Permit guides
Straight answers to the questions that come up around building permits, written once and properly. Where something varies locally we say so rather than inventing a national number.
Do I need a building permit?Which home projects need a permit and which do not, why the exemption list is the part that varies locally, and what happens if you skip it.How to look up a building permitFind permit records for any US property: where the search lives, what to search by, how to read the statuses, and what to do when nothing comes back.Unpermitted work: buying, selling and fixing itWhat unpermitted work means for a sale, how to find it before you buy, and the realistic options for resolving it.Stop work ordersWhat triggers a stop work order, what you must do immediately, and the realistic sequence for getting it lifted.Expired and open permitsThe difference between an expired permit and an open one, why both matter at sale, and how to close each.Which office issues your permitHow to determine whether your city, your county or a state agency has jurisdiction over your property, and why the mailing address does not tell you.How permit fees are calculatedWhat goes into a building permit invoice — base fee, plan review, trade permits, impact fees and surcharges — and why a quote often exceeds the headline number.Building inspections explainedThe order inspections happen in, why the order matters more than the list, how to book them, and what to do after a failure.What documents a permit application needsThe submittal package that gets an application accepted at intake, what each scope adds, and why incomplete packages are the main cause of delay.