Plain-English answers to the questions homeowners ask about building permits, inspections, and getting projects approved.
A gazebo is judged on where it sits and how much it covers, and both live on the site plan. What the drawing shows, and where the permit line falls.
Aug 26, 2026 7 min read Read → PermitsWherever a pergola needs a permit, a site plan showing the posts, footprint, and setbacks is part of the application. What it shows and how to get one.
Aug 20, 2026 6 min read Read → PermitsSix cities publish their penalty for unpermitted work and five of them charge exactly double. The permit is the predictable part. What follows it is not.
Aug 13, 2026 7 min read Read → PermitsThe building code is the easy part and it usually says no. Zoning and stormwater are the two that catch people, and neither is answered by the building department.
Aug 7, 2026 6 min read Read → PermitsTwo permits, two departments, two different questions. The expensive mistake is assuming that being exempt from a building permit means you are free to build.
Jul 31, 2026 8 min read Read → PermitsThe permit is the cheap part. What costs time and money is everything the city makes you finish before it will issue one, starting with a plumbing permit you have to pull first.
Jul 25, 2026 10 min read Read → PermitsFences can usually sit on the line. Almost everything else needs a setback, commonly 3 to 10 feet for sheds and 5 to 25 feet for decks. The numbers, the fence cost-sharing laws, and how to prove your distances.
Jul 18, 2026 9 min read Read → Site PlansCovered patios and permitted patio projects need a site plan showing the footprint, setbacks, and lot coverage. What it must show and how to get one fast.
Jul 12, 2026 8 min read Read → Site PlansGarage permit applications get the strictest site-plan review of any backyard project. What the drawing must show and the fastest way to get one right.
Jul 5, 2026 8 min read Read → Site PlansWhere a fence permit is required, a site plan showing the fence line, heights, and gates is usually required too. What it must show and how to get one fast.
Jun 29, 2026 7 min read Read → Getting ApprovedMost permit rejections are correction notices, not denials, and most resolve in days. How to read the notice, fix the comments, and resubmit with confidence.
Jun 22, 2026 7 min read Read → RequirementsThe real size limits for building without a permit: sheds under 120 to 200 sq ft, decks under 30 inches, fences under 6 feet. Every threshold in one table.
Jun 16, 2026 10 min read Read → Getting ApprovedSometimes the contractor is right. Here is how to tell, how to verify a permit was actually pulled, and who pays if it wasn't. A homeowner's checklist.
Jun 9, 2026 5 min read Read → Site PlansShed permit applications almost always require a site plan, and even permit-exempt sheds must meet setbacks. What the drawing must show and how to get one fast.
Jun 3, 2026 8 min read Read → Site PlansAlmost every deck permit application requires a site plan showing your deck's location, dimensions, and setbacks. What it must show and the fastest way to get one.
May 27, 2026 8 min read Read → Permit BasicsHow long a building permit lasts, what makes it expire, how to renew an expired permit, and how open permits affect selling your home. Covers all US states.
May 14, 2026 17 min read Read → Permit BasicsWhat a permit expediter is, what they cost in 2026, and when you actually need one. For most decks, fences, and sheds, you need a site plan, not an expediter.
May 8, 2026 15 min read Read → Permit BasicsHow to apply for a building permit in 10 steps: what documents you need, how long it takes, what it costs, and the mistakes that get applications rejected.
May 1, 2026 19 min read Read → Unpermitted WorkHow to spot it during a tour, how to verify permit history, what it means for your financing and insurance, and the five negotiation paths buyers actually use.
Apr 25, 2026 16 min read Read → Unpermitted WorkStop-work orders, fines, forced removal, and resale headaches. The real consequences of skipping a permit, and what to do if work was already done without one.
Apr 18, 2026 16 min read Read → Unpermitted WorkThe process, the cost, and the honest reality of legalizing work that was already built. As-built drawings, destructive testing, and what to do when the code won't allow it.
Apr 12, 2026 17 min read Read → Permit BasicsA plain-English guide to what a building permit actually is, when you need one, what it costs, how to apply, and what happens if you skip it.
Apr 5, 2026 29 min read Read →Your permit application needs a site plan. We draw it from your property address. No site visit, no surveyor.
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