Code and Legal Topics
February 2009
Permits and Fees
The express plan check process, often called 'over the counter'
permitting, is a critical component of tenant improvement
delivery. Permit acquisition is the pivot point of a Fast
Track job because it allows the contractor to close the walls,
floors and ceilings which he may have built while the final
design drawings and details were being completed and the permit
not yet issued.
The availability and limitations of Express Plan Check has
a significant impact on the project's duration and the client's
mental and fiscal state.
TiCon has recently completed a survey of bay area building
departments in order to present a picture of 'over the counter'
plan check availability in our area as well as the cost of
building permits. The survey basis, for the fees and
plan check times, is a 10,000 square foot tenant improvement
with a valuation of $300,000.00. The survey, originally done
in April 2002, is updated here as of February 2009. Some city
fees have doubled in 7 years.
| City |
Express
Limits* |
Fees
** |
% |
"Normal"
Plan check |
Building
Official |
| Campbell |
A,B |
$9,763 |
3.25 |
2
to 3 weeks |
B.
Bruckhart |
| Cupertino |
D |
$8,696 |
2.9 |
2
to 3 weeks |
G.
Casteel |
| Fremont |
A,B |
$5,961 |
2 |
2
weeks |
M.
Abolhoda |
| Los Gatos |
A,F |
$6,889 |
2.3 |
2
to 4 weeks |
A.
Ghiossi |
| Milpitas |
E |
$6,531 |
2.2 |
4
weeks |
K.
Irannejad |
| Morgan Hill |
C |
$6,030 |
2 |
2
to 4 weeks |
L.
Ford |
| Mt. View |
No
express |
$6,728 |
2.25 |
2
to 4 weeks |
B.
Yousefi |
| Newark |
C |
$6,381 |
2.13 |
2
to 3 weeks |
R.
Collier |
| Palo Alto |
C |
$5,333 |
1.8 |
4
to 6 weeks |
F.
Herman |
| Redwood City |
A |
$4,603 |
1.5 |
3
weeks |
J.
La Torra |
| San Jose |
A,D |
$24,000 |
8 |
1.5
to 5 weeks |
E.
Tolentino |
| Santa Clara |
C |
$5,391 |
1.8 |
1
to 3 weeks |
S.
Lee |
| San Leandro |
C |
$4,352 |
1.5 |
3
weeks |
W.
Shock |
| San Mateo |
No
Express |
$4,667 |
1.5 |
4
weeks |
S.
Lau |
| Sunnyvale |
C |
$8,700 |
3 |
3
to 4 weeks |
F.
Fatapour |
Over the counter Plan Check Key - criteria under which these
cities will issue an 'over the counter' permit.
|
Express Plan Check Limitations - key |
| A |
By
Appointment only |
| B |
3,000
Square foot maximum |
| C |
Only
simplest plans, no life-safety issues |
| D |
10,000
s.f. maximum with architect's stamp, otherwise 3,000 s.f. |
| E |
600
s.f. maximum |
| F |
Only
plans having no structural work. |
| Demolition
Diversion Programs |
| A few cities, San Jose and Palo Alto
among them, have instituted 'demolition diversion ' programs
which have been developed to motivate owners and contractors
to recycle the products of demolition activity and thereby
reduce its impact on local landfills |
| Their programs are administered differently
but in both cases expect to spend a bit more of both money
and time to satisfy them. |
| |
| The
simple strategy to effectively capitalize on the benefits
of express plan check: |
| a) Hire an architect or design/build
general contractor familiar with the process and experienced
in commercial construction. |
| b) With your architect and/or contractor
have a preliminary meeting with the city's plan check
engineer to review the scope of proposed work and its
feasibility as a candidate of the express check. |
| c) When available in the jurisdiction,
get permission to proceed in advance of permit issue with
tasks like: demolition, rough framing, rough electrical,
rough mechanical, fire protection etc. The permit issue
must occur before closing trenches, walls, ceilings so
work may be inspected and passed before continuing.. |
What all of this means is that the majority of bay area cities
have an over the counter permitting process. Although the
criteria vary, the general theory is: The smaller and less
complex the project is, the more likely it is that an over
the counter permit can be issued. In practice large projects
can be done on this basis if the application is professional
and complete.
|
