Renovating your home is a big undertaking. Any homeowner would be hard pressed to not become overwhelmed at any given point in the process. That’s why we wanted to break down the key stages of home renovation to give you a bit more insight on what you can expect and when.

We’ve talked about the five steps of a renovation before, but we wanted to go a little deeper with you with this blog series.  

The Renovation Flowchart: Permitting and Planning

You’ve gone over the details of your project, finalized the budget, gotten the pertinent surveys done. Then you’ve painstakingly gone over all the details, the finishes, the colors and developed the schematic design of your dreams. 

Now it’s to the last hurdle before construction starts, the one that trips up far too many projects – the permitting and planning stage. Permitting is perhaps the most frustrating part of the entire renovation process, as most of it is out of your hands and requires relying on multiple parties to pass the baton to your construction team. 

Here’s the good news: we’ve been through this before and, as your architect, we will advocate for you every step of the way. The less-than-stellar news: it will take some time. 

There won’t be much for you to do in this stage except wait – which we know can be frustrating. The wait can be tedious but obtaining all the permits is a vital part of the renovation process and one that cannot be skipped, but rather needs to be handled perfectly. The optimist’s perspective: this is what will confirm your design and build will be absolutely perfect. 

So, What’s Happening While You Wait?

Each municipality has its own set of permit and construction requirements. Once all the plans and designs are complete, our team will go over every part of the schematics to ensure that anything that needs a permit  or to have any paperwork approved is addressed. 

We file all the paperwork with the appropriate offices and diligently follow up with them. Frequently, there will be a back and forth of answering questions or making any required revisions to get the permits approved and ready for construction. 

The stakes are high – starting work without fully approved permits could mean ripping out all work and having to start over, which is why working with an experienced team is so important. 

Often, homeowners opt to hire a plans runner to help further along the process where possible (squeaky wheels get greased, right?). 

At Debowsky Design Group, we serve as our clients’ advocate throughout the renovation process and work hard, day in and day out, to stay on top of your project during the permitting process so that your renovation can get under way as quickly as possible. Have permitting in Miami questions, or ready to start your own renovation? Give us a call and let’s get started.