Two questions we get asked all the time from folks about to embark on a home remodel are: “Do I need permits?” followed by “Can you help us with that?”

Let’s see if we can shed some light on what you might be facing when it comes to permits, covering the nuts and bolts of whether or not you might need permits and exploring who actually submits the plans to the City and pulls the permits. Spoiler: Nope, it’s not us and it’s probably not your architect. It *might* be you, but *hopefully* it’s your contractor!

👉 Pull up a chair – this is a longer read than most of our posts 😳 but it’s full of juicy tidbits meant to help you get on the right track! 💕 If you want to jump to the part where we talk about *who* pulls the permits, click HERE.

Do I need a permit?

Probably. 

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need a full set of architectural drawings. What kind of permits you’ll need (or if you’ll even need them) will depend on:

• the scope of your project
• the specific codes of the city where you live

You see, the rules are different from city to city. Just within ten miles of our office in Seattle we help with homes in a half dozen cities – Shoreline, Edmonds, and Bothell, just to name a few. And each city has its own code and zoning requirements that go hand in hand with state and federal building codes.

There are lots of home-improvement projects that *don’t* need a permit (for example, replacing your flooring, painting the walls, installing kitchen cabinets…) but even small projects often require a permit. Just replacing a kitchen appliance might trigger an electrical or plumbing update that will require at least an STFI permit (don’t worry, we’ll define that in a bit). 

You may think such a straight forward question warrants a straight forward answer – we’d *love* for that to be the case too! No matter what article you read, everyone will finish the conversation by saying “check with your local building department,” even those written by the building departments. For example, the City of Shoreline says that a construction permit may not be needed for small projects listed on their “Permit Exemptions handout” but they still warn you that “reviews may be required from other agencies; be sure to check with us before starting any construction.”

You can see why we take a *deep breath* before answering our clients when they ask “will we need permits?” 🤪

There’s not just one kind of permit: there are many! 

Some kinds of permits require to-scale drawings and some don’t.

Full-scale construction permits always require site plans, scaled drawings, and architect/engineering stamps, while many specialty permits don’t require any plans at all (like if you’re just replacing your water heater). Which permits you’ll need, how much they’ll cost, and how long they’ll take to get all depend on your specific project and your specific city’s rules. 

Whatever permits *your* project needs, remember that they are there to keep you safe by making sure your home is built to code.

The Chicken or The Egg – Which Comes First?

Obtaining the permit is not the first step in the process – first you have to define the project scope. 

While it’s frustrating to invest in a project when you don’t even know if you can build it, that’s just the way it is when it comes to building projects. The trick is to go only as far as you need to in order to determine feasibility. 

For example, some of our clients hire us to do “layout only” plans before they hire us to help choose materials and fixtures. That gives them a chance to get cost estimates from contractors and start the permitting process. (Remember, the city doesn’t care what kind of countertop you want to install – they just care that your house will be safe to live in based on current code.) 

Once you’ve defined the scope of your project then you can start to determine if you’ll need a site plan as well as extensive construction plans, or if you’ll “only” need a couple STFI permits (see below).

STFI Permits

Some projects only need what’s called “Subject-To-Field-Inspection” (or “STFI”) permits. These are often called “over-the-counter” permits because you don’t have to go through any preliminary meetings or submit extensive plans. In fact, oftentimes you don’t need plans at all.

With an STFI permit the contractor (often a speciality contractor like an electrician or plumber) just applies for the permit online, and then calls for a site-inspection once the wiring or plumbing is done (but before the walls are closed up with insulation or drywall – because the inspector needs to SEE the work to approve it). The inspector reviews and passes the work, giving the contractor (or you) the green light to move onto the next step. 

So, with STFI permits you’re really just letting the city know that you’ll be doing some work, and that when the work is done you’ll be calling them to come check on the install and make sure it meets code.

Full Construction Permits

On the other hand, if you are doing an extensive remodel of an existing home, adding an addition, or constructing a new building, you’ll need more extensive construction permits. This is the kind of permit that people are usually thinking about when they ask “Will I need permits?”

Assuming you need more fully developed permits, here’s the basic process:

Scenario 1: You’re completely remodeling an existing house, but *not* changing the footprint of the house

Assuming you don’t have existing (accurate) blueprints of your house, someone will first measure the existing building and then create a new layout. This might be an architect if you’re changing rooflines and staircases, or an interior designer if the majority of the work stays in-footprint and only changes a few windows, doors, or walls.

Assuming you’re making structural changes then, once the new layout is created, you or your contractor will hire a structural engineer to calculate things like shear walls that might be needed for earthquake safety, or new beam sizes for areas where you might have taken out a supporting wall. This step can be before or after you start the permit application process but, since it will affect the construction costs, it’s usually done as part of pricing the project but before submitting for permits.

Scenario 2: You’re building a brand-new building

Someone (usually an architect) creates a site plan of your property. This often starts with paying for a site survey where someone comes out and stakes out the legal boundaries of your property, and then the architect draws those boundaries on a site map that also shows the surrounding streets and intersections. (Yup! Even if you have an idea of *where* on your property your house will be built, you’ll have to get it all measured out!)

Then someone (again, often your architect) does a bunch of research to find out anything “special” about your property that needs to be accounted for, like protecting environmentally sensitive areas like streams or wetlands, managing steep slopes, etc. 

They’ll also research the zoning rules for your property to figure out how much of the ground you’re allowed to cover with buildings, decks, driveways, etc, and determine how tall you’re allowed to make your buildings. (Yup! There is a height limit!)

Based on all that information they’ll draw up a building that follows all those rules and makes the best use of the views, setting, and natural light of your property. (Notice that you haven’t actually submitted anything to the city yet, but you may have already invested thousands of dollars into the research and conceptual phase of your project. 🤑)

You have a plan! NOW you can apply for permits!

Once you have to-scale drawings that show both what currently exists and what you plan to change and/or build, then it’s time to submit those drawings to the city. The city will review the drawings and make sure that they meet local, state, and federal building code as well as local zoning requirements. 

Unless they ask for changes, they’ll give you the go-ahead to start building. That starts the clock and you’ll usually have one to two years to get the work completed. Running out of time? Don’t panic! It’s usually pretty easy to extend your permits (it usually just means an additional fee). 

Once you start building, you or your contractors will call for inspections at various stages. For example:

• Foundation: they want to make sure that you’re built on solid footing!
• Framing: they’ll come check that all the posts, beams, roofing framing, etc are installed correctly, and that they are the size and type called out on the plans. They want to make sure the “bones” of your house are healthy, and securely tied to the foundation.
• Electrical: gotta make sure you’re wired up correctly so you don’t burn the house down! 
• Plumbing: don’t want any leaks inside the walls, and also want to make sure all the drain pipes have the right slope so you don’t have problems with clogs!
• Insulation: need to make sure the house is going to hold in the heat and keep out the cold, both for comfort and also so your pipes don’t freeze in the winter.

Once each of those steps is okay’d by your inspector you’ll get the go-ahead to close up the walls, and now you get to do the fun part – drywall, flooring, cabinets, paint, tile, etc. The inspectors don’t care about that stuff at all. Make it as pretty as you want – or not… it has nothing to do with code.

What if you’re doing the work yourself? Do you still need permits?

Yes. 

Even if you’re “just” doing the bathroom, if you’re opening up the walls then the city expects you to bring that now-exposed plumbing and wiring up to code. Remember, this is for your safety! Won’t you sleep better at night knowing that an inspector came by and gave you the thumbs up on your installation?

Are you sure I need permits? Don’t people do small remodels without permits all the time?

If permits are required for your project, we 100% recommend you get them. Permits = Safety!

Think of it like this:

Are you exposing old wiring or plumbing? You’ll probably need a permit – they will want to make sure it’s up to code before you close up the walls. 

Are you moving a door or window? You’ll probably need a permit – they will want to make sure the framing is still up to code before you close up the walls. 

Are you installing a gas line to your new gas range? You’ll probably need a permit – they will want to make sure it’s leak-free before you close up the walls. 

You get the idea…

When do I NOT need a permit? 

That depends on where you live, but generally anything cosmetic won’t need a permit. 

For example, if you’re you leaving those walls closed and literally just installing new flooring, new cabinets, and new fixtures (and *not* moving any plumbing, wiring, walls or windows) then you probably don’t need a permit. 

Unless your new appliances require upgrading your electrical panel. 

Sigh.

Now, for the million dollar question: Who pulls the permits?

Occasionally it’s an architect or designer, sometimes it’s the homeowner, but most often (and ideally) it’s the general contractor.

Why should your general contractor pull the permits? The folks at Nolo say it well: 

“If you hired a contractor for your project, it is customary for the contractor to arrange for; or, in contractor lingo, “pull” the permit. This is a good idea because typically the person who pulls the permit is responsible for construction following the code.

If you pull the permit, you will be considered the contractor (at least in the eyes of the city) and liable if there is a construction problem. Contractors are also often familiar with the process and the city’s inspectors. The contractor’s preexisting relationship with the city can work to your benefit.

…If your contractor is charging by the hour, you might save money by completing the permit paperwork and submitting it yourself. The scope and complexity of your project will help you decide the best way to work with the city and obtain a permit.”

Having the general contractor pull the permits makes it easier to know who’s responsible for what, and who’s footing the bill if someone has to redo work that fails inspection. That matters because things don’t always go as planned. 

Right at the end of my own two-year remodel I learned that the inspectors “missed” that we were putting our electrical panel in a “closet.” Even though it was spelled out on the plans, and even though we’d gone through the permit process and had our interim inspections, it was still on us to fix the problem. We could either give up the closet, or move the panel. 😩 Yikes! 

That $5000 fix would have been on the electrician’s dime if *they* pulled the permit, but in this case we had pulled the permit ourselves, so the electrician could’ve made us pay for the change. It can get… complicated. (In our case, the inspector found us a loophole that cost a bit less money and gave us a totally upgraded closet – you can read about that here.)

But what if you have to pull your own permits?

If you’re on the hook for pulling your own permits (maybe you are DIY’ing it, you’re saving some money by working with a low-cost-low-experience contractor, or you have a great contract but they don’t have the capacity to shepherd your project through the permit process), don’t be too afraid. The folks at the planning office are used to dealing with clueless homeowners gripping building plans in their hands with wide eyes. The process is straightforward: make an intake appointment, show them the plans, then answer their questions. 

If you’re working with an architect, then Great News! Most of the answers that the folks at the building department will need will be written on the plans, like what kind of firewalls you’ll be building, what R-value of insulation you’ll use, or what kind of windows you’ll be installing (for example, if a window is a certain distance from a door, it must use tempered glass). The city may ask you to make some changes, so you’ll go back to your architect and engineer, update the plans, and resubmit. Just be prepared to spend some time talking to your local permitting office. They really will take you by the hand and walk you through the process – it’s literally their job! 

Of course my very best advice is always to hire a competent general contractor who’ll apply for the permits and who’s worked in your city long enough to not only know the relevant local code, but also the local inspectors – those relationships can really smooth out the ride! 

Ugh, permits suck. 😩

Yep! The permit process can seem very daunting. Going into your project you really won’t know what kinds of permits you’ll need, or how much they’ll cost.

Even a very simple project like installing a new water heater might require a couple permits – a plumbing permit if you’ll need to add, extend, or modify any existing water lines, and an electrical permit to upgrade your breaker if the new water heater draws more power than the old one. 

In the Seattle area, in particular, you might be surprised by the code requirements when, for instance, “all you want to do is replace your hood vent.” Code changes regularly, and nowadays not only are they requiring most appliances to be on their own electrical circuit, but if your hood pulls more than 400 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air out of your kitchen you are required to have a “return air” system. Your tiny project can quickly escalate!

Does that mean you should avoid getting permits? 

Um, no. For lots of reasons. First, the code is there to keep you safe. Yes, sometimes it can feel a bit excessive, especially because code has to be generic enough to cover all situations. And yes, it’s annoying to pay more money and wait more time. But not only is code there to keep you safe, it’s also there to make sure that if something in your house fails that your insurance will cover the loss. If it wasn’t built with permits and to code they may say “sorry – you’re out of luck!” 😳

So, where does Seriously Happy Homes fit into the picture?

Our wheelhouse is creating plans for remodeling a few rooms within the existing footprint of your home. We can even help reimagine an entire level of a home. Once you start getting into moving stairs, changing rooflines, or building additions then we generally recommend you work with an architect to develop the new envelope of the house, and then come back to us to work out the space planning, cabinet layouts, and (the fun part!) pick out the fixtures, finishes, and furnishings!

When we help folks with new layouts that involve moving doors, windows, or walls, our job is to help create the new floor plan that meets your happy-home goals! You will then work with a contractor to price the project and they will help submit the plans to the city, and involve an engineer for any calculations needed for new beams, shear walls, etc. 

Are designs from Seriously Happy Homes “good enough” for submitting to the city? 

If we’re talking about a kitchen or bath remodel, yes! Our contractors tell us that they have no trouble submitting our drawings to the City for kitchen and bath remodel permits. 

On the other hand, if we’re talking about a plan that extensively moves walls, then you’ll be able to use our plans to get pricing from a contractor and start the conversation with the city, but you may need to hire a draftsperson or architect to create drawings that show *how* the walls will be built. (This could also come up in a kitchen or bath remodel that involves moving walls.)

For example, when my husband and I converted our single family home into a duplex, I created all the layouts for the new design. We then hired an architect to convert my drawings into building plans that mapped out the fire separation walls, shear walls, window types, etc needed to make sure it would be remodeled to code. 

So if you might have to hire an architect anyway, should you even hire an interior design firm? Great question! Here’s a post on the differences on Architects, Engineers, and Interior Designers to help navigate what kind of help to hire.

To Sum Up

There is no way to rush the process. Just take a deep breath, be kind to the folks working for the city (they are just doing their job and pissing them off won’t move things along any faster), and take it one step at a time. 

You’ve got this!

Want to talk through your specific project to get a sense of what it might entail? Why not sign up for a Design Helpline Session? We can spend an hour on Zoom chatting through your ideas and give you our best guidance for what to expect and what steps to take next!

Can’t wait to hear all about your project and help you get happier at home! 

May your home always be happy!