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How many reinspection attempts does your municipality allow on a residential building without charging another fee? We only get one opportunity to make corrections before we have to pay another inspection fee. That's always seemed stingy to me, because sometimes the building inspector misses...

What is one thing you wish your clients/the public understood about your job and the permitting process in general? What do you think is the most common misconception?

My husband and I flip houses. The market has been rocky in Southern California lately, so we've started buying properties further north. Since we're not as familiar with that territory, we're trying to learn the permit rules as we go. We have a reno that has an attic full of toxic mold...

The disastrous fires in California have decimated our housing stock. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes months to receive the proper building permit in order to rebuild. That timeline is bound to lag behind even more, since so many new applications are pouring in. In order to address this...

I've long been passionate about rescuing animals. I'm beginning to think that now's the right time to get more involved. Can you help me determine which permits I'd need to open an animal shelter in California?

A friend of mine has gotten badly burned after jumping the gun on a Ready to Issue permit. Don't forget that all that means is that your application has been looked over and accepted. It's just a status update, really. The building permit won't actually be issued until you've paid all the...

Is it even possible in the US today? I remember years ago that permits weren't required to camp in the national parks, but now it looks like a camper must obtain a Wilderness Permit or a Backcountry Permit, depending on the park. Where can a person camp without a permit?

I've found a useful tool that enables licensed contractors to obtain an instant permit for a simple kitchen or bath remodel. We're house flippers and have used it before, so can I verify that it's super simple to fill out. Unfortunately, the permit won't allow you to knock down walls or add...

I submitted my plans, including the permit applications, the materials list, and the blueprints, for a renovation project in California City. The scope of work involves turning the top floor of a boutique into a living space for the new owners. They'll continue to run their business on the...

I'm a contractor and should be able to find the answer, but I've gotten nowhere, so came here out of frustration. I'm in California. A client hired us to build a standalone catio. If you don't know, a catio is a structure that allows the cat to be outside in a safe environment. There are...