The Pasco County Building Department is by and largely responsible for the issuance of different kinds of approvals associated with buildings in Pasco County. They ensure that building construction is done in adherence to the county’s guidelines. Know more about Pasco County Building Permits
Important facts to know about Pasco’s building approval
A Pasco building approval is a document that legally authorizes a property owner to continue with construction plans.
It is usually issued after a successful application for building approval by the possessor of the property.
The owner must fill out accurate details on how the property will be developed, the projected cost of development, the survey plan, and the architectural design, as well as how it all aligns with the building code.
The issuance of the building approval always ensures strict compliance with the building code.
The application process for the approval
Step one:
Visit the county’s building department and verify their requirements for application. You may get the relevant specifications on the department’s website. In some cases, you will be asked to come up with your building plans.
Step two:
Fill out the form properly and be sure to add your building plans to it. You will be asked to pay some tokens along with the submitted application.
Step three:
Immediately after you get your approval, paste it somewhere visible. Also, ensure that the contractor’s license is readily available along with the insurance coverage for builders.
Step Four:
Adequate plans for periodic inspections to be carried out must be on the ground. While the work is progressing in phases, which includes the completion of the foundation, framing, electrical work, and many more, they must be cautiously monitored.
Step Five:
After the necessary inspections have been carried out, the department will give the owner a Certificate of Occupancy. This certificate usually details the official recognition of the comp.
Projects that require a permit.
The following requires a building department’s approval:
- New buildings, e.g., houses,
- Building extensions, e.g., fireplaces and parking lots,
- Storage buildings, e.g. barns, silos, sheds, etc.
- Building Remodeling and renovation
- Electrical repairs and installations
- Plumbing work etc.
The advantages of having a building approval.
- It ensures the safety and longevity of construction projects.
Obtaining a building approval means that you have adhered to the building code, which usually leaves no room for fear of the building collapsing or the other construction as a potentially risky investment. It assures us that the building will pose no threat to the environment and the humans living around it.
- It ensures the protection of the market value of your properties.
With it, the value of your building and other similar properties is rightly potent. Should a need arise in the future for the property to be sold, you can be certain you won’t be at a loss.
- It saves you from having to spend money on unforeseen circumstances that come with building without legal approval. The building department conducts regular inspections, which means that a building without ratification can be stopped or demolished.
- The approval excludes you from the penalties that are attached to carrying on building projects without it.
- It helps you make insurance claims should the need arise.
Types of permits and the processing time.
To redesign your house or similar property, you have to get remodeling approval. This type includes
- Over-the-Counter Remodeling Permit
This is the type of approval that is issued over the counter. It is usually issued in the space of two weeks. It is relatively easy to get a hold of this kind of approval.
- Permit for Regular Remodeling
These are usually issued for building extensions. This can vary from six months to two years. This is because you have to come up with an architectural design plan for the building and other sections of the plan need to be approved separately.
- There is the problem of having to rebuild some parts if they don’t conform to code, which could take weeks or months. All these explain the long process.
- The final inspection is reliant upon several factors:
- The level of experience of your contractors
- The approval of different types of inspectors
- The time it takes to implement demolitions and corrections
- The nature of the inspectors can be a problem also.
The summation of all these factors makes it difficult to pin a time scale on the final inspection.
The downsides of getting a building approval
- Corruption through incompetence on the part of officials. Most officials from this department are not capable, and some, for a few dollars, ignore the proper process.
- The cost of getting permission is high. The other side to this is the bogus amount of tax that you have to pay after an assessment of the whole building.
- It is unimportant to follow age-old codes that are not certain to ensure a quality job. The code only ensures that you build for safety.
Conclusion
The Pasco County building approval is one bold step that confronts the problem of buildings that are not safe and up to the building code. This reduces the risk posed by substandard buildings.
FAQs about Pasco County building permits
- What is the usual time frame for which I would be given a building permit?
For a simple construction, a simple approval is usually ready in a day or a month.
- Is approval needed from the building department to cut a tree around my building site?
No! It is not necessary for this situation, but another type might be.
- Is it compulsory to file a notice before building work starts?
It is of the utmost necessity that this notice is filed.
