Sometimes building permits can take over your life. Local Building Code Officials can make unusual requests of the building owners, and by
extension, the poor person making the actual building permit application. Here are three examples:
Once, a building official requested that a complex and
lengthy renovation be split into individual permits for every phase. Not only that, but each phase (all but one)
was split into additional permits based on differing occupancies in the various
phases. So in lieu of one permit
application that contained many phases, we ended up with eleven permit
applications. Some of the permits were
not be applicable for years from the filing date, but we were asked to submit
them all at once in order to remain under the same state building code
addition. Needless to say this caused an
unprecedented amount of paper work and stress, along with
"Frankensteining" building sets together that weren't anticipated in
being submitted together. It took more
than 4 years to close out all those permits.
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| This is how I tracked the phases and permits on this first job. |
My next project (in another state) was already completed and
required, of course, a building permit application. This was a small project and thankfully just
one phase. However, another unusual
request was made that we fold, not roll, the permit sets. I did not appreciate the repercussions of
this request until I realized we had 60 drawing sheets. The building official claimed that they did
not have the facilities to store rolled drawings. If they had storage problems, I may have
respectfully suggested that they not require four sets, which is double the
normal amount. At any rate, I discussed
with the official which kinds of sheets I could omit from the set. I ended up removing many of the casework
details and food service drawings. I
believe I removed about 10 drawings total.
When it came time to ship them, it was the day of
reckoning. I had not, up to this point,
tried to fold a set this big before. I
had heard on an episode of Mythbusters that it was impossible to fold a piece
of paper more than seven times on itself.
Well, I was ready for fifty sheets together. I intended to ship the four sets in an 11 x
17 paper box. I first tried folding the
sheets in fourths, but it became unruly very quickly and I was only half way to
getting the set small enough. So I tried
folding the 30 x 42 sheets into thirds the long way. That way the paper was not yet folded upon
itself. Next the drawings were folded in
thirds the opposite way, such that there was only ever one seam crossing
another. It was not pretty but it was
folded. It was actually a two man job, with
my co-worker providing the rest of the muscle.
By the time we were done, it was time to get all four sets in the
box. It seemed to take a half roll of
packing tape, but the lid was secured. I
was just glad I was not the one who had to open it for fear of it exploding
once the tension of the tape was breeched.
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| 30 x 42 |
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| 30 x 28 |
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| 30 x 14 |
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| 20 x 14 |
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| 10 x 14, now imagine 50 sheets and then times 4 sets. |
My final example required the most number of permits I’ve ever
encountered. When designing a campus of
various housing options including semi-detached homes, small five unit
apartments as well as two large buildings as part of the same project, we
encountered permit-shock. There ended up
being twenty-four structure permits, including one for each of all of the above
plus carports and garages. Also, retaining
walls need their own permits, so six more.
Oh, and each old building that had to come down needed a demolition
permit, so thirty five more. Add in the
fire line, grading, other plumbing and utilities, we were staring at seventy
plus permits. I do believe I spent a
total of at least two weeks coordinating just the permits. Fast forward several years, and there remain
just two open permits on the project!
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| Applications for just one building type on the campus. |
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| This pile accounted for just three of the 24 building structure permits. |
