Help

[Alyn]

Hi Guys,

I am a licensed,bonded insured general contractor. I have been doing general repairs for the 3 1/2 years that my company has been in business. All of my jobs have been successful and I am getting referrals from past customers. So far so good. I have turned down jobs that I felt were beyond my ability in the past. However now I have the opportunity to move to the next level of company growth. I have been asked to be the general contractor for a small addition that will be built onto an existing one story house. The addition involves removing a loadbearing end wall 20 ft. wide and pushing it out another 6 ft. The house has a simple roof with gables at each end. Also a footing and stem wall will have to be built. In my desperation I have been looking through the construction sites on the internet and found this one. Great site and very informative. I need to know how to go about getting permits and how to go about inspections. I am a newby but a fast learner. Can anyone help me get started with this project by pointing me in the right direction?? All help is greatly appreciated. I am a licensed Real Estate broker in WA state and would be happy to answer any questions about that subject. Thanks Alyn Murray

[Rich]

Welcome to the forum.
Because of the difference in codes and inspection requirements I would suggest going straight to the building department. They should have a brochure on what the requirements are for a typical residence inspection schedule and maybe a pricing structure for permits.
As to the permits themselves - this again depends on the requirements of your municipality. Some of them only require a single building permit that will cover all trades. In others they will have a building permit, plumbing permit, mechanical permit, and electrical permit.
Hope that helps.

[Alyn]

Hi,

Thanks for rapid reply. That is precisely what I thought. At the same time I have been lining up sub contractors for the foundation work and framing. Found out I needed a 20 ft. beam and at this point I am trying to find an engineer to tell me what specs the beam should meet. I guess that the building dept. will also be of help. Thanks again. Alyn