Any homeowner who wants to construct a new building or remodel a home must get the necessary permits as this is a serious requirement by the local authorities and state to ensure the project is compliant with building codes. Building permits are not limited to building a new home. That means that you will need to get a permit for other projects regarding your home project that we will mention below.

A building permit is a legal document that’s required before one can commence the construction or renovation of a property. Each and every jurisdiction – states, counties, cities, and towns included – have different requirements that have to be met before they can issue a permit. These permits vary depending on the building codes as well as the fees associated with each permit.

Typically, on average, you will have to part with $1,043 in order to acquire a building permit. Most homeowners usually spend between $400 and $1,687 for a permit. Depending on where you reside, one may have to pay additional in order to get permits for renovations, plumbing or electrical projects. As such, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the needed building permits in your area as well as when and why they are needed.

Most construction work will usually require a Department of Buildings permit. And in most cases, a licensed Registered Architect (RA) or Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of New York will file plans with the state and get permits before any construction work starts. The licensed Registered Architect or Professional Engineer must submit the construction plans and acquire a permit.

Types of Building Permits

There are different types of permits that your State may need you to get when building a new home or renovating your home. As mentioned earlier, it’s therefore important that you familiarize yourself with the needed permits in NYC and why your state requires them. The two primary permit applications are usually the New Building (NB) permit and Alterations Type 1, 2 and 3.

A New Building permit will be needed when you are constructing new structures, whether on your own or using a NYC construction company. An Alteration Type 1 permit is for when you will need to make major alterations to a building that will change the use, occupancy or egress. Alteration Type 2 is a permit that you acquire when you need to do multiple alterations which won’t affect the use, occupancy or egress. Alteration Type 3 is for minor work that will not affect the use, occupancy or egress.

A department plan examiner will then review the building plans submitted for any zoning/legal objections. If the plans satisfy the objections, the department will then approve the application, and the RA or PE may be called upon to certify that the building plans adhere to all applicable laws in NYC.

There are several reasons why your state, county, city or town requires you to get a building permit. To start with, it’s for public health and safety. Besides that, it’s also to ensure there is uniformity in the quality of construction and to make it easier for property valuation. The most important reason, however, is health and safety as buildings that are built, plumbed or wired in a faulty way can result in dangerous conditions that would affect not just the property owner and tenants, but other people as well.