Permits Fast”, I dive into the six tips you should consider after receiving jurisdiction rejection comments:

1. Act promptly.
2. Ask for help.
3. QA/QC your rejected plans.
4. Audit your prerequisite documents.
5. Assess your costs.
6. Think strategically.

Download the guide now to learn more.

7 Steps to Use When the Playing Field has Changed at Permitting Centers

You’re a Construction Project Executive with demands to grow your business in 2021 and the new normal is causing budget strains from waiting around much longer than planned for building permits.

We get it! We hear the challenges from the many calls into our PermitUsNow’s toll-free line that sheds light on Contractors’ struggles in obtaining building permits in a timely manner.

Here’s a snapshot of industry permitting realities:

• Avoiding working in a particular jurisdiction when a small remodeling project that use to take 1 day for approval and permitting is now taking up to 2 weeks to be reviewed.
• Fretting on how to reach a Plan Reviewer to ask questions on building codes when the jurisdiction is short-staffed and the assigned Reviewer is not responding.
• And, a scratching head moment after receiving cryptic rejection comments for missing documents knowing that your submitted permit package included all required documents that jurisdiction says is missing and requesting you to submit.

It is an industry fact that when a Contractor is unable to pull a building permit in a timely manner, construction start dates are pushed out and preconstruction budgets begin to turn red signaling early warning signs for the project.

So, how do you handle today’s permitting challenges? What are some practical steps to mitigate delays in permitting and have a minimum impact on the allotted budget for obtaining the permit? And, how much time is best to allocate for permitting in the new normal environment?

The above questions are great questions, and for those that routinely read my articles, you know that I emphasize that using the basics wins a game every time. From golf to football to soccer to chess and including the permitting game, leaning on the basics is a safe bet to achieve desired goals.

Here are 7 steps to use when the playing field has changed at permitting centers.

• Start early: Proper preparation and early planning minimizes hiccups, oh I forgot to do’s and other misses. Review plans, obtain all necessary pre-requisite documents, check permit fees, and gather all necessary data for a successful game on the front-end.
• Sign up for Automatic Alerts: Yes, it is a pain to receive another email on top of the many emails you manage already daily. Signing up to receive alerts from a jurisdiction’s permitting center can save you thousands of dollars and lots of time.
• Use Checklists: Most jurisdictions across the US have helpful information on their permitting websites and offer checklists for various projects to help make sure plans are submitted properly for permitting. This is a key tool and especially for Project Executives that use lean construction to eliminate mistakes.
• QA/QC Permit Package: Everyone gets busy and taking a moment to QA/QC package before submitting saves time and money. Also, peer review can do wonders in catching any errors.
• Submit Plans: Refrain from guessing on the proper way to submit plans and ask for help. Placing a file in the wrong folder during electronic submission will cause a rejection. Follow the guidelines presented on most permitting web sites. If cannot locate guidelines, then call the Permitting Coordinator at the jurisdiction you are submitting plans to.
• Monitor Plan Reviews
• Perform Courtesy Outreach to Reviewer – Ginger reminders are valuable and help to keep your project on Reviewers’ radar. Note keyword – ginger.

In Conclusion

That’s it for now. Make sure the basics are apart of your strategy and plan to obtain permits in a timely manner. Plan Reviewers are people too and the more you can do on the front-end to make it easier for the Plan Reviewer, the faster your permit can be flying into your hands. If you have any hey you really have to hear this story about permitting, please reach out to me on Linkedin or call 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

Lean on 5 Critical Tips to Obtain a Permit to Ride Construction Industry Gains in 2021

Did you read the December 2020 issue of SubContractors USA? There was a great article on page 4 titled “US Construction Spending to Gain Ground Through 2024” highlighted the growth in certain construction industry sectors and regions in the US such as in the South. This is good news if you are prepared to play the game.

A long-time and well-recognized construction industry expert, Pat Kiley, often says, “Contractors in Texas should thank their lucky stars” as Texas is one of the construction capitols and it will continue to be a strong market for years to come. Also, Pat noted during a recent industry conference that selecting the right projects, having skilled talent, using digital technology, and employing good money management are keys to being successful in the upcoming years. This along with Deloitte’s 2021 E&C Industry Outlook noting that obtaining building permits in a timely manner is a difficulty that must be tackled. Otherwise, Contractors will be hamstrung in pursuit of achieving business goals in 2021 and two to three years to follow.

So, what can you do to plan for permitting when residential building, public, infrastructure, and commercial markets are expected to drive growth through 2024? How can you best position your construction firm to minimize delays in permitting and impacting your project starts?

To answer these questions, consider leaning on the 5 tips below to avoid permitting challenges in 2021.

• Stary early. Review your construction schedule and make sure to have allotted enough time and necessary resources for permitting
• Avoid Making Assumptions. There are a lot of moving pieces with permitting and the Architect or Engineer may not be fully away of all the building codes. Ask questions and provide your input so can minimize areas for possible rejections during permitting
• Request a Pre-Meeting with Plan Reviewer – This alone can save huge amount of time and money by obtaining input on how to design or build an element to meet code before submitting.
• QA/QC permitting package and all pre-requisite documents before submitting. If unsure, engage a reputable permit expeditor as they have intimate knowledge to add value and save you money.
• Format files properly, submit and monitor for any rejection comments
• Respond quickly and completely to rejection comments from Plan Reviewers

Difficulties in permitting is real and is a critical factor for many Contractors and Developers avoiding certain jurisdictions with unusually long delay times. In Dallas, TX, for example, some Contractors are avoiding construction projects that go through the City of Dallas Permitting and others have shifted their business model to begin handling projects that do not require a permit or only need a minor repair permit. And in the City of Austin Permitting, Contractors are tossing hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for the expedited review process when it does not make logical sense to do so. While certain jurisdictions are causing Contractors headaches and even a loss of business, there are more prudent approaches to get ahead of the curve and pull a permit in a timely manner in 2021.

In Conclusion

You can explore engaging a permit expeditor. This is one solution that is a proven benefit and pays for itself. If this kind of resource is not a fit for your organization, then lean on the basics as reflected in the 5 tips above to stay in the permitting game and to enjoy a prosperous 2021 with timely building permits. If you have any questions and good stories about permitting, please reach out to me on Linkedin and call 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

PermitUsNow Wins 2020 RHCA Luna Established Firm of Year Award

Helen Callier online participation via Zoom

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Media Contact:
Helen Callier, President
281.312.9981 Mobile | helen@permitusnow.com

PermitUsNow Wins 2020 RHCA Luna Established Firm of Year Award

HOUSTON, Texas (December 17, 2020) – PermitUsNow was selected as the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association (RHCA) Luna Established Firm of the Year during RHCA’s Speaker Tour. This Luna award recognizes a well-established, woman-owned architecture, engineering, or construction company that has exemplary performance in the industry and does business in the respective city. The award is given to a woman-owned company in construction, architecture, or engineering.

Callier and the PermitUsNow team are thrilled to receive this prestigious award, the first of its kind in Houston, Texas) and are pleased to know that their innovative approach to tackling tough construction permitting and design problems is appreciated by the industry. This dynamic team also plays a key role in the Houston business community by sponsoring Houston Community College’s Center of Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition each year and answering permitting questions from elderly and economically challenged homeowners impacted by Hurricane Harvey and other floods.

Callier via recorded video spoke these words "On behalf of the Bradlink | PermitUsNow team, we are super excited and grateful to receive the 2020 Luna Award for Established AEC Firm. This is the first RHCA award of its kind in Houston and it’s an honor for us to be recognized."

Clients of PermitUsNow’s offering words of support and testimony include Burns and McDonnell, SpawGlass and McCarthy. Here’s what Kris Mickshaw, Project Executive, SpawGlass “…whether working directly for our Clients or directly for SpawGlass, their professionalism, way of resolving issues, sense of urgency and overall care of pulling a permit as quickly as possible helped us save time and money which are valuable to not only SpawGlass but for our Clients as well.”

And Kyle Rhodes, Project Executive, McCarthy states this about working together on the new Southwest Airlines Hangar at Hobby International Airport "The PermitUsNow team was a significant asset in facilitating information back and forth between the design team and the specific permitting entities. Their involvement and efforts contributed significantly to allowing the multiple enabling projects to start- on-time for a successful project kick-off."

Burns and McDonnell, a long time client of PermitUsNow, says “….PermitUsNow provided exceptional permitting services to Burns & McDonnell. Helen’s team worked as a partner to our design build team during the design and permitting phases for a new corporate aviation hangar at George Bush Intercontinental Airport during 2020. The staff at PermitUsNow assisted our team to maintain an aggressive schedule as required by our client. In addition to expediting permits, Helen and her staff’s strong relationships help to facilitate discussions between our design build team, Houston Airport System staff, and City of Houston staff. Helen’s support has been invaluable to our team and we look forward to collaborating on future projects.” Raymond Mason, P.E., Project Manager

The PermitUsNow team led by Helen Callier, Founder is committed to being innovative and leveraging their talents and expertise to help Architects, Contractors, and Project Owners to have permits in hand quickly to start construction in a timely manner.

This year’s annual RHCA Luna Awards was held live online via Zoom.

For a full biographical profile on Callier, please visit www.linkedin.com/in/helencallier.

About Permit Us Now, LLC

Founded in September 2016, Permit Us Now, a division of Bradlink LLC, is the go-to one-stop building permitting firm that helps Project Owners, Architects, Engineers, and Contractors save time and money plus start construction in a timely manner. Permit Us Now covers over 300 jurisdictions in Texas and expedites permits in other states in the U.S. Permit Us Now, is located downtown Houston, Dallas, Texas and maintains an office in Austin, Texas on Travis St. Permit Us Now manages permits from programming to design phase to close out for commercial, institutional and residential projects with a team of recognized experts. Permit Us Now was also recently recognized by Subcontractors USA for leadership and innovation in the construction industry.

Through its parent company, Permit Us Now is a certified minority and woman-owned business through the City of Houston, NMSDC, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and a participant in the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) program. Clients of Permit Us Now include JOERIS, Burns and McDonnell, OTG – The Experience | United Airlines, DNA Architects, Horizon, HOLT Construction, Acuform, BrakeCheck, CVS, and many others.

For more information on Permit Us Now, LLC, please visit www.permitusnow.com or follow @permitusnow, on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contractors – 5 Tips to Score a Building Permit in a Timely Manner

Have you ever witnessed a kick-off return where the receiver ran 93 yards to score a touchdown? This was the case for a rookie player on the Baltimore Ravens team at the opening of the 2020 NFL season and there have been numerous other examples of this kind of feat through the years including Billy “White Shoes” Johnson during the Luv Ya Blue Houston Oilers days In Texas.

A 45 to 60 seconds run to score a touchdown appears easy, but the truth is when looking behind the scenes, you’ll see it requires a lot of work. The player’s speed, agility, and abilities to avoid being tackled are attributed to preparation involving run routines, checking results of exercises, proper nutrition, mindset, and a host of other elements.

This same thrill of a 90-yard run to a touchdown can occur when a Contractor or Architect goes through permitting without any rejections or delays. And like the well-trained football player, the effort to obtain a permit requires upfront work; and the 5 tips below are offered to assist you in scoring a building permit in short order on your next project.

• Suit up and start early reviewing permitting steps during planning phase.
• Check to make sure all design plans are stamped, clearly signed and are for construction. For smaller projects not requiring a licensed Architect or Engineer, make sure plans are drawn to scale, notations are clear, and plan adheres to jurisdiction’s standards i.e. building codes, title block, etc.
• Pull latest permitting checklist from jurisdiction’s website to confirm meeting all requirements including pre-requisite documents.
• Contact jurisdiction Plan Reviewers to ask questions in advance and request a pre-submittal meeting, if needed.
• Package submittal per jurisdiction’s checklist for online or manual submission. Complete permit application in full.

Following the above 5 tips can enhance your success in obtaining permits fast. And as a Contractor or Architect, obtaining building permits per your construction schedule contributes to your financial success on projects and helps satisfy your customer’s project requirements.

“But Helen, you don’t realize the city’s online system is confusing, the jurisdiction uses an old IBC, the Plan Reviewer does not like me, I don’t have the time for permitting, and on and on.”

The bottom line is that regardless of the condition of the playing field at the city, county, MUD, etc., if you follow the basics in the early stages of your project, your chances of running through the departmental reviews without a major tackle is achievable and repeatable.

In Conclusion

The PermitUsNow team receives a lot of phone calls and emails from Contractor’s, Architects and Project Owners asking all sorts of questions about their permitting blockages. Regardless of what phase of programming, design, or construction the caller may be in, our technical staff filters permitting challenges through the lenses of the basics. The simple practices like the 5 tips to score a permit in a timely manner can help you win most of the time.

If you have a permitting story with tips of success, I love to hear from you. Connect on Linkedin or call 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

15 Tips to Follow When Your Project Has been Red Tagged and Shut Down

Have you ever been red-tagged on a project? It happens and seeing a red tag posted on your construction project can be a disheartening and it becomes worse when your project is shut down because of failure in pulling a building permit.

Failing to pull a building permit for whatever reason is costly to you as the contractor and to your customer. It is also unprofessional, unethical, and in direct violation to jurisdiction codes and ordinances.

Our team has received a lot of phone calls through our toll free line from contractors and Project Owners in dire straights requesting assistance after having their job sites red tagged and shut down by a City Inspector for not having a permit. We hear all kinds of comments about being red tagged such as the following:

• Do we need a permit for this type of work and is there anything you can do to get around meeting these codes?
• Our plans are wrong, and the Architect did not make changes as requested.
• We are cash-strapped and cannot afford the building permit fees now.
• The contractor we used did not pull a permit and our roof is messed up and the building is half-finished. What do we need to do to resolve?

The bottom line is that most construction projects within a City’s jurisdiction will require a building permit of some magnitude and while you may be able to submit plans to the city as-is if they are not designed to code, your plans will be rejected. Also, not having the money to pay permit fees is your problem as the jurisdiction is focused on safety and not your money woes. If work provided was poor quality and does not meet code then you will need to bring work up to code to obtain necessary approval during an inspection, but before that can happen, you need to pull a permit.

To assist those that have been red-tagged and shut down, below are 15 tips that we have shared over a period to assist contractors in getting a permit after being red-tagged and shut down.

1. Do not toss or ignore red tag
2. Review violations and comments on red tag
3. Alert Project Owner
4. Contact Inspector or Code Enforcement to acknowledge receipt
5. Ask questions for clarification, steps to follow and timeline
6. Contact your Architect, if needed, to request assistance with plans
7. Contact a Plan Reviewer to cover any areas with project where have concerns
8. Prepare plans with pre-requisite documents
9. Submit to jurisdictions following their permitting checklist
10. Track status online and check for any rejections or RFI’s
11. Respond quickly to jurisdiction comments and resubmit
12. Pay for permit
13. Post on job site
14. Alert Project Owner of permit obtained and posted
15. Resume work

In Conclusion

The City Code Enforcement or Inspector will continue to drop by your site until your project has been submitted to city permitting. That is the ball game and so the sooner you submit your plans for permitting the quicker you can be on the path to righting the ship of your project with a permit. If you have any tips to share from your experience of being shut down, I love to hear from you. Connect with me on Linkedin or 1.844.PERMIT.4
#BuildSafe.

5 Tips to Get on the Right Path after Months of Delay in Obtaining a Building Permit

We have all heard the stories of those crazy people with a dream of owning their own business. Be the boss and bake their own pie to enjoy all the slices they choose is often touted to family and friends within an ear shot. Some budding entrepreneurs pull their life savings to start up, others ask family members, and some take the great risk of taking out a bank loan. From bakeries to auto repair shops to banquet halls and on and on, the coins are tossed in the pond for making wishes come true.

This was such the case when our toll-free line rang late on a Friday evening with a gentleman on the other end of the line began telling his story. He was so sure of his success with his new venture, he quit his job months ago to walk the path of his dream. The caller went on to say that he had leased what he thought was the perfect spot, negotiated a great lease, and could see customers lining up to by his tasty fajitas and other hand-made traditional Mexican foods.

Then the unexpected happened. After 6 months, still no permit, savings significantly dwindled, and had started paying rent on an empty space and on new kitchen equipment. With voice cracking, the caller said he needed help with his permit. He had received multiple rejection comments from the jurisdiction, and he was not sure what to do next, especially since his Architect had stopped responding to his calls on status.

After asking a few questions, taking the time to check the rejection comments and briefly reviewing plans, it appeared that the Architect had not submitted a plan set with the details required for the kitchen including plumbing involving grease trap. Basically, a life-long dream was losing its appeal due to misses in design in the beginning and little or no communication between Architect and Restaurant Owner regarding status of permit. To place the Caller back on the road, we provided 5 key tips to get on the right path to obtaining a building permit after months of delay to the Owner in order to use as a checklist with his Architect until permit is granted.

• Review plans with selected Architect
• Go through rejection comments one-by-one and address each comment from jurisdiction
• Ask if any issues in meeting building codes as outlined in jurisdiction’s comments
• Obtain timing for making corrections to plans and if any added fees from jurisdiction to resubmit
• Refrain from assuming and ask Architect if all rejection comments have been responded to and timing to resubmit to jurisdiction

In addition, we encouraged the Restaurant Owner to make sure his GC is registered with jurisdiction to avoid any further delays in picking up permit when plans are approved.

In Conclusion

There are approximately 30 million small businesses in the US and the majority of those starting up fall by the wayside for various reasons. In the case with our late Friday evening caller, failing to perform due diligence in the beginning on how long it would take to obtain a building permit and the Architect lack of knowledge on the specific jurisdiction’s requirements caused unexpected delays and a major burn in Owner’s operational money i.e. life savings. If you know of someone in this scenario, consider sharing the above 5 tips to hep them right the ship and get sailing toward living their dream. Call us at 1.844.PERMIT.4 if you have a great permitting story to share or connect with me on Linkein.
#BuildSafe.