May 2nd, 2011 | By: Jim Merrill

Planning and obtaining permits for a room addition can be surprisingly complicated, by breaking the process down into small chunks it is easy to understand the steps.

First there is an idea, we want more space; we want to change the way the house works or looks or feels. Many of my clients come to me with just a general idea. Others bring magazine clippings and a detailed list of exactly what they are looking for. Either approach works, however in most cases more input equals faster output from the designer.

The second step is to do some basic research on what will be allowed to be built on the property. Using King County iMap and eMap, get as much information as possible on the property, including any easements and any sensitive areas which exist. If there is a septic system, contact the King County Health Department and request a copy of any records they have of the system.Also go to the building department website and find out how the property is zoned; what are the restrictions in terms of setbacks to property lines, height allowed, percentage of the lot that can be covered, etc. If you don’t have blueprints for the existing house, contact the building department to see if they have any copies of the original plans (unfortunately if the house is more than 10 years old, chances of finding existing plans are slim). It is also wise to visit the building department in person and talk to a planner prior to assuming everything looks good.

If there are no blueprints available, the existing house (or at least the portion you are working around) must be measured and re-drafted as an “As-Built” Plan.

Once you have an As-Built Plan, the fun finally starts. The Conceptual (or Schematic) Plans should explore as many options and different ways of designing the project as is possible. The goal at the end of the conceptual process is to be certain that the plan you pick from all the options is the best plan for you.

The next step is to take the concept and turn it into enough of a plan that you can get a price on the work from a contractor (price per square foot is usually not even close to what the actual price will be). The Design Development Plans usually include:

• A site plan showing the existing building on the site, and the new addition.
• Floor plans drawn to scale with basic dimensions, fixture and material specifications, window and door sizes, etc.
• Basic structural plans showing the foundation, floor and roof framing
• Exterior views of the work called “Elevations.”
• And one or more Building Cross Sections showing how different portions of the work will come together.

The Design Development Plans can then be used for contractor pricing and loan applications. Contractor pricing will not be 100% accurate from this plan set, but the idea is to get an estimate and to see if the plans and the budget align prior to spending the rest of your design budget (which in most cases includes structural engineering) and then paying for permits, and then finding out the project is too expensive to build.

Assuming the project is a go, the final Permit Ready Plans can then be prepared. This stage is all about adding details and refining the plans to address all pertinent code issues. Structural engineering is also now added. Once the Permit Plans are ready to submit, all that is left is the application paperwork and the submittal itself.

Expect any building department to do a very detailed review of your submittals and applications; it is not unusual for a submittal to take more than one trip. Also, assume there will be a least one round of corrections to the plans required by the reviewer.

You can now track the progress of your permit application through MyPermit.com