PERMIT APPROVALS NOTIFICATION

After the celebration, it is wise to prepare a Contractor Notification/Permit Approvals Notification Letter so that the contractor is prepared, and there will be no delays in getting the permit in hand and starting construction.  In a perfect world it seems that once the plans are approved, the contractor can go into the City, County, or other agency and just “pick up” their permits right away, right?

Unfortunately there are usually several “next steps” that are required to ensure that the contractor (as well as the subcontractors) are licensed within the State, County, and even sometimes at a City level.  Having all of this information in a single place to reference prior to traveling to the agencies to pick up permits will help save time and avoid likely frustrations.

HELPFUL CONTENT TO TRANSFER

Helping to bridge the gap from plan review to permit issuance with the contractor will save time and headaches for all parties involved.  The following information is helpful to include in the Contractor Notification/Permit Approvals Notification Letter: permit numbers, jurisdictional contact information, any list of conditions for  approval that may be pertinent, a list of all fees due for permit issuance, Contractor registrations needs, pre-construction meeting information (if required), and any inspection information that may be pertinent for final Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  In Florida, a Notice of Commencement (NOC) is required.  Some jurisdictions require them prior to the first inspection, but others require them prior to permit issuance.  The NOC must be signed by the property owner and recorded at the County prior to delivery to the Building Department.

HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Did a prototype update happen during the plan review process?  Did anything change on the construction drawings due to an owner or Landlord review?  If so, the time to submit any revisions back to the jurisdiction is once the permit is picked up, in order to ensure that the most up-to-date drawings are approved by the jurisdiction, and the construction phase of the project goes off without a hitch.  Getting through permitting can be challenging enough, but now the fun switches over to the General Contractor (GC) and subcontractors to ensure that they have good communication with the architect and the jurisdiction inspectors so that the construction process continues on a smooth path.

IN SUMMARY

So as one can see, the permitting process can definitely be confusing and disorienting; however, with the proper upfront research, preparation, and communication, projects can stay on track and common pitfalls can be avoided.  Identifying the process and steps in depth early on in the process, asking questions, then asking more questions, and having a realistic time frame for schedules will aid in streamlining it all.  Then being prepared for the permit submittal(s), knowing all of the agencies involved, and staying present with those agencies, and seeing the project through to completion will prove to be a much smoother process and transition when going into construction.

For those that were adventurous enough to take on the endeavor of permitting themselves, we hope that this strategy was helpful, provided guidance, and  the proper planning and execution of the permitting process was achieved.

For additional information on Interplan’s experience with Permit Approvals and Contractor Notifications, please contact us at 407.645.5008 or via email at [email protected].