The Expert Podcast

Today, we're going to look at two of the steps in getting a building project off the ground. One is getting a contractor to call you back and in process. The other is getting a building permit. So, make sure you look at both of these videos. The first one we're going to talk about is how to get a building permit.

Look, you may be able to get your contractor to file your building permit. However, sometimes it's hard to get the contractor even to call you back. If you already have a building permit in hand, many times that will get the contractor to call you back. That's kind of a sneak preview of our top five ways to get contractors to call you back. Contractors don't want to deal with the zoning and planning department any more than you do.

Think about the bureaucracy you're facing when you go to the building and planning and zoning department. You hate it. It's dealing with the government, it's bureaucracy, it's red tape—you hate it. The contractor hates it too. If you're putting that responsibility on them, sometimes that's the reason they don't want to call you back. They don't want to deal with that. If you already have a building permit in hand, the contractors kind of look at it like, "That's one less thing I have to do. I don't have to do bureaucracy."

Do you think that builders like to do paperwork or like to do building? They like to do their trade, their craft. They like to build things. If they're framers, they like to hammer stud walls and King studs. If they're sheetrockers, they like to mud and tape. If they're painters, they like to cut in and paint all the details. Right? You see where I'm going with this—they don't want to be bogged down with paperwork.

Now, you may find that your permit might not exactly be what is needed, but at least if you have something in hand, the contractor can go in and maybe make some changes. That's different from starting from scratch to get it approved. If you already have it approved, the builder knows that they're not going to be faced with not having a project.

One of the biggest fears a builder has is contracting with you to build, let's say, an addition on your house. You have the plans, and then what if it doesn't get approved by the county or by the city? They don't get any money. They don't get their contract done. They did all that work for nothing or for a very small amount—they wasted their time. If you already have it approved, they might have to make modifications. For example, when quoting, they might say, "Well, we're going to change the roofline to save you $10,000 in building expenses." That's fine, but at least they know it's already approved, and they know you're serious.

What else do you have to do to get a building permit? First, you have to know who has the jurisdiction. Is it a city building permit jurisdiction? Is it the county? Is it the state? You might need additional sign-offs from other agencies, like the Department of Environmental Protection or DEQ, depending on what your state has—maybe for a septic system or drainage. You might have to get approval from the road district to do a road cut for a driveway or a curb cut to put in a new access.

Sometimes, you even have to do turn lanes for larger developments. You may have to get approval from Wetlands if you're going to have silt and drainage near a stream. You might have to put hay bales. So, first, you have to know all the agencies that have to sign off on your permit.

The good news is the Planning and Zoning departments are very glad to help you. Especially as a civilian, if you walk in as a contractor, they're just going to expect you to have everything already figured out. But as a consumer, homeowner, or property owner, they'll help walk you through it more so than a builder. That could work to your advantage.

You're also going to need to have some type of plan. Sometimes it can be handwritten as long as you have dimensions. We've talked about this in other videos. You may need to get some feedback from the county before you file the permit. What we recommend is going to the county or city and telling them, "Look, this is what I am contemplating doing or proposing to do. Before I make plans and everything else, do you see anything that is a prohibiting factor?"

Is it too tall? Is it too close to the property line? Do I need to have more square footage? Some counties have minimum square footage requirements. Whatever there is, at least if you describe it to them—even if you have it drawn on a napkin—you can tell them, "Look, I'm not applying for a permit. I know this is not what you need, but at least tell me if I'm on the right track." That way, you're not going to waste your time getting building plans that will cost you hundreds or thousands or putting together a permit package and paying fees for something that you can't do anyway.

Sometimes you might find you don't even need all the permits you're thinking might be required. So, start with an informal conversation, then get your plans, and then submit the package. They're going to tell you what sign-offs you need. Environmental? Maybe forestry if you're cutting down some trees? Maybe grading if you're moving certain volumes of earth? They'll tell you what you need for a building permit.

Then you're going to need your fees. We also recommend before you even do anything—even before you put hay bales for silt—get an insurance policy. Get a builder's insurance policy, even if you're the homeowner. Anything you do that causes liability, even if you're not digging with a payloader or something else, you want to have a policy to cover it. Many homeowners' policies or even commercial liability policies don't cover all of the activity, even basic activity.

You also want to look to see if your project is going to have any feedback from neighboring properties. You might have to post a notice for a permit or a zoning change. Make sure all of your neighbors are on board with this. You don't want to create a neighbor problem for something that, if you talked to them in advance, would be more cordial.

Look, if you're going to build an addition, why not talk to the neighbor and say, "I'm thinking about building an addition. What kind of feedback do you have?" You don't necessarily have to listen to them if they say, "I don't want you to build an addition." Okay, thanks for your feedback—I'm building it anyway. But at least it's common courtesy to let them know, and it shows that you're a polite, considerate person.

Before you do it, you'll know if your neighbor is being overly committed to giving too much feedback or if they're just saying, "Thanks, I appreciate it." For example, "I really like our view, so anything you can do to keep the trees down." You can factor that in or decide not to. That feedback from neighbors will keep you in good stead with your neighborhood or HOA or whoever's around you. At least it's not a surprise. At least they're not going to suddenly wake up one day to a cement truck pouring a foundation. Keep them in the loop—that's another thing to do before you start applying for permits.

How do you make sure the permit gets approved? Make sure that it fits the guidelines of the statutes. You can read your County Planning and Zoning statutes for lot size, coverage, maximum height, fence size, and make sure your project conforms to those statutes. You can find those online and print them out, highlighting the ones that apply to your property.

Again, if you have that permit in hand before you start trying to get a contractor, that might help you. It's a little bit of reverse psychology or an anti-antithetical strategy that people use, but it might put you in a good position for getting a contractor. Would you bear that in mind for the next video? Look for that next—on how to get contractors to respond to you.