IT’S A SMALL PROJECT;  DO I  NEED A BUILDING PERMIT?

RULE OF THUMB:

 

    One thing that is often confusing  to a  homeowner is what regulations do they have to   follow, and what types of projects require permits, or even stamped Architect’s plans.  Well,  the fact is the requirements can vary from one town to another, and  there isn’t room here to give a comprehensive breakdown.  You must contact your municipal office to  be sure.  Still, here are some rules of thumb to help in your planning.

    

BASIC MAINTENANCE

    Usually if you’re just doing simple  repairs or maintenance to existing parts of your house, you don’t need any permit.  You can paint, put on vinyl siding, replace your shingles, put in new lights or plumbing fixtures, replace your kitchen cabinets, even replace windows (without changing the opening size) and you shouldn’t have to apply for a permit.  

 

BUILDING SAFETY

    However, if what you're planning will affect structural safety in any way, or you're doing significant wiring and/or plumbing, you should get a permit and the inspector will review the work at various points along the way.  Many different kinds of projects fall into this category, but here are some examples:  Taking out interior walls; changing the size of window or door openings;  rebuilding a rotted porch or building a deck;.  Any completely new construction requires a permit, and may require blueprints with the seal of a professional engineer or architect.  

 

WHEN DO I NEED AN ARCHITECT?

    The State of New York requires that building projects bear the seal and signature of a licensed Architect or Professional Engineer except (paraphrasing) "...shall not apply to alterations to any building costing $10,000 or less which do not affect structural safety, nor to agricultural buildings, nor to residence buildings less than 1500 square feet."  Well that almost seems clear, until you notice that you can build a whole new house without an Architect (as long as it's under 1500 square feet) but if your remodeled kitchen costs you $10,001 you need that stamp.  Once again, you need to talk to your local codes inspector to be sure, because this gets interpreted differently in different jurisdictions.  The most important thing to remember about an Architect's services is that he or she is trained to think of a broad range of possibilities to meet your needs, and to show them to you in drawings and pictures that will give you a good feel for the final result, so you can make a choice.  It's always easier and cheaper to change your mind on paper than it is to change something after it's built.

    Good luck, and happy building!

-Bruce Ward, Architect