On-line Data
The first place to begin is the web. Most every locale has an official government web site which should contain most of the information you need to start your planning. For this article, I selected a town in Arizona, far away from where we are building to use as an example. I selected Yuma, Arizona. I simply entered the following search and started to explore; “Residential building permit Yuma, AZ”. The first hit took me directly to the government site which answered the basic questions for obtaining a residential building permit. I focused my search on information on the page relating to a permit for an Owner/Builder. After a bit of reading on the first page I found the following:
“For more information about building permits and fees, contact the City of Yuma Department of Community Development.”
A few additional clicks looking for Yuma Department of Community Development I was at the Building Safety Division, where several more questions were answered regarding required documentation, fees, and time required for obtaining a building permit. Within a few more minutes I found this quote,
“The department recommends that an Arizona licensed contractor be hired to coordinate all phases and types of construction for your project; in fact, most commercial construction requires a contractor.”
This led me to believe I could act as an owner builder, although it was not 100% clear. A quick call to the Community Development Office (928-373-5175) will confirm I was correct.
Establish a working relationship with the Clerks
The first call to the city or county offices is where you establish your first relationship with the workers. I always ask for a complete name and phone number so I can readily speak with the same person each time. In big city offices, this is not always possible, but it does save both parties a lot of time explaining who you are and what you are trying to do each and every time you call. After a few short conversations over the course of a few days you get to know your government contact and it will become easier each time to get your answers. I always collect several questions and call fewer times rather than calling several times with every single question. After a while you will be on a first name basis and get nearly all of your questions answered. A few general rules are:
- Treat them in the same manner as you want to be treated. Don’t treat them like drones. You might be the 24th caller of the day asking the same, seemingly stupid, question.
- Always be respectful and patient. You’ll get more with a kind word than a sharp condescending tongue. You reap what you sow.
- Write everything down so you can remember the answers to questions. I sometimes find myself asking the same question twice because I could not remember the answer from the call 2 weeks ago.
- Conduct the basic research before you call. You can many times get the answer you need by going to the city/county site for information. Don’t forget to look for the state building codes. Most of your answers about what is required are in the state codes. It will save you several phone calls.
- Always remember, the person you peeve off may be the person performing your building inspection. You don’t have to bow and grovel, just treat them kindly.
Get most of the documentation right the first time
You will be required to submit what seems like a mountain of documentation. Make sure you have the correct forms, you have it all filled out correctly, and your details are legible and conform to the state codes. The more work you do up front, the easier it will be to get your permit. In doing so you will begin to build rapport with your city contact and they will probably be the person doing your inspection.
Again, I found a wealth of information on the web. I was able to copy and paste specifications, drawings, sectional drawings and reproduce much of what I needed from things I found on the web as shown below in the foundation sectional diagram.
The use of a computer floor plan program will be a big help as well. I found the Punch! Program to be very useful. I was able to submit about 80% of what the city needed directly from my home computer. None of my drawings were ¼” = 1’. I simply used the “print to fit page” function, made sure the detail was legible, and made annotated notes in the margins using the text mode of the program. I was surprised how easy the process really was.
Framing details from Punch! Software program
Be humble
Most of the folks in the government offices have been doing their work for many years and they are true professionals. In some cases they have over 25 years of experience. Yes, there are the consummate drones working in the office, but that is not the rule. Most know their work very well and have much of the information about codes, requirements, zoning and variances memorized. They will invariably make mistakes, so don’t stick it in their face. When I found discrepancies between what I was told and what was on the site I humbly directed a question to the person with whom I had established a relationship and asked for clarification. It worked every time. I did not care who was right, and I was not concerned about telling the clerk, “I told you so!” I simply wanted my documentation to be correct so I could start the construction project. In my case, the person with whom I worked answered every question I had. I did all of this over the phone while living in a different state 1300 miles from the construction project.
After all my preparations were complete, my father-in-law submitted my plans on my behalf. I was not even there. They were approved within 2 days without question. The foundation and plumbing inspector showed up at the site on separate visits and spent a total of 3 minutes on site. They knew me by name, they had high confidence based on the documentation I had submitted, and there was a greater level of trust based on the work I had done before I even called the office.
A short time after I had submitted my documentation, I got a phone call asking if I wanted to be on the city planning and zoning committee. I ascribe the reason they asked me to be on the board to the fact that I established a good working relationship with the clerks, I got most of my documentation right the first time, and I acted out of humility.