When thinking about getting a building remodeling permit, the cost of construction is high right now and must be considered, especially in Florida. We’re seeing costs ranging from $350 – $600 per square foot or more for remodels and new construction of single-family residential homes. You might be thinking, “What if I just do it myself?”
For more handy folks, this is definitely an option — but there are a few things to consider first. My partner and I renovated our home together and, boy, did we learn a lot about construction and each other. Read on to hear about the things we learned along the way.
Hire professionals for work that requires a permit.
There is a reason that your jurisdiction requires permits for certain types of work. Electrical work done wrong can start fires, a broken sewer line can undermine your foundation, and plumbing installed incorrectly can lead to costly water damage or worse, contaminated water. It’s going to cost more than doing it yourself, but you’ll have a lot more confidence in the final product.
Knowing Your Limits
We’re do-it-yourselfers (why else do you think we did our own remodel?), but it’s important to know your limits. Professional and licensed plumbers and electricians did the work we knew were more than we could handle (and had more safety and health concerns at stake).
Professional electricians, plumbers, and others talk with inspectors regularly, so they’re going to know exactly how things should be installed and what the inspectors are specifically looking for. Doing this work yourself could mean many days off from your day job waiting around for inspectors to show up again after your first failed inspection.
While we’re on the topic – get a building remodeling permit for your work. This is not an “ask for forgiveness later” situation. They will throw the book at you to prove a point if you’re caught doing work without a permit. On top of that, you’re putting your home and those you share it with at risk by not having the work permitted.
It Is Important to note that
If a permit is involved or doing the work incorrectly could create a health and safety concern, hire a professional to do it. It’s worth the investment.
When a Building Remodeling Permit is Granted
Don’t underestimate the time and patience involved in the actual remodeling.
Working on your building takes time. More than you think. Tiling that bathroom like I suggested earlier? You’re not going to have a toilet installed and running for about a week. You have to remove the old flooring, prep the substrate, install the tile, let that set, install the grout, let that set, and seal your lovely new floor surface. If you don’t have time every day to work on your project, what started as a week-long update can last weeks or maybe months.
Suncoast Permits will assist your organization in obtaining commercial construction permits while alleviating delays and overcoming any unforeseen obstacles. Our experienced construction permit experts will follow your permits from submission through approval, freeing you from wasted trips and construction permit requirement deficiencies.
