Everything You Need to Know About the Permits for Your Home Remodeling Project in Los Angeles

A home remodeling project that includes home additions and structural changes needs approval from the concerned authority. Building codes vary from city to city, state to state. Hence, you need to understand the building codes that apply to your location so that you can obtain the necessary permits to make sure your home renovation project runs smoothly. If you are confused about how to obtain the permits in Los Angeles without any hassles then you can contact Victory Home Remodeling. So, let us understand how you can obtain permits and when you need a permit for your home remodeling project.

Schedule a meeting with your local code official

The first step of obtaining permits in Los Angeles includes scheduling a meeting with a code official. So, you can visit the local LABDS Developments Service Center office to meet the concerned authority to discuss your renovation project. You can give details of your project so that the officials can tell you about the requirements for the following procedure.  

 Get information about your property based on your Zone

If you want to make home additions and structural changes, then you will need to check your zoning and property information. This will help you understand whether you can make all those changes to your home or not. If you want to build an ADU unit on your property, then you will need to know about the zoning restrictions. You will need proper information about the area measurements and the height allowed to build an ADU unit on your property. The requirements and the building codes vary based on different zones and locations. So, you need to understand the zoning restrictions to plan your home renovation project.

Preparing and Submitting Building Plans and Designs

You need to prepare building plans and designs if you want to make any type of structural changes and home additions. To obtain the permits, you need to submit a permit application along with a sketch of the house that gives a rough idea of how your house will look after renovation and what you want to add to your existing home. So, you need to submit the following plans if you want to make major changes to your home.

• Submit the plot plan that includes information about adding an ADU unit to your property. This plan involves a drawing of your plot along with the existing structures on it. You need to include the measurements of your plot and the exterior dimensions of the structures on it. After getting the plot plan, you can design the new proposed plan based on the guidelines.
• A floor plan is necessary while submitting the building plans and designs. You must include the floor plan along with the existing house and the new plan that you need to include in your renovation project. Do not forget to include full measurements of the floor plan.
• The framing plan that is made by a professional should be submitted to the concerned authority. This type of plan includes the size and spacing of the structural frames and connections in the building framework. You should add proper measurements to get your plan approved.
• A drawing of the foundation that you want to include in your home is necessary for your remodeling project. The plan should consist of details for metal, concrete, and wood that you want to use in your house.
• You must include the plans for any type of elevations involving the front, side, rear, and split elevations of the proposed structure.
• Include all the construction details that show how you will assemble abiding by the regulations and requirements.
• Do not forget to include the energy conservation details in this plan.

Submission of plans

Building plans that are subjected to structural changes or home additions, need building permits to get approval from the concerned authorities. So, you can submit the plans to the local LADBS Development Services Center to complete the application. After reviewing the plans for about 3 weeks, you can get the permits to run your renovation work smoothly.

Getting the Permits

When the plans get approved, you can obtain the permit on the same day. You do not need to get the permit until the renovation starts because the permits are valid until a certain period. Moreover, building codes change over time. So, you should not wait for a long time to obtain permits and start working on the project. In such cases, you might need to make changes to the plan and update it timely.

How long does it take to get a permit? 

The time period for issuing permits might vary depending on what type of home renovation work you are planning for your home. Some projects are issued once and you do not need to return to obtain the permit once again. On the other hand, some projects might take a few more days to be issued to the house owner.

Inspections and Final approval

Schedule inspections depending on the type and size of your renovation work. The inspector visits your renovation site to make sure that your renovation work is going on as per the proposed plans and building codes. He also makes sure that you are maintaining all the safety measures on the renovation site.  Inspection is necessary for home remodeling work such as concrete work, wood framing, foundation, ventilation, plumbing, electrical, wall & roof nailing, drywall, etc.

After the project is complete, you can schedule the final inspection. The inspector makes a final inspection to approve the renovation project and make sure that your house fulfils the safety standards.

Conclusion:

Besides these, you will need clearance from other departments such as Planning, Fire, CRA LA, Housing, DWP, Cultural Affairs, Health, AQMD, LAUSD, Oil and Gas, Public Works, and Transportation, which need separate approval depending on what type of remodeling work you want for your home. We recommend you hire an experienced designer to prepare the drawings and plans so that you can prepare an authentic design that involves calculations, stamps, and signatures attached to the plan.