Once your permit is issued and your construction documents are reviewed and approved, you are now approved to begin work on your project!

Make sure that all of your approved construction documents are printed and onsite for yourself and any contractors that you may hire.

When I am out doing inspections, I will frequently run into homeowners that didn't print out all of their docs and end up missing specific (read: important) changes that the building department added to their plans (also known as redlines). This can become a pretty major concern if work was done wrong and now needs to be fixed. It costs the homeowner time and money having to go back and bring certain areas of their project up to code.

Your local building department should be able to walk you through what construction documents you will need to obtain a permit for the work you want to complete. Depending on the project, you may only need to submit an application - such as for simple prjects like window replacements or a new roof. Other projects like building a new deck or an addition will require a site plan, drawings, footing sizes, beam sizes, etc. so that the plans examiner can evaluate the structure for size, location and proper construction.

If you're having troubles getting through the process and want some added peace of mind, feel free to schedule a consultation and I can help walk through it.

Good luck on your project!