Permit and inspection delays hurt construction
Have you ever seen an item on the internet or in a store window that you really wanted? Something you wanted to buy right then and when you went to make the purchase, you were told the item couldn’t be delivered for four weeks. At that point, you questioned your decision to buy that item. There is an even better chance you walked away from the purchase.
This is a scenario that is growing more prevalent in the housing and remodeling market as many local government jurisdictions are not hiring the staff and putting into place the infrastructure to keep up with the normalization of construction activity. Understand, we are not in a housing boom, just a modest increase back to a level which is still below the historic housing levels of a decade ago.
A local builder who pulls permits in Marion, Sumter and Lake counties for new home construction and remodels said that since the start of 2017, permits and inspections have been a nightmare to arrange. Marion County, which reinstated transportation impact fees to $1,562 on Jan. 1 has seen a surge in permit activity. This builder, who only agreed to speak to me on the grounds of anonymity, said he has waited more than 10 weeks for a new home permit from Marion County. According to this builder, the process for permitting takes Sumter County almost four weeks while Lake County is better at three weeks. Builders in Orange County said the time to garner a permit can be anywhere from six to eight weeks.
With the increased construction activity, building departments should be in good shape for money because by law most building departments are self-funded. However, it appears local governments are not properly allocating their resources. As with the rest of the construction industry, the shortage of skilled local labor is forcing building departments to “farm-out” inspections and plan reviews to private companies. This is creating huge problems because in many cases these private companies interpret building codes differently and fail to realize the reduced wind zones of the area. This is creating chaos, delays and extra costs.
As building departments get overwhelmed with the workload, the bureaucracy takes on a life of its own. Building clerks and officials look for reasons to put a permit application or request for inspection to the back of the line because of some insignificant paperwork snafu. Ask many people, especially homeowners who try to pull their own permit, how frustrating the process has become.
To ensure you don’t get put to the back of the line when seeking a permit, here is a small list of paperwork requirements you will need:
- building permit application
- power of Attorney if someone is pulling your permit on your behalf
- complete set of engineered plans
- product approvals for all exterior structural products
- complete property information and zoning
- information and license number of contractors working on the job
- driver’s license or approved identification
- payment for building permit and possible impact fees
- Owner Builder Disclosure Statement—if the homeowner is doing the work
Just imagine your frustration if a bureaucrat tells you after three weeks of waiting for a permit that you went to the back of the line because of some paperwork snafu.
The delays in permitting and inspections are starting to cost projects and jobs. It is imperative that local jurisdictions address these delays immediately. Oh, there is one more item you will need on your permit checklist: patience.
Don Magruder is the CEO of Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, Inc., and he is also the host of the “Around the House” Radio Show heard every Monday at noon on My790AM WLBE in Leesburg.