How long does it take in your area to get: • Plans drawn to Building Permit being issued? • What else is in your process? @Jay Hinrichs (I know you know several areas) @J Scott @Kenneth Bell @Lynn Currie and others?

@Karen MargraveIn Seattle for a remodel you submit your current floor plan and also the floor plan you plan to use. This is a quick process, I think the last one we did took a day to draw up and within a couple days we had the permit. Not sure how long for new construction and I'm sure different projects can vary. The cost is based off the total cost of the project.

@Karen Margrave, is it one house on a pre-approved lot or raw land for a subdivision creation? Public utilities or well and septic? Naturally, pre-approved lots on public utilities eliminates a plethora of hoops on the permitting side. The design process can often take longer than the permitting process and so purchasing pre-designed plans online can cut out a lot of time for that scope (not to mention the amount of money saved). In Loudoun County, VA, I've seen new home permits get released in just a matter of weeks. I believe the the quality of the permit drawings goes a long way to keeping the permit process to a minimum and that a plan expediter may be helpful if the process in your area is laborious.

In Austin it varies. I've seen it go as fast as 6 weeks, and as slow as 5 months. Currently we're seeing a 20 day turn time for plan review and there are almost always one round of comments that need to be addressed. That puts plans in at 20 days, comments addressed by architect at about a week, plus plans reviewed again for another 20 days. A total of about 50 days. The time to get plans done originally, depends on the architect and engineers. Sometimes it takes 30-45 days, and some projects drag on.

@Scott Pirrie Is it me or is that ridiculously long? Can you explain this process? Is it from applying to being able to start building?

In city of Seattle 4-8 months for Single Family and Townhomes currently.

By they way they DID approve my plans this afternoon!!!! I have a couple things to button up at the fire department, then I will have my permits!! Sorry, I had to share with someone...

If you are talking about a lot already developed, getting a permitted use permit, about 1-2 weeks here, and fees range from $10k - $20k. If you have zoning changes or an entire development, it's 6mos plus....

In New Orleans, 2-4 weeks after submitting plans you will have your permit (assuming no changes are required). In historic districts, the process is much longer due to public meetings and requirements to notify nearby residents, that took 12 weeks. None of the above required any zoning changes or variances. Those would add another 6-8 weeks on the minimum. Cost for permits are very low here.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO GET FROM PLANS TO PERMITS?

Land & New Construction

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO GET FROM PLANS TO PERMITS?

Karen MargraveBusiness Member

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Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes

How long does it take in your area to get:

Plans drawn to Building Permit being issued?
What else is in your process?

@Jay Hinrichs (I know you know several areas) @J Scott @Kenneth Bell @Lynn Currie and others?

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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member

Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes

10y

Portland metro... depending on jurisdiction 2 weeks to 8 weeks max.

In the city of Portland some contractors can start work without permits they are on a special program .. kind of like getting TSA pre check.

IN Charleston 3 to 4 weeks normally.

COSTS:

Portland

as low as 12k up to 50k depending on the city.

my Gresham development is 24k each. building 27 currently

Charleston

5k ish... We Love Charleston :)

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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
10y
Portland metro... depending on jurisdiction 2 weeks to 8 weeks max.
In the city of Portland some contractors can start work without permits they are on a special program .. kind of like getting TSA pre check.
IN Charleston 3 to 4 weeks normally.
COSTS:
Portland
as low as 12k up to 50k depending on the city.
my Gresham development is 24k each. building 27 currently
Charleston
5k ish... We Love Charleston :)
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Bryan Hancock
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
In Austin 2 months is very quick. We have had stuff in permitting for over a year before. The city is completely out of control in Austin.
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Jon Klaus
Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Bryan Hancock:

In Austin 2 months is very quick. We have had stuff in permitting for over a year before. The city is completely out of control in Austin.
This is our experience, too. On my most complex deal (includes zoning change) it has been 26 months and still waiting.
1 Reply
Nick Coonis
Real Estate Investor · Acton, CA · Member since 2014 · 109 posts · 73 votes
10y
In Los Angeles County, our plans for our SFR have been in plan check for 9 weeks. Every department approved them within the first two weeks (planning, Health, Fire, etc.) except the building department, and I am on my way there this afternoon to a sit down meeting with the plan checker, to hopefully finally have them stamped and ready for permits!
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J ScottPro Member
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Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 18k+ posts · 17k+ votes
10y
In my specific county, about 2-3 weeks.
In City of Atlanta, about 4-8 months.
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Account Closed
Frederick, MD · Member since 2015 · 654 posts · 256 votes
10y
@Karen Margrave, is it one house on a pre-approved lot or raw land for a subdivision creation? Public utilities or well and septic? Naturally, pre-approved lots on public utilities eliminates a plethora of hoops on the permitting side.
The design process can often take longer than the permitting process and so purchasing pre-designed plans online can cut out a lot of time for that scope (not to mention the amount of money saved). In Loudoun County, VA, I've seen new home permits get released in just a matter of weeks.
I believe the the quality of the permit drawings goes a long way to keeping the permit process to a minimum and that a plan expediter may be helpful if the process in your area is laborious.
1 Reply
Isaac Frost
General Contractor & Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2013 · 46 posts · 33 votes
10y
I'm in the FIR (Field Issued Remodel) program in Portland. That's what Jay Hinrichs was referring to. We can start projects as soon as we turn plans in while waiting on review in most but not all cases. It's fantastic. I don't even have to step foot in the building department office, which is a rat maze in our town. This is for remodel only. For new homes there may be some similar program that I'm not aware of.
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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
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@Isaac Frost ground up you need to go through full plan review in all jurisdictions I am aware of
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Mike Wood
Developer · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 898 votes
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In New Orleans, 2-4 weeks after submitting plans you will have your permit (assuming no changes are required). In historic districts, the process is much longer due to public meetings and requirements to notify nearby residents, that took 12 weeks.
None of the above required any zoning changes or variances. Those would add another 6-8 weeks on the minimum.
Cost for permits are very low here.
1 Reply
Keith Bloemendaal
Contractor · Carolina Beach, NC · Member since 2014 · 157 posts · 89 votes
10y
If you are talking about a lot already developed, getting a permitted use permit, about 1-2 weeks here, and fees range from $10k - $20k. If you have zoning changes or an entire development, it's 6mos plus....
1 Reply
Nick Coonis
Real Estate Investor · Acton, CA · Member since 2014 · 109 posts · 73 votes
10y
By they way they DID approve my plans this afternoon!!!! I have a couple things to button up at the fire department, then I will have my permits!! Sorry, I had to share with someone...
1 Reply
Karen MargraveBusiness Member
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OP
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
What a difference there is throughout the country! For us, (in coastal Orange County, CA) it takes about 5 months from submitting completed plans to receiving a building permit. However; we can get the grading permit in about 3, so that allows us to start work. Average cost of permit is probably $50,000.
@Account Closed in California there's no buying stock plans off the internet. We have earthquake, coastal, environmental, you name it, and plans have to deal with it, so very specific to each lot.
I just wanted to do this post and be in envy of all of you that breeze through! Sounds like Austin is much like California, ridiculous.
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Karen MargraveBusiness Member
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Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
@Nick Coonis WOW!! That's incredible! I don't know how they can get things through so fast in L.A., but here it takes forever. Congratulations! Now be sure to put your project on the Investor Deal Diaries Forum, and let us follow along.
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Scott Pirrie
Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 63 posts · 8 votes
10y
In city of Seattle 4-8 months for Single Family and Townhomes currently.
1 Reply
Joe Kooner
Realtor · Bellevue, WA · Member since 2013 · 66 posts · 10 votes
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@Scott Pirrie
Is it me or is that ridiculously long? Can you explain this process? Is it from applying to being able to start building?
1 Reply
Manolo D.
Contractor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
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Karen Margrave I think Nick Coonis is doing a modular SFH.
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Matt Gragg
Flipper/Rehabber · WASHINGTON State · Member since 2015 · 179 posts · 67 votes
10y
@Karen MargraveIn Seattle for a remodel you submit your current floor plan and also the floor plan you plan to use. This is a quick process, I think the last one we did took a day to draw up and within a couple days we had the permit. Not sure how long for new construction and I'm sure different projects can vary. The cost is based off the total cost of the project.
2 Reply
Nick Coonis
Real Estate Investor · Acton, CA · Member since 2014 · 109 posts · 73 votes
10y
@Karen Margrave @Manolo D. It is great news, but it did not seem like a short amount of time. Over 2 months, and yes it is a factory built modular that was already state approved and stamped by the state. All they had to approve at the county was the site work and the foundation. In my opinion they could have done this over the counter, as even the foundation was stamped and approved by the civil engineer and the geotechnical soils engineer.
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Lynn Currie
Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 452 posts · 309 votes
10y
In Austin it varies. I've seen it go as fast as 6 weeks, and as slow as 5 months. Currently we're seeing a 20 day turn time for plan review and there are almost always one round of comments that need to be addressed. That puts plans in at 20 days, comments addressed by architect at about a week, plus plans reviewed again for another 20 days. A total of about 50 days.
The time to get plans done originally, depends on the architect and engineers. Sometimes it takes 30-45 days, and some projects drag on.
1 Reply
Manolo D.
Contractor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Nick Coonis Get those other small bumps ironed out so I could follow your steps. lol. They never do approve foundation plans over the counter, they like to delay it and make it seem that they are doing more work, so they could charge more. lol. pure speculation but could be true. Sometimes they send it out to third party review because of their work load.
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Scott Pirrie
Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 63 posts · 8 votes
10y
@Joe Kooner
This is from submitting plans until permits are issued. Yes it's really long but, right now Seattle is being built up all over the place.
As @Matt Gragg mentioned in Seattle you can get a permit for a remodel over the counter the same day if you have drawings when you go in. But, this only includes adding up to 700SF of an addition and full interior remodel, not structural, dormers, or moving stairs with out full plan review which takes 4 months currently.
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Joe Kooner
Realtor · Bellevue, WA · Member since 2013 · 66 posts · 10 votes
10y
@Scott Pirrie @Matt Gragg
So if I'm understanding this correctly, it will take 4-8 months to start building on a potential lot or a potential teardown and then new construction?
Yes, that does seem like a long time. Because imagine if you find a property, get it under contract, purchase it with the intention of tearing it down and building new, you won't be able to do that for about 4-8 months.
Is this King County or only seattle?
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Matt Gragg
Flipper/Rehabber · WASHINGTON State · Member since 2015 · 179 posts · 67 votes
10y
When possible its best to remodel in my opinion @Joe Kooner we have torn down all walls but one for a remodel in the past and once final inspection was done we pulled another permit for a remodel and after all of that you basically have a complete new house. This way you are grandfathered in for property setbacks etc
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