Permit Us Now Receives Top 25 Subcontractors of the Year Award

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

Permit Us Now Receives Top 25 Subcontractors of the Year Award
President of Permit Us Now and Team accepts prestigious industry business award

HOUSTON, Texas (July 1, 2019) – Permit Us Now was selected as one of the Top 25 Subcontractors of the Year in 2019 during the SubContractors USA Awards Luncheon held on June 26, 2019. The annual event is geared towards small, minority, women, disadvantaged and veteran owned businesses being recognized for their excellence in industry and for making significant contributions in the state of Texas economy.

Callier and the Permit Us Now team are thrilled to be recognized and are pleased to know that their innovative approach to permitting and code consulting are making an impact in the industry. Callier is also proud of Permit Us Now’s accomplishments where their clients like H-E-B Grocery, OTG | United Airlines and McCarthy have benefitted from saving time and money that ultimately allowed them to better serve their customers. Callier who also spoke words of encouragement during the Awards Luncheon, said, "We are grateful for the opportunity to serve and be recognized for our permitting, building code consulting and design work on many construction and design projects including aviation, commercial, and residential. This Top 25 Subcontractors of the Year award means a lot to us; and we are eager to continue assisting our clients in being market leaders in Texas."

The Permit Us Now team is deeply committed to leveraging their talents and expertise to help Architects, Contractors and Project Owners start construction in a timely manner. Permit Us Now will be rolling out new tools for clients in 2019. Moruf Jimoh, AAIA, and Technical Manager of Permit Us Now says, "a day to our clients is like a year so cutting time matters. And we expect our new analytics tool to provide more value to our clients during planning to close-out"

This year’s annual SubContractors Top 25 Primes and Subcontractors Awards Luncheon was held at the renown HESS Club in the Houston Galleria area.

Callier earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Prairie View A&M University. She has received numerous business awards and honors including the WTS Rosa Parks Diversity Award, the SBA Women Business Champion Award, Houston SBA MEDWeek Mentor of the Year; the Houston Minority Business Development Council’s E-10 Award; a feature on American Express’ Small Business Open Forum on building relationships for winning government contracts; and recognition by Minority Business Entrepreneur Magazine for her participation in an invitation-only roundtable discussion with 20 women of color business owners and White House, Congressional and U.S. Small Business Administration leaders. She is active in chambers and industry associations and serves as a State of Texas Commissioner on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Commission. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, SBA’s Emerging Leaders Program and HCCS NewSpring Business Plan Competition.

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.

What Every Contractor Ought to Know About Pulling a Residential Pool Building Permit

We have heard plenty of stories where building permits were not pulled.  From the project required a revised plan set to the homeowner was expected to pull the permit to our staff was too busy. Regardless of the reason, before any construction starts on an inground pool, all areas in the U.S. will require a residential building permit for installing the inground pool along with trade contractors obtaining their permits, if involved.

So, when a homeowner called our toll-free line and asked if we pull permits when construction has already started on their custom pool, we were taken aback as to why the contractor would endanger their customer’s safety. We then decided to provide tips to assist those contractors having challenges in obtaining permits for pool projects during the busy home remodeling season.

Here’s what every contractor ought to know about pulling residential pool permits.

Are Pool Permits Required? Yes, permits are required by jurisdictions in the U.S. to construct an in-ground pool. Contractors are to pay the permit fee and obtain a pool permit before starting construction. Trade subcontractors, such as electrical, typically pull their permits and are to make sure posted on site. If you have any questions, visit the permitting office where your project is located or review jurisdiction’s web site for more information.

What do I need to submit? Typical documents to apply for a permit include a plot plan, a set back plan, dig specification and most jurisdictions will require sealed engineering drawings to accompany the application for a permit. Some jurisdictions may request more information and you can check the AHJ’s website for a checklist. Also, as an option, you can schedule a time to meet the jurisdiction Plan Reviewer or Inspection to ask questions. Many jurisdiction staff are helpful and welcome the opportunity to answer your inquiries.

How long does it take to obtain approval for a pool permit? You can obtain a pool permit typically within 3 to 7 days with the completed permit application package with requisite documents are submitted. If not completed within a 7-day time period means that you may be missing some information or have plan review comments to address or the jurisdiction has a backlog.

Can I submit online for permit? Many jurisdictions in the U.S. allow you to submit online for a permit to construct an inground pool allowing you to save time and money. When submitting online, make sure to properly name and upload your files. If not correctly formatted and uploaded, the jurisdiction may automatically reject your permit package.

What if I have questions about the pool design or drainage from storm run-off? We have found that jurisdiction Plan Reviewers and Inspectors are a helpful resource to ask questions, before completing your plans. Also, as an option, Building Permit Expediters are a proven resource as well that can answer your questions. Some Expediting firms specialize in inground pools and can save you time and money plus assist you in starting construction in a timely manner.

In Conclusion

We realize that you may have a backlog of projects and are eager to grow your contracting business. The bottom line is that building permits are required for constructing inground pools and it is the right thing to do for your customers. If you have any questions about obtaining a permit for your residential pool projects, call the PermitUsNow team at 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

Obtaining a Home Remodeling Project Building Permit may not be Your Idea of Fun, but…

The truth is pulling a residential building permit when required is the right thing to do for your customer and it minimizes your liability as a contractor.

It is exciting to see trucks rolling, hammers swinging, and a lot of contractors participating in the estimated $450 billion home remodeling market in the U.S. And while being busy, with a backlog, is preferred by most contractors, rushing from job-to-job to handle a bulging workload is not a reason to ignore obtaining a building permit.

Calls to our toll-free number suggest that some contractors seem to be having challenges with permitting. Questions like the following have been asked by homeowners:

• How do I respond to the pages of city permitting rejection comments?
• I have been to the city twice and still no closer to obtaining the permit. What are my next steps?
• Do I pull a city permit or is my contractor responsible for obtaining the permit for remodel?

A residential building permit is required for new additions, structural changes, and for work that impacts the home’s foundation. A few examples of projects needing a permit include garage additions, pools, driveway replacements, patios, expansions and moving load-bearing walls.

It may not be a fun experience going to your local jurisdiction or taking time to figure out how to upload the files for submitting online but pulling a building permit ensures that your residential construction remodeling job is being built to code and is safe for your customer.

So, what is some advice to follow when you are busy and struggling to manage your time on construction jobs? Listed below are 5 tips to help you with pulling building permits during the peak housing remodeling season.

• Check before starting construction home associations building requirements and obtain necessary permit
• Visit permitting jurisdiction web site in advance to review building codes and changes in permitting process
• Schedule a meeting with jurisdiction plan reviewer to review project scope if have concerns in ability to meet building codes
• Review project scope of work with your customer and make sure to note on job estimate the responsible party for obtaining building permit – contractor or the homeowner.
• If scope of work dictates a building permit is needed, indicate kind of building permit required on job estimate along with approximate cost of permit

Also, as a reminder, post the building permit on the construction project site where it is visible to customer, your trades, and to City Inspector.

In Conclusion

Peak season is a great opportunity to grow your home remodeling business and pulling the proper building permits builds safe structures for your customers. The above-noted 5 tips are meant to be a quick checklist for using before starting a residential project. If you have questions about permitting your next residential project, call 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

The Three Most Powerful Ways to Speed up the Building Permit Process

Architects, developers, contractors, project owners, and others involved in construction projects want to obtain building permits quick so construction can begin on time. When delays occur in processing building permits, for all parties involved in a particular construction project, frustrations begin to rise and thoughts of losing money on the project jump to the forefront as an imminent threat.

To avoid headaches and the loss of time and money in obtaining building permits, here are three of the most powerful ways to speed up the building permit process:

Plan – Typically most architects and engineers focus on what they were hired to do and that is handling the intricacies of the building or infrastructure design and then completing construction plan sets. At the point of finishing the plan set, if the local jurisdiction’s building codes and zoning ordinances have not been fully considered or checked for the most recent changes, then you can factor in a loss of time and added costs to obtain your building permit. Key: Proper planning is one of the best steps to eliminate set-backs in city permitting.

Get to Know Local Jurisdiction – To move expeditiously through the permitting process, it is important to understand the local jurisdiction processes and regulations. Some jurisdictions only accept electronic submissions and others have a manual process with a certain amount of plan sets to be submitted.

Helen Callier, CEO of Permit Us Now

For example, Fort Bend County, Texas, is still experiencing strong development in housing, retail, and commercial development. A few of the small municipalities in the county have made changes to their building codes and zoning ordinances, and not being in the loop on these changes will create delays in obtaining building permits and will impact the project owner’s wallet in an adverse way. Key: Stay up-to-date on building codes and zoning laws of local jurisdictions.

Use a Permit Expediting Service – Permit Expeditors intimately know local jurisdictions building permit processes, have established relationships in permitting, understand building codes and zoning ordinances, and most importantly, stay abreast of the latest changes that can severely cause delays in obtaining a building permit.

Permit expeditors can review plans for compliance, help complete the right forms, and know the right permitting staff to meet with to move through the permitting process fast.

Permit expeditors remove headaches and help to save time and money so that construction projects start according to schedule.

Recently during a social gathering, a new pizza place owner shared his frustrations on the months it had taken for him to obtain a building permit. He was not aware of which local jurisdiction his restaurant was located in and after spending an inordinate amount of time going back and forth at one jurisdiction, he finally was informed that he was in the wrong municipality. This was a great shock and he kept saying to me that he was missing the local football season which is a peak time for his new pizza restaurant. Key: Identify resources that are experts in building permitting.

We are excited about the construction opportunities in the Houston area and in Texas. Whether your market area is slow or experiencing strong growth, obtaining a building permit fast is essential to the success of starting ground ups, renovations, and expansion construction projects on time. We’re here to eliminate frustrations and help architects, engineers, developers, and project owners to obtain building permits fast to assist in creating ideal environments to live, work, and play in. Ask us any question on building permitting or visit us at www.permitusnow.com for additional information on expediting your building permit. See you again in Subcontractors USA for our next article on Mayor Turner’s Permitting Transition Team Report and what it means for your next building permit.

Helen Callier, CEO of Permit Us Now, is the one-stop building permit expediting firm that helps architects, engineers, contractors, and project owners save half the time and money in obtaining building permits in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and North Texas. Connect with @PermitUsNow on Twitter and Facebook.

Five Tips to Assist Contractors in Obtaining the Next Building Permit

When faced with repeated delays in obtaining city building permits, do you continue to go back and forth to meet with the Plan Reviewers in hopes that today will be the magical day? Do you scratch your head and wonder what the notice on the website means when it says 15-day plan review process? If you are Contractor, you remain engaged with wishes that you can get started with your construction project soon.

While City Permitting can be confusing and frustrating, many Architects, Contractors and Project Owners have found that working with partners such as Permit Expediters reduces the burden on internal staff and helps them to focus on core services. Also, after doing the math and research, they recognize that specialists can complete permitting tasks faster and at a lower cost than they can.

Organizations that have made the decision to use a third-party provider for managing building permits also believe that building code specialists and expediters have greater expertise and can reduce the risk of delays in obtaining permits.

Develop Strategic Relationships

Having a strategic relationship with entities that invest time in understanding your business goals, operational needs, and type of projects can play a key role in not only saving your company time and money but also in your business growth.

Also, through strategic relationships, you have an added bonus with quick access to advice on building codes and an entity that can quickly access information, versus waiting around for a response from City permitting.

Keeps Your Firm Ready

By working with special partners, Architects, Contractors and Project Owners are reassured that they have the right resources in place for their business model to deliver permitting services when needed and to support their business in an effective manner during the year.

Building permit experts stay abreast of the latest changes in processes, building codes and even City personnel shifts which helps to minimize risks in obtaining city permits. In addition, this information is a value-add to Architects, Engineers and Project Owners during the construction documents phase.

And if it is the best for your business and you are determined to handle the building permitting challenges on your own, here are three quick tips to assist you in this effort.

• Get started early
• Do not assume the Architect or Engineer knows all the city building codes
• Ask questions

In Conclusion

The Permit Us Now team will be continuing its workshops on “12 Steps to Obtain a Building Permit” and we welcome Contractors, Architects and Project Owners to join us. To learn more, call 1.844.PERMIT.4 (1.844.737.6484). Ask about our bilingual workshops and follow us @PermitUsNow on Facebook.
#BuildSafe.

When is a Permit Required on a Residential Project?

Many home repairs do not require a permit and yet like clockwork, this time of year in late Spring, our phones start ringing with questions about when a permit is needed. From Contractors to homeowners and even house flippers, here are a few questions that we have answered.

• We are widening our bathroom doors and upgrading our shower so my father’s wheelchair can pass through, do we need a building permit?
• Is a permit required for changing floors to hardwood and marble?
• After the last flood, we cut our sheetrock 4ft high, do we need a permit to install new sheetrock?
• Is a permit required to move the location of the entrance door to our apartment garage?
• I’m a veteran and senior citizen, do I have to pay for a building permit?

Remodels, major repairs, renovations, additions and other types of projects are big a business across the U.S. in the residential market. Most contractors are primarily focused on starting a project, doing great work, and having the opportunity to grow their business. And the thought of going to the permitting center is frustrating and when at the jurisdiction, the experience is draining and exhaustive for many contractors.

To assist residential contractors as well as homeowners keeping an eye on their projects to make sure projects are safe and permitted if needed, below is a general guide to use.

• Structural changes involving moving load-bearing walls
• Creating new and altering doors
• Altering the footprint of house
• Changes to the roof structure
• Install new electrical wiring
• Adding new window openings including replacing windows where structure is altered
• Major bathroom upgrades involving moving plumbing, widening doors and ADA related changes

There are many more home repair and renovation types of projects that can be highlighted and visiting the correct jurisdiction’s web site for additional information is wise and information obtained can insure you are on the right track with permitting.

When do you typically not require a building permit for a residential project? The list below shows as a general rule-of-thumb.

• Replacing sheetrock and base boards
• Installing new floors
• Installing new windows
• Changing out countertops
• Refreshing house i.e. painting, fixing holes in walls, replacing bricks on inside chimney
• Changing out faucets, toilets and sinks

As a contractor, it is your professional responsibility to let your customer – the home owner – that you have pulled the proper permits where required for a specific scope of work. Doing so helps to make sure construction is being done in a safe manner and in accordance to jurisdictional building code requirements. This also minimizes liability on your end and added costs for the home owner.

In Conclusion

The residential market in North Carolina, Texas, Florida and other severe storm impacted states will continue to create opportunities for growth for contractors. This along with heading into the regular home repair and maintenance season – late Spring and Summer months – creates a busy work environment where pulling permits can add more stress. When reviewing the scope of work, consider the when to permit points above and visit the appropriate jurisdiction web site. If you have any questions on residential permits, call the PermitUsNow team at 1.844.PERMIT.4.
#BuildSafe.

Permit Us Now Receives H-E-B Grocery Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year Award

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

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

Permit Us Now Receives H-E-B Grocery Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year Award
President of Permit Us Now, H-E-B’s Annual Supplier Diversity Luncheon Keynote, to accept prestigious business award

HOUSTON, Texas (September 10, 2018) – Permit Us Now was selected as H-E-B’s Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year. Helen Callier, president of Permit Us Now, will accept the Supplier Award during H-E-B's Supplier Diversity Conference taking place September 13th in San Antonio, Texas. The annual event is geared towards small, minority, women-owned, disadvantaged and historically underutilized businesses. Held in the Capitol Auditorium and Legislative Conference center, the Capital for Texas Small Business Forum provides both extensive learning and network opportunities for attendees.

Callier and the Permit Us Now team are thrilled to be recognized and are pleased to know that their innovation and creative approaches to servicing clients, like H-E-B, save time and money that ultimately allow our clients to better serve their customers. Callier who is also keynoting at the awards luncheon, said, "We are grateful for the opportunity to serve H-E-B, the largest independent grocery in the US, on many construction and design projects. This Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year award means a lot to us; and we are eager to continue assisting H-E-B in being a leader in Texas."

The Permit Us Now team is deeply committed to investing their talents and expertise to benefit Project Owners. They expect to launch phase 1 of their edge analytics platform in 2018. Moruf Jimoh, AAIA, and Technical Manager of Permit Us Now says, "a day to our clients is like a year so cutting time matters. We expect our edge analytics tool to benefit our clients during planning to close-out"

This year's annual H-E-B’s Supplier Diversity Event is being held at the Embassy Hilton Resort Brooks Base. To learn more about how to become a Supplier of HEB's, visit HEB Supplier Diversity Program

Callier earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Prairie View A&M University. She has received numerous business awards and honors including the WTS Rosa Parks Diversity Award, the SBA Women Business Champion Award, Houston SBA MEDWeek Mentor of the Year; the Houston Minority Business Development Council's E-10 Award; a feature on American Express' Small Business Open Forum on building relationships for winning government contracts; and recognition by Minority Business Entrepreneur Magazine for her participation in an invitation-only roundtable discussion with 20 women of color business owners and White House, Congressional and U.S. Small Business Administration leaders. She is active in chambers and industry associations and serves as a State of Texas Commissioner on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Commission. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, SBA’s Emerging Leaders Program and HCCS NewSpring Business Plan Competition.

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

About Permit Us Now, LLC

Founded in 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 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, McCarthy Construction, OTG – The Experience, DNA Architects, Acuform, BrakeCheck, and many others.

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

Subcontractors: Five Steps to Consider Before Fuming at the Mouth About Delays in Permitting

Over the past few weeks, we attended the Build Expo in Austin, Texas. We had the opportunity to visit many of the exhibitors, go to workshops and meet with possible new vendors. And while at the Expo, we had the opportunity to speak with City of Austin folks and suddenly the table was bombarded by a General Contractor with lots of complaints about how awful the permitting process is at the City of Austin and how his permits are always late.

This outburst along with lots of phone calls my office receives from Architects, Project Owners and Contractors, from across the state of Texas and the US, about challenges with permitting and the risk of paying penalties for late start with construction suggest that help is needed. To minimize frustrations and pain that some contractors are feeling, below are 5 steps to consider versus fuming at the mouth about delays in permitting.

Take a deep breath – Meeting project timelines can be a high-pressure situation especially with fines and penalties are baked into a contract with Project Owners. While huffing, puffing and having tantrums may work on reality TV shows, the truth of the matter is that this strategy is a poor one to get your point across and to obtain a building permit in a timely manner. So, when faced with a tough permitting scenario where nothing appears to be going your way, step back from the problem and take a few deep breaths to clear your head, release negative energy and gain a different perspective to resolve permitting issue.

Check your preconstruction plans – Now that you have taken a deep breath, grab your preconstruction plans including a checklist to determine if any item affecting the permitting process is missing, or specs fail to align with the scope of work.

Review your permit application package – Often times it is something small that can cause contractors to fume at the Permitting Department. For example, some information may be missing in the permit package, a section of the drawing may not show enough detail, or a narrative may need to be added or made clearer. When in a situation where experiencing longer than planned in permitting, pull and review your permit application and package in full to determine what is missing and to gain a better idea what the Plan Reviewer is referring to. If still confused, seek help as time is money and the longer you wait to obtain the delay costs you time as the subcontractor and burns a hole in the Project Owner’s pocket.

Visit Jurisdictions web site FAQ's – The majority of jurisdictions that the Permit Us Now teamwork in across the state of Texas and several areas in the US have web sites that have valuable information on how to complete permit applications by market area such as residential, commercial, etc. And quite a few of the AHJ’s web sites will have a Frequently Asked Questions section where subcontractors can review similar scenarios as a possible go-by.

Ask for Help – Time is money in construction. There is no wrong question except the one you fail to ask regarding your building permit. Consider scheduling time with Plan Reviewer to meet or to conference by phone as an option. Make sure to listen, confidently address any questions asked and take notes so that you are clear on what is being conveyed. Also, as a resource, consider reaching out to permitting and building code experts as they have intimate knowledge, established relationships that can provide insight on the best approach to obtain your building permit fast.

In Conclusion

The construction market in many regions in the US has a strong outlook and opportunities to keep subcontractors busy during 2019 and obtaining building permits in a timely manner is crucial to business success. Remember your focus is to start construction on time and to avoid delays in permitting, so take a deep breath, review your preconstruction checklist and permit package, and use expert permitting resources. #BuildSafe.

Three Key Takeaways on Industry Trends for Real Estate and Construction in 2019 in Houston

On December 3, 2018, I attended the first annual Asian | Turkish | Indo-American Chambers of Commerce Real Estate and Construction Summit in Houston, Texas. There were three industry panels that provided a treasure trove of industry insights and data along with two powerful keynote speakers including State of Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Glenn Hager.

Below are three key takeaways on industry trends for Real Estate and Construction in 2019 in Houston.

• Labor shortages
• Tariffs increasing material costs
• Increased demand for Investors returns on projects

Let’s dissect each one of the trends and assess their impact on permitting.

Labor shortages: It is no secret for several years the construction industry has been experiencing a shortage of labor. From licensed trades to concrete to general labor, most construction companies are grappling with where to find the labor to start and finish projects according to schedule. This trend will continue, especially when factoring in many young folks are pursuing other careers, and it is taking longer and longer to obtain work visas for foreign workers. As a result of labor dynamics, when subcontractors are subbing to other contractors that then sub to labor brokers, the responsibility of pulling a building permit is moved around and then missed altogether.
PERMITTING TIP: Plan ahead in pulling permits and if not marked off on construction punch list then stop the job until appropriate permits are obtained.

Increased demand for Investors returns on projects: International and domestic investors see Texas, specifically Houston, as safe havens to place their money for good financial returns with low risks. And depending on the investor, such as pension funds, etc., pressure to generate the highest returns possible can create an environment to complete projects as quickly as possible and cut corners. This scenario may result in contractors failing to pull a permit just to save a nickel.
PERMITTING TIP: It is always to your advantage to pull proper building permits to comply with jurisdictional ordinances and for building safe structures.

Tariffs increasing material costs: At this time, there is a reprieve between the U.S. and China that has placed a hold on further tariffs against one another. With this pause, the construction industry has taken a slight sigh since the reality is this uncertainty creates situations where many firms hedge their position and buy materials way in advance, and some suppliers wanting to avoid impact on their inventories are pushing out materials before any increases in material pricing occurs. This increase in demand for materials causes prices to rise which results in contractors figuring out where costs can be cut or eliminated.
PERMITTING TIP: Pull the necessary permits and refrain from buckling from the pressure to avoid pulling permits due to countering rising material prices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the noted industry trends will affect the construction industry in 2019 and beyond, the good news is that the Houston area, the state of Texas and other parts of the nation will continue to see solid growth in construction market. To position your company for long term success, stay abreast of jurisdictional changes in building ordinances, and plan early to pull proper permits. For assistance with permitting, visit www.permitusnow.com
Build Safe.

Five Secrets to Help You Obtain Your Building Permit Fast

With hundreds of billions of dollars and many more construction opportunities on the horizon for contractors, some jurisdictions are scrambling to handle the workload for plan reviews to issue building permits. And with recent hurricane-impacted areas along the Florida Gulf Coast and in the Carolinas, jurisdictions will become even more stretched.

For contractors with sights set on starting construction in a timely manner, the question that swirls around often is how quickly can you obtain a permit for your residential rebuild or for foundation repairs or for new commercial build-outs? We get this general inquiry all the time. And the response is ‘it depends” on several factors such as if your permit package is complete with requirements satisfied, the current workload of jurisdiction and if there have been any changes in permitting processes. Once we receive a project-specific scope, we provide a better estimate on the time to obtain a permit.

Some architects and contractors find the electronic permitting process appealing and believe it is a faster method for obtaining a permit. The truth is, in some jurisdictions, you can only submit electronically, and, in many others, you have an option – manual or electronic. If an architect or contractor selects to submit electronically note that unlike manual submission of permit application and plan set, once submitted electronically the permit application stays electronic, including communications. This becomes frustrating for many architects and contractors who have reached a point where they simply want to pick up the telephone or schedule a meeting to speak with a Plan Reviewer directly.

Whether you decide to submit in person or electronically, shown below are five secrets to help you play offense to obtain your building permit fast:

• Uncover Any Threats – Getting started early before the permit plan set is buttoned up allows you to review for any gaps in meeting jurisdiction building codes and standards, plus it allows you to make sure all pre-requisites are on track. This step alone saves you time and money, plus it can minimize delays once submitted for permitting.
• Determine Best Plan of Action – Once you have completed your early review of plans, checked jurisdiction web site for clarification or spoken with a Plan Reviewer to clear up code concerns, you can then lay out the best plan of action for your permit, and determine things like is it best to pull one master building permit or more advantageous to take a phased approach.
• Refrain from Making Assumptions – There are a lot of dynamics with building codes from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across one metropolitan area, across a state and across the U.S. And blindly assuming the architect or engineer is on top of all the latest building codes and standards can be costly. Also, reviewing the permit set before submission can eliminate delays.
• Schedule Pre-Plan Review Meetings – Plan Reviewers are open to having meetings since it can reduce their workloads later during the actual review process. Plan Reviewers are your partners to ensure construction occurs in a safe manner. Be sure to check the jurisdiction web site as some may charge a fee for pre-review meetings.
• Use Jurisdictions' Checklist – The majority of jurisdictions have checklists on their web sites based on the type of project you are attempting to get permitted. If not found on their web site, you can call for a copy. From residential to commercial to drainage, you will find the checklist helpful and, when used properly, it can save you time and money and assist in starting construction in a timely manner.

Conclusion

As more and more design and construction projects increase, architects, engineers, contractors and project owners will be eyeing jurisdictions to issue permits faster. To facilitate timely plan reviews and issuance of building permits, we believe getting started early and playing offense is a key strategy. If you have any questions on pulling permits in Texas, Florida and other parts of the U.S., visit www.permitusnow.com or call 1.844.PERMIT.4.
Build Safe.