Q. Will I need a Building Permit?
A. Yes. Cities are judiciously concerned about any construction within their jurisdiction.
You will need a permit for just about anything you do.

Q. How do I get a Building Permit?
A. Every city has a Building Department. They are each procedurally unique but logistically, they are all essentially similar. First, you will need a set of plans showing your intensions. The larger and more complex the project, the more information and detail you will need. All room additions, remodels and custom homes require a complete set of construction documents, including structural calculations and energy analysis (Title-24). My recommendation is that these documents are prepared by a licensed architect or engineer. A state license is not required to prepare these documents however a licensed architect or engineer will be familiar with the specific information required by the Building Department. (If you are building within a Home Owners Association (HOA) governed development you will need pre-approval prior to submitting to the Building Department. The Building Department will have you fill out a building permit application and submit three sets of documents to Plan Check. Plan Check fee will be required upon plan submission. Once the plans are in the city they will cross many desks including Structural, City Planning, Fire Authority and possibly the State Coastal Commission for an impact analysis. (The Coastal Commission alone could take several months for approval.) If Coastal Commission approval is not needed, average time for plans to go through the Building Department process lasts approximately 4 weeks. Often, plans will be returned to the Architect and or Engineer for corrections and will need to be resubmitted to Plan Check. (Add another 2 week for permits.) Once permits are ready your fees will be tallied and payment is due. Building permit fees and property tax assessment/reassessment are based on Project Valuation.

Q. How long will the project take to complete?
A. It all depends on the scope of work. Small room additions and remodels, plan on 2 to 6 months. For medium-sized projects, the job may take 6 to 10 months. For larger remodels or a 5,000 square foot custom home, 10 to14 months to completion.

Q. How do you know when a project is complete?
A. After passing the Final Inspection, the Building Department will sign the Job Inspection Card and a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) will be issued. Banks and financial institutions recognize this as project completion.

Q. Can our family live in the house while under construction?
A. Your ability to stay in the home will depend on the “areas of impact” and your willingness to live in a construction zone. I know one pro and many cons to living in your home throughout the building/remodeling process. The pro is financial - the money you save by not having to temporarily relocate. You may consider inserting an “alternate living expense” line item into your budget. The disruption of your daily family routine can take a toll on the best of us.

Q. How many projects do you have going at one time?
A. I personally and professionally manage each of my projects and never simultaneous undertake more than I can confidently control and supervise. Ideally, I will concurrently administer two custom homes or one home and two remodeling projects.

Q. How many employees do you have?
A. Paramount Building Company is a Residential Construction Management Firm focusing on custom home building and remodeling. I personally hire and supervise all subcontractor partners.

If you have a question not answered here, please contact us and we'll answer all your questions.