How to Remodel or Rebuild Your Home

Brief 

From new construction to renovations, here are the most common building permissions, restrictions, covenants and laws you should know about.

Insight

In residential construction, it’s important to understand the basic rules, regulations and restrictions. Whether you’re doing the work yourself or hiring professionals, failing to obtain the right permits and approvals can make or break a remodel or a rebuild. It could stop work dead in its tracks, or at least halt it for a while.

Whether you’re renovating an existing home or tearing down and constructing a new house on the same lot, here are some terms you should know.

Should I Do My Own Research?

There’s no reason you shouldn’t do your own fact-gathering. Search the web pages of the building department in your area for useful information before hiring an architect, engineer, builder or general contractor.

Arie Van Tuijl, founder of Home Inspector Secrets, recommends visiting the local building department so you can ask questions about the inspections and permits required for your project. “They are typically happy to help and to give any informal advice, as well as alert homeowners to red flags,” he says.

Every sizable home renovation or addition will require several inspections throughout the project, and long before the final sign-off. Before drywall or other interior wall coverings can be installed, an inspector must check framing, HVAC rough-ins, exterior wall and window sealants, etc.

A well-informed homeowner knows what’s expected and can nip problems in the bud.“If these inspections are skipped by your contractor or builder, you may have trouble getting a certificate of occupancy (the final approval of work),” Van Tuijl says. You may also need to tear down some of the work, leading to expensive re-dos.

An I Pull the Permits Myself?

To obtain a building permit, contact your local building department or permits office. Many cities and towns allow you to apply for permits online, by mail or in person. If you’re doing minor work yourself, like building a fence, you can usually “pull” or secure a permit by showing a basic sketch of the work. Big projects usually require detailed building plans.