Madison WI Building Permits

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Hi Everyone, 

I'm posting on here because I cant find a straightforward answer on the City of Madison website. We are in the process of acquiring our second duplex and it is going to need some work. One thing that is on our list to do is to redo the kitchen. The City of Madison website basically says that anything you do to your property needs a permit and has a list of things you need to do that requires time and energy to complete. (https://www.cityofmadison.com/development-services-center/permits) I want to do things right, but I dont want to create more work for myself than what I need to.  I also dont want to hire a contractor as I can do everything much cheaper by myself. 

My questions are: When is a permit required? Is it needed if I'm just replacing cabinets and/or counter tops? Are there suggestions that can minimize the cost by hiring a contractor for jobs that need permits and have myself finish up what doesn't require a permit? 

Thank you for your advice!