Wait! Stop! Don’t shovel out one ounce of dirt for the home
your having built, the addition on the back of the house, or the bathroom
renovation!
While some are surprised to hear this, you actually can’t
start construction on any project within Springfield city limits without first
obtaining the necessary permits. If you’ve hired a contractor like HA Construction, Andy will assist you in obtaining the permits necessary before
any work begins. However, if you’re tackling the project yourself, or have
hired someone that insists you take care of the approval aspect of the work,
then it’s a good idea to be familiar with the requirements.
When you visit the City of Springfield website, you’ll find
a lot of information on what sort of permits there are and when you need
them. Here’s a little help deciphering
it all.
Building Permits
Taken directly from the City of Springfield
website, a building permit is required to:
“…construct, enlarge, alter, move or demolish a structure;
or change the occupancy of a building or structure requiring greater strength,
exit or sanitary provisions; or to change to another use; or to install or alter
any equipment for which provision is made or the installation of which is
regulated by the Building Code.”
The term “alter” there may seem a little bit vague. After
reading those requirements, you might find yourself thinking that you need a
permit for anything you do to your home. However, that’s not the case. Take it
straight from Andy, “alter” here means altering the layout of a structure.
Repairs to an existing structure, even if you change the materials used,
doesn’t require a permit.
For example, if you were to knock out a wall to enlarge the
size of a room, then you would need a permit from the city because you are
changing the layout of the home and, thus, the occupancy of the room. But, if
you were to, say, replace the siding on your house, then it’s considered simply
a repair. You’re not altering the foundational structure of the home and,
therefore, do not need a permit. Another example would be your porch: if you
making it larger, you need a permit, but if you change the material from wood to
concrete and don’t change the size of the porch, you do not need a permit.
When a permit is necessary, you or the contractor must
submit an application and provide plans for the project. For small projects,
such as expanding your front porch, the city only requires a basic drawing of
the changes. However, larger projects (such as building a new house or adding a
room) require engineered blueprints from an architect for approval.
Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits
While the permits are different for each of these
categories, determining whether you need one is relatively simple across the
board.
Anyone who does electrical, mechanical or plumbing work on
your property MUST be licensed with the city. This is without question. In
general, you need a permit for these things if it’s changing the current
service. Under that standard, none of the following examples require a permit:
- Replacing a broken outlet
- Replacing a worn out ceiling fan
- Getting a new faucet
- Replacing or repairing a garage door
- Obtaining new flooring
- Painting
- Getting new roof shingles
- Building a portable out-building that’s less than 100 square feet in size
However, putting in an outlet where there wasn’t one before,
running new HVAC lines, and changing the layout of a bathroom require permits,
because they are changing the existing service. Additionally, replacing a HVAC
system, sewer lines, gas lines or water lines in your home requires a permit
because of the nature of the repair/replacement. Of note, only a licensed
contractor can obtain a permit for these services. While homeowners may be able
to get permits for other household repairs, they cannot for the replacement of
these crucial systems.
Sprinkler Systems
What may surprise you is that installing a sprinkler system,
whether underground or within a building, requires a separate “FIS” permit in
addition to plumbing or electrical permits. According to the City of
Springfield:
“Permits will no longer be issued based on the building permit submittals unless the entire system (underground and building), including the calculations, are included as part of the building permit submittals.”
“Permits will no longer be issued based on the building permit submittals unless the entire system (underground and building), including the calculations, are included as part of the building permit submittals.”
The process is a bit complicated, so it’s better to read the
Administrative
Ruling 2007-01 on Sprinkler permits and/or call the city for more
information.
Count on the City for Help
Springfield city officials are there to help you. They’re
not out to fine everyone for doing things wrong and they don’t go around
patrolling for problems. If you’re having a hard time obtaining a permit for a
project, you can count on city officials to guide you in what you and the
contractor need to do in order to get the project approved.
Get information on the permits required for a project
directly from the city. Don’t trust your neighbor or even your contractor to
know what the latest rules and requirements are – it’s better to simply ask the
experts.
