And why you probably want to stay on the other side of the curtains

We know you’re all too familiar with Florida Building Code Section 104.1.1 because you, no doubt, have the whole Florida Building Code, sixth edition, memorized. Of course you do, it’s the perfect bedtime story to read to your children.

But just in case you aren’t intimately familiar with the ins and outs of building permits, we thought we’d show you a behind-the-scenes look at the process of Southern Florida building permitting. Yep, this is a very Wizard of Oz moment.

Before we get too far into the technicalities, here’s the short version of what you need to know.

• You don’t want to DIY this process. And the risks of asking forgiveness vs. asking permission are NOT worth it. You can be charged heavy fines and fees for building or remodeling without a permit.

Like any bureaucratic process it all starts with paperwork. Each city and county has its own application process. The next steps are to select the property type, state the value of the work and square footage of the property, provide a description of the work, responsible parties and finally sign the documents. And, yes, it is a bit more complicated – but we aim to summarize, today.

Next, you have to submit the forms and pay upfront fees.

Then, you wait. The plan review process typically takes 30 days for residential projects and 50 days for commercial projects.  

If you are approved, you can then obtain the permit, pay some more fees (it happens) and finally, at long last, collect your permit!

Sound fun? Well, if you’re a go getter with the patience of a saint and all the time in the world, we wish you the best of luck.

If you’d rather let someone else navigate this process for you, we’ve got your back. We have the resources to help you handle the tedium and the paperwork while you focus on envisioning the home or renovation of your dreams.