If you are going to be making any structural changes to your home or adding square footage in the near future, the odds are good that you will need to obtain a building permit from your municipality first. Your contractor should know whether or not a permit is necessary for the renovations you’re planning to do, but it never hurts to double-check on your own as well; call your local building department with any questions.
Once you know whether or not you need a building permit, it will be time to get everything in order to submit your application. This can be the most daunting part of the process! As you continue reading this guide, you will see important information that will help you understand the steps you need to take during this process.
Who needs to submit the application and plans?
This question largely depends on where you live. Some cities in North Carolina and South Carolina require the homeowner to submit any building permit applications, while others allow contractors to do so on their clients’ behalf. The short answer, though, is that your contractor will definitely need to be involved in the process, even if you actually take the application paperwork to the building department’s headquarters.
Not only will your contractor be able to help you gather all the necessary documents for your submittal, but he or she will be able to assist you in coming up with the proper blueprints and plans. Depending on the scale of your upcoming remodeling project, you may also need to call in an architect for his or her expertise.
Who will have to approve the submission?
In many cases, the only agency that has to approve a building permit application is the local building department. These government bodies exist to oversee community growth and impose certain standards that must be followed for both residential and commercial development. These requirements can range from things like the height a business’s sign is allowed to be to whether or not you are allowed to keep chickens and other farm animals within city limits.
If you happen to live in a neighborhood that is governed by a homeowner’s association (HOA), they will also have to approve your construction plans, even though they are not issuing your building permit. In some Carolina cities and towns, the building department will clear your project with your HOA for you. In others, though, you will have to approach the head of your HOA on your own.
How much does the process cost?
Again, there is not one answer to this question. It will depend largely upon where you live. Metropolitan areas, such as Winston-Salem, for example, tend to charge more for building
permits than small, rural towns. Furthermore, you may only need to pay a flat application fee when you submit your documents, or you may have to pay separate fees every time you have an inspection on the progress of your remodeling job.
Although the idea of submitting a building permit application may seem scary, it doesn’t have to be if you have the right contractor by your side. At Hatch Homes, we will not only make sure your renovation is done right, but our team will be by your side every step of the way as you get the necessary permits and licenses to make the changes you want to make to your house. We are in your corner one-hundred percent.