Building Permit

[rolog]

Can anyone tell me what to expect applying for a permit? Are they going to dig into every detail on my blueprints are request a structural engineer sign off? I was going to build a log home, but since I am building on top of a hill, it's just gonna be too hard to get them up there then raise them. The driveway is so steep right now, my atv is about the only thing making it.

So I plan to have a concrete basement with a framed upper and use a couple logs as I can, hopefully for the girders at least. The roof will be lighterweight framing and metal, perhaps use small logs if possible. I haven't figured out the exact support yet, but I am thinking one girder on the first and second floor with 3 vertical supports in the basement and one or two on the second floor. Please help...

Floor 1
http://tinyurl.com/baot3b

Floor 2
http://tinyurl.com/d7or98

Floor 3
http://tinyurl.com/dylacv

Elevations and 3D pics
http://tinyurl.com/bbcs5l


Thanks again!!!

[StressMan79]

LHBA member since 2006

Permits range on where you get them. If you are in Manhattan or LA, get ready. If you are in BFE North Dakota, no problem. I have one question though... you are planning on building a 30'+ home up a road that is barely accessible by SUV. How are you going to get materials up there? Maybe a cement truck? I think the code enforcer dude is the least of your worries.

Oh, I have also heard that permits vary in complexity based on the fee required. If your fee is 3k, it is pretty difficult (from a member's experience). I don't know if the scale is linear, but, I would suspect that under 250 bucks would be fairly easy.

FWIW.

[spirochete]

Howdy all. I took the class back in '02 (i think!) and live in Massachusetts. Anyone here have any experience with the building permits here? I recommended the class to a friend 5 years ago, he took the class and then built quickly up in new hampshire without much diffiuclty at all.

[hemlock77]

Id depends on where in mass you plan to build. If you want to build in rural areas of western mass, the restrictions should be quite easy to deal with. If you are dealing with springfield, Worcester ares there will be more hoops to jump through. Fall river/ New Bedford even more so. If you are talking about Metro Boston or cape cod area, you may need an inpact study to hang a yard sale sign.?
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You just have go meet with local planning and zonning person to get a feel for how difficult things will be. You can also check out local town website and look at mission statements. That can tell you alot about how difficult things could potentially be. ?
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?? ? In my experience, how you talk to town officials can be deciding factor on level of difficulty. Here in Connecticut there is a statute that gives the authority to waiver code requirements as long as what you plan on doing is in the spirit of the code, undue expence is one reason given in statute for varrying from code. What I am getting at is the building inspector can be an asset in this process. My building inspector told a local contractor that had complained about our project "mind your own buisness". The fact that he loves log homes doesn't hurt.
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Stu
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