HyreRemodel
Plan Your Remodel

Before you build

Permits and approvals

Permitting is the part of a remodel that homeowners understand least and schedule worst. It is also almost entirely local, which is why the useful thing is not a list of rules but an understanding of how the system works, who decides what, and which question to ask which department.

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Everything specific here is local. Thresholds, fees, review timelines, exemptions and what is enforced all vary by jurisdiction and by which edition of the code it has adopted. This page explains how the system works so that you know what to ask. The answers come from your own planning and building departments, they are free, and they are current in a way that no published guide can be.

Two departments, two different questions

Planning and building are separate departments answering separate questions, and homeowners routinely conflate them. Each can refuse a project for reasons the other has no interest in.

Planning / zoningBuilding
The questionIs this allowed on this parcel?Does this meet the construction code?
Cares aboutSetbacks, lot coverage, height, use, density, parking, historic districts, overlays.Structure, fire safety, egress, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy.
When to askBefore you pay for a design. Their answer decides what is worth drawing.Once you know what you want to build.
If they say noA variance or special exception: a public hearing, with a real chance of refusal.Redesign to comply. Codes are not negotiable in the way zoning occasionally is.
Matters most forAdditions, ADUs, garage conversions, anything changing the footprint or the use.Essentially all construction work, including interior work that changes nothing outside.

An addition can be beautifully designed, structurally sound and fully code-compliant, and still be refused because it crosses a setback. No amount of engineering fixes a zoning problem, which is why the planning call comes before the drawings. See home additions.

What usually triggers a permit

The pattern below holds widely, and your jurisdiction is still the authority. Describe your actual scope to them rather than matching it to a row here.

Usually requires a permitUsually does not
Additions and any increase in footprintPainting and decorating
Removing or altering a structural wallFlooring replacement
New or altered electrical circuits, panels, serviceCabinetry replacement in the same configuration
New or relocated plumbingLike-for-like fixture swaps in place
HVAC installation, replacement or new ductworkCountertop replacement
Window or door openings that change sizeLike-for-like window replacement in some jurisdictions
Finishing a basement or attic as habitable spaceNon-structural interior decoration
Decks, and roof structure alterationsMinor repairs of existing finishes
Accessory dwelling units, always 

The grey area is larger than the table suggests. Replacing a water heater, adding a single circuit, or taking out a wall that turns out to carry load all sit inside it. The permit requirement checker shows what is typically treated as permitted work. It is a guide to the pattern, never a substitute for your counter.

How the process actually runs

  1. Zoning enquiry. For anything touching footprint or use. Free, fast, and decisive about what is worth designing.
  2. Drawings and documents. What the department will accept varies; structural changes usually require drawings stamped by a licensed design professional.
  3. Application. Normally submitted by the contractor. Multiple trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) are often separate applications under the main one.
  4. Plan review. The department checks the submission against code and zoning. Comments requiring revision and resubmission are routine, not a failure, and they extend the timeline.
  5. Permit issued. Work may now begin. The permit is normally displayed on site and carries an expiry, so a long gap before starting can matter.
  6. Inspections during construction. At defined stages, before work is concealed.
  7. Final inspection. The whole job against the approved drawings.
  8. Permit closed. The record that makes the work documented. This step is skipped surprisingly often and it is the one that matters at resale.

The inspection sequence, and why it constrains the schedule

Inspections happen while work is still visible. That single fact shapes the order of a remodel more than anything else:

  • Footing and foundation, before concrete is poured.
  • Framing, once the structure is up and before anything covers it.
  • Rough electrical, plumbing and mechanical, while every run is exposed. Frequently separate inspections on separate visits.
  • Insulation, before drywall.
  • Final, at completion, covering the whole scope.

Work covered before its inspection may have to be opened again. That cost falls on somebody, and your contract determines who. It is worth knowing which of you is responsible for scheduling inspections and what happens if one is missed, before it is missed.

What unpermitted work costs, and when

Skipping a permit costs nothing at all, right up until one of four moments. All of them are predictable and none of them are under your control when they arrive:

When it surfacesWhat happens
SellingA buyer’s inspector or the appraiser finds work absent from the permit record. Expect renegotiation, a requirement to permit it retroactively, or a sale that stalls at the worst moment.
Appraisal or refinancingFinished square footage that was never permitted may not be counted as living area, so the value you paid for does not appear.
An insurance claimAn insurer may take a position on damage connected to work that was never permitted or inspected. This is the version with the largest possible number attached.
EnforcementA jurisdiction can require retroactive permitting, opening finished walls for inspection, bringing work to current code, or removal, sometimes prompted by a neighbour’s complaint.

A contractor who suggests skipping the permit to save money is proposing that you accept all of the above so that they can avoid inspection of their work. That is worth naming plainly, and it belongs on the list of reasons to choose someone else. See choosing a remodeling contractor.

The approvals that are not permits

Several approvals run in parallel with the permit, and satisfying one does nothing for the others:

  • Homeowners association or architectural review. A private contractual obligation with its own timeline and criteria. HOA approval is not a permit and a permit is not HOA approval.
  • Historic district review. Where it applies, it governs appearance (materials, windows, visible alterations) in ways building codes do not, and it can be the binding constraint on an otherwise simple project.
  • Variances and special exceptions. Zoning relief decided at a public hearing, normally requiring a hardship arising from the property itself.
  • Utility approvals. A service upgrade, a new connection or an additional dwelling may require the utility’s own process and schedule.
  • Health department. Where septic systems are involved, particularly when adding bedrooms or a second dwelling.

What to ask your building department

Call, describe the actual scope, and ask these. It takes one conversation.

  • Does this scope require a permit, and which trade permits are separate?
  • What drawings do you require, and do they need to be stamped?
  • What is your current plan review turnaround for this type of application?
  • What are the fees, and how are they calculated?
  • Which inspections will this job need, and how much notice do you require?
  • Which code edition have you adopted, and are there local amendments I should know about?
  • Is this parcel in a historic district, an overlay, or subject to any special review?
  • Is there existing unpermitted work on record for this property?

That last question is worth asking about any house you own or are buying. Finding out that a previous owner finished the basement without a permit is far better news before you start than during your own plan review.

HyreRemodel is an independent remodeling resource and connection platform, not a remodeling contractor and not a permitting service. We do not apply for permits, represent homeowners before building or zoning authorities, or give legal or zoning advice. Permit requirements, fees, review timelines and adopted code editions are set locally and change; your planning and building departments are the authority for your parcel.

Questions

What is the difference between planning and building departments?
They answer different questions and they can each say no for reasons the other does not care about. Planning, or zoning, decides whether a thing is allowed on that parcel at all: setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, use, parking, historic districts and overlays. Building decides whether what you propose to build meets the construction code: structure, fire safety, egress, electrical, plumbing and energy. An addition can be perfectly designed and structurally sound and still be refused because it crosses a setback, which is a planning matter no amount of engineering fixes. For anything that changes the footprint or the use, ask planning first — their answer determines whether a design is worth paying for.
What work needs a permit?
It depends on your jurisdiction and on the code edition it has adopted, so the only definitive answer comes from your building department. The general pattern, which holds widely but not universally: structural changes, additions, and most electrical, plumbing and mechanical work require permits, while painting, flooring, cabinetry and like-for-like fixture replacement usually do not. The grey area is larger than people expect — replacing a water heater, adding a circuit, or removing a wall that turns out to be structural all sit in it. Describing your actual scope to the building department takes one phone call, costs nothing, and is the only reliable way to know.
Who should pull the permit, me or the contractor?
The contractor, in nearly every case. Whoever pulls the permit is the responsible party in the eyes of the building department — for the work complying with code, for scheduling inspections, and for the consequences if it does not pass. A contractor who asks you to pull it in your own name is asking you to take on that responsibility, and occasionally that is a genuine local quirk but more often it means they cannot pull one themselves, which is precisely what you would want to know. Ask why, and treat an evasive answer as informative.
How long does plan review take?
That is set by your jurisdiction, not by your contractor, and it varies from days to months depending on the authority, the season and the complexity of what you have submitted. It is frequently the longest single item in a remodeling schedule and the one homeowners least expect. Ask the building department directly what their current turnaround is for your type of application before agreeing a start date with anyone — a contractor quoting a schedule that assumes fast review in a jurisdiction that is running slow is not being dishonest, but the date will still be wrong.
What happens at an inspection?
An inspector visits at defined stages and checks that what has been built matches the approved drawings and meets the code. The critical thing to understand is that inspections happen before work is covered up: framing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical are inspected while they are still visible, then insulation, then a final inspection at completion. Work that is covered before its inspection may have to be opened again, and that cost falls somewhere — read your contract to see where. An inspector finding something is normal and is not a crisis; it is what the system is for.
What does unpermitted work actually cost me?
Usually nothing at all until a specific moment, and then a great deal. The moments are predictable: selling the house, when a buyer’s inspector or the appraiser finds work that does not appear in the permit record; refinancing or appraisal, when finished square footage that was never permitted may not be counted; an insurance claim, where an insurer may take a position on damage connected to unpermitted work; and enforcement, where a jurisdiction can require retroactive permitting, opening finished walls for inspection, or removal. The saving is small, the exposure is uncapped, and it transfers entirely to you the moment you agree to skip it.
Can I get a permit for work that is already done?
Often yes. The process is usually called retroactive or after-the-fact permitting, and jurisdictions generally prefer to bring work into compliance rather than leave it undocumented. What makes it expensive is that concealed work has to be made inspectable again, which can mean opening finished walls and ceilings, and that the work must meet current code rather than the code in force when it was done. Fees are frequently higher too. It is nearly always cheaper than the alternative at resale, and it is very much more expensive than having permitted it in the first place.
Do I need a permit if I am doing the work myself?
The permit requirement attaches to the work, not to who performs it, so yes: if the work requires a permit, it requires one regardless of who does it. Many jurisdictions have a homeowner exemption allowing an owner-occupier to perform work on their own residence without holding a contractor licence, usually with conditions and often with limits on what may be done and on selling the property soon afterwards. That exemption is about licensing, not about permitting, and the two are routinely confused. Ask your building department about both separately.
What is a variance and when do I need one?
A variance is permission to depart from a zoning rule, most often a setback, a height limit or a lot coverage maximum. It is decided by a zoning board at a public hearing, and in most places you have to demonstrate a genuine hardship arising from the property itself rather than a preference or a cost saving. It takes time, costs money, involves your neighbours being notified, and can be refused. Where a design needs one, it is always worth asking a designer whether a compliant alternative exists, because a smaller or differently shaped project that needs no hearing is frequently faster and cheaper overall.
Does an HOA approval replace a permit?
No, and neither replaces the other. A homeowners association or architectural review committee is a private contractual arrangement between you and the association; a permit is a public regulatory requirement. You can have HOA approval and still be refused a permit, or hold a valid permit and be in breach of your covenants. Where both apply, both have to be satisfied, and HOA review can have its own timeline that runs in parallel or in series with plan review. Historic district review is a third process again, with its own criteria, and it applies to appearance in ways building codes do not.
Does HyreRemodel apply for permits or give zoning advice?
No. We are an independent information resource and a platform intended to connect homeowners with remodeling contractors. We do not apply for permits, we do not represent homeowners before building or zoning authorities, and we do not give legal or zoning advice. What is permitted on your parcel and what your scope requires are questions for your own planning and building departments, whose answers are current by definition in a way that no published guide can be.

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