As much as I’d like to say it’s as straightforward as putting some documents together, getting a stamp of approval and moving on to the next one, Construction Permitting has a little more than might meet the eye.
And if you’ve ever had to complete the process yourself, you would know there’s a whole lot of coordination, compliance and strategy that comes with turning plans into reality.
So, when it comes to a full service Construction Permit Consultancy package, it’s about everything from research, to managing reviews, jurisdictions and multi-agency feedback, all the way through to the transition to the General Contractor for construction inspections and that exciting final Certificate of Occupancy.
Wondering what the ins and outs of a full service package look like? Keep reading – you’re in the right place.
Step 1: Strategic Pre-Application Assessment
Before we can even start to think about making a submission, a thorough assessment needs to take place. It’s a careful balance of due diligence, logic, and knowing where to look and who to call.
The key focus of the pre-application phase is to ensure any and every requirement is identified early and accurately, reducing the risk of wasted time, and easily avoidable review cycles down the line.
A strategic pre-application typically includes:
- Confirmation of Zoning and the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
- Determination of applicable building codes and occupancy classifications.
- Identification of environmental or fire overlays, and any additional reviewing agencies outside the city or county.
- Timeline mapping centered around typical jurisdiction-specific review processes.
Step 2: Documentation Review & Coordination
If there’s a phase that’s the most important from a communication and coordination perspective, it might just be this one. Before anything is submitted to the AHJ, any materials, documents and drawings need to be assessed to ensure that they’re aligning with the relevant codes and submission standards. Given it’s the intersection of all phases of design, it can often involve collaboration with:
- Architects
- Designers
- Developers
- Engineers
- Contractors
In short, it typically involves:
- Reviewing architectural and engineering plans.
- Confirming consistency across all documents.
- Identifying any gaps in documentation or compliance.
Step 3: Submission & Agency Liaising
Once all of the documentation is prepared, it’s now time to jump into submitting everything to the reviewing authorities. As you might know, each jurisdiction has its own specific requirements for submittal – maybe they’re digital, maybe they need paper plans.
The submission phase generally includes:
- Preparing submittal packages to the relevant agencies.
- Managing digital portals or jurisdiction-specific systems.
- Corresponding with the AHJ.
- Tracking deadlines and review cycles.
Step 4: Managing Comments & Revisions
Despite it being a normal part of the commercial construction permitting process, plan reviews and resubmissions can be managed efficiently with strong coordination and communication, ensuring we can avoid any unnecessary, and usually very costly stalls.
This phase is about:
- Interpreting and attending to review comments.
- Coordinating responses between your team and the AHJ.
- Reducing re-submission cycles.
Step 5: Permit Approval & Wrap-Up
Full-service permitting support is designed to carry a project to construction, so everything is packaged and ready to go for your General Contractor. This step is about ensuring all documentation is fully aligned and the permit issuance is formalized.
This phase is about:
- Confirming sign-offs
- Coordinating final responses between your team and the AHJ.
- Organizing approved plans and documents for handover.
What Full-Service Is Not
As much as it may look like everything is under control, it’s safe to say that there are some parts of the process that must be left to the relevant professionals.
A full service Construction Permitting Consultant cannot:
- Redesign your building or revamp your plans.
- Act as a substitute for a licensed Architect or Engineer.
- Complete the project management of the construction phase.
Instead, full-service permit management is all about ensuring that you have full compliance, professional oversight, agency coordination, and someone keeping a key eye on project timelines to ensure the process is handled efficiently and with absolutely (as close to) zero stress on your end.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about paperwork – a true permitting partner has your back when it comes to managing risk, communication and timelines.
In the world of permitting – a place that can often be overwhelming, frustrating and a huge time sink, I’ve got you covered. Want to chat more about a project?
Get in touch here, I’d love to chat.