Recent content by BobaChewie

Very interesting post! I've been working for LADBS for several years and I could see a customer's point of view -- the website is definitely not the most intuitive. There are plenty of issues that could cause confusion and frustration for the customer. However, I recently used my city's building...

Our building permit turn-around time depends on the project classification. Over the Counter (OTC) Plan Checks are done within the same day, usually 30 mins to 1.5 hrs delegated per OTC Plan Check. Expanded Counter Plan Checks (ECPC) are typically 1.5-2 weeks. Regular Plan Checks are about 3-5...

Hello fellow member, I am currently working with Building Plan Check in the City of Los Angeles and we do have an expedited option at an additional 50% of the submittal fees cost, which typically assigns a plan checker within 5 business days vs. the typical ~15 business days. However, that...

Hello, I used to work for Express permits, which is the section of the department where we'd issue out temporary power pole permits, so I can only give information on that side of the process. Depending on whether you are obtaining the permit via owner builder or contractor, there are several...

Office Engineering Technician (OET) here. We don't have an official "permit tech" in the jurisdiction I work at because that's a pretty broad term encompassing Express, Plan Check, and other job titles who work with permits and using the same system to generate/modify permits. I used to work for...

Hi Eric, Thanks for the response!

My friend has a giant tree in his backyard that is overgrowing and soon to hit the electric powerlines that are extending along the roof. Does my friend require a permit of any kind in order to remove the tree? He lives in El Monte, California.

I do not believe your neighbor will get in trouble or will they force you to tear the structure down unless that structure is legally not allowed to be there to begin with. I work in Building and Safety and there are plenty of people who apply for permits retroactively due to not realizing a...

100% agree with your take on electrical or mechanical work without a permit due to safety hazards. I would include building projects such as new ADU's as well because the permitting process for those could take months to several years and once you are caught doing work without a permit, those...

I second this. RTI or Ready to Issue just means the permit is ready to be paid for. Once the permit has been paid, the status of the permit becomes Issued. Once issued, the customer can begin their work.

Hello, For the City of LA, if you are looking for a permit for window change out (like for like), that would be with Express. You could try to apply for the permit on their online website at www.ladbs.org but if that doesn't work, you can schedule an appointment with them. Same goes for the...

From my understanding, liability is a big factor in deciding whether to obtain a permit via owner builder or contractor. If someone were to somehow become injured, or even die, due to poor construction or not reaching safety standards and the permit was obtained via owner-builder, the home owner...

Thank you for the in depth reply!

I am curious if a permit is required if I wish to change my house from rug floors to wood floors? I have heard flooring is not needed for permits? If so, why is that the case?

If the tenant believes no permits were obtained or violating some sort of building code, reaching out to the County Code Office would be my first step if they wish to take action against the landlord. However, I can see this may not really help her situation immediately as it may force her to...