What Do You Need to Obtain a Building Permit in California?

If you’re planning a home addition, ADU, remodel, or new construction project in California, one of the first questions you’ll face is: what do I need to get a building permit? The answer depends on your city or county, the scope of your project, features of the property and the type of structure involved. However, there are common requirements that apply across most jurisdictions in Los Angeles and Ventura County.

Why You Need a Building Permit

A building permit is the official approval from your local building department that authorizes you to begin construction. Permits exist to protect homeowners, future buyers, and the public by ensuring that all work meets California Building Code (CBC) standards and safety. A Building Permit involves review by the Building and Safety Department to ensure that the design meets CBC requirements, and once the Building Permit is obtained, inspections are performed by building officials and the design professionals involved as a form of quality control during the construction phase. Unpermitted work can create serious problems when you sell your home, file an insurance claim, or try to refinance.

Common Documents Required for a Building Permit in California

While requirements vary by jurisdiction, most California building departments will ask for the following:

1. Completed Permit Application

Every city and county has its own permit application form. This typically includes the property address, owner information, contractor license number, project description, and estimated construction cost.

2. Site Plan

A site plan shows the property boundaries, existing structures, setbacks, and the location of the proposed work. It must be drawn to scale and accurately reflect the current conditions of the property.

3. Architectural Plans

Architectural drawings show the layout, dimensions, and design of the proposed structure. These include floor plans, elevations, and sections. For residential projects, these are often prepared by a Licensed Architect or designer.

4. Structural Engineering Drawings

For most construction projects; including additions, ADUs, new homes, retaining walls, and remodels involving structural changes; stamped structural drawings prepared by a Licensed Structural or Civil Engineer are required. These drawings show how the structure is designed to safely carry all loads, including gravity, wind, and seismic forces.

5. Structural Calculations

In addition to drawings, building departments typically require a set of structural calculations that demonstrate the engineering analysis behind the design. These must be signed and stamped by a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

6. Energy Compliance Documentation (Title 24)

California has strict energy efficiency requirements under Title 24. Most projects require a Title 24 energy compliance report prepared by a certified energy consultant. This is typically an analysis of the square footage of the house and square footage of openings like doors and windows, which ultimately determine the required size of the air conditioning units to effectively cool or heat the building.

7. Soils Report (Geotechnical Report)

For new construction or projects involving foundations in certain areas, a soils report prepared by a licensed geotechnical engineer may be required. This is especially common in hillside areas and regions with expansive or unstable soils.

8. Contractor Information

If you’re hiring a general contractor, their California contractor’s license number and insurance information will typically be required as part of the permit application.

The Building Permit Process in Los Angeles and Ventura County

Once you submit your application and documents, the building department will conduct a plan check, which is a review of your drawings and calculations to confirm they comply with applicable codes. Plan check can take anywhere from a few days (for over-the-counter simple projects) to several months for complex projects or those requiring multiple department approvals.

Once approved and your permit is issued, construction can begin. Inspections are scheduled at key milestones throughout construction (foundation, framing, rough mechanical/electrical/plumbing, and final).

How a Structural Engineer Can Help

A licensed structural engineer plays a critical role in the permit process. At German Engineering Design and Consulting Services, Inc., we prepare and stamp structural drawings and calculations that the building department requires. We are familiar with the plan check process in cities and counties throughout Los Angeles and Ventura County, including:

• Los Angeles Building and Safety (LADBS)

• Ventura County Building and Safety

• City of Thousand Oaks

• City of Simi Valley

• City of Burbank

• City of Pasadena

• And many more

We work directly with homeowners, Architects, Contractors and developers to deliver high quality Structural packages that minimize plan check comments and keep your project moving.

 

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re planning a project and need Structural Engineering designs, drawings and calculations for your building permit, contact us today for a consultation.

📞 (888) 999-1022

✉️ chatsky@structural-pe.com

🌐 www.structural-pe.com

The Direct Integration Method

As a mathematician first and engineer second, I always focused on the math side of engineering. When taking a core course for my specialty, I recall the program glossing over a method called direct integration. In other words, a purely mathematical approach that focused on the one of the major concepts from single variable calculus. What’s more intriguing, the relationship between load, shear, moment, angle of rotation and deflection. Turns out they are related through derivatives and integrals. While the program at the university spent significant time on the moment area method and virtual work method, and almost no time on direct integration; I found that each had issues with more complex loading situations. The end goal was the same, calculate the deflection. The problem with direct integration, it was mathematically intense and often times, people would get stuck in solving for the unknowns. When I took finite elements in graduate school, we focused a lot on the matrix approach to solving problems. And that’s when it hit me. If I combine direct integration with linear algebra, and create the matrices; I could solve for all the unknowns at once. Then I’d have multiple equations completed that I could use to calculate anything I wanted in order to design the beam and verify it’s adequate. A purely mathematical approach to engineering, and an elegant approach it is. Rather than try to explain it in words, I thought a hand written example might explain it better. Also, rather than show a basic example, I thought a more complex one would help engineers decipher how to get past the point where they would usually get stuck. The attached PDF file shows an example of how to do that when your equations end up with 7 unknowns.

Things to Consider When Hiring a Structural Engineer

Hiring an Engineer to help design your home can feel overwhelming. Not because it is a complicated process, but because most homeowners would find it difficult to distinguish a good Engineer from a bad Engineer.

Whenever we go to buy something, we often look at the price, then read some reviews and ultimately make a decision. Retail giants make the process even easier, because if you don't like the product, you can simply return it for a full refund. However, this wouldn't work in a service oriented industry. You can't just hire someone to perform a task, then ask for your money back if you don't like the result. Another example, you can't go to a restaurant, eat the food, and then tell the Manager you will not pay for the food because you didn't like it. Thus, hiring an Engineer is a big decision.

Here are some things, aside from price, that a homeowner should consider before hiring an Engineer:

1. First and foremost, is the Engineer licensed and insured? There is an epidemic of outsourcing going on in the design industry. An unlicensed person can get hired and outsource the design work, the Engineering stamp, or both. Don't be afraid to ask the designer whether or not they are licensed and insured, if they will be the ones actually designing the structure, and if they will be the Engineer-On-Record.

2. What relevant design experience does the Engineer have? Did you know that Structural Engineering is typically performed by a Licensed Professional Civil Engineer. But Civil Engineering has multiple disciplines. For example, Civil Engineering includes Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Surveying and more. While Licensed Civil Engineers carry the Civil Engineering Seal, it doesn't necessarily tell you what specific discipline they work in.

3. Communication is often overlooked when someone is looking to hire an Engineer. It is important to know that the Engineer will be there to respond and answer questions when you need them. Poor communication can lead to mistakes and delays. Imagine having to call your doctor for a week straight before someone even answers the phone. Or asking questions and having to wait days to get an answer. It can be frustrating, especially when construction work has to stop and wait for a solution.

4. How long will it take for the plans and calculations to be ready for submittal? Is it worth saving some money if that means you will need to wait several months before the Structural Design is ready to submit? The permitting process can be a long and difficult process, because it can take months for the Building and Safety Department to review the plans and calculations. Any corrections issued must be addressed before everything can be resubmitted for review. Every round of reviews can take weeks or even months.

Make sure to take the time to speak to prospective Engineers. Get to know them. Tell them your situation, what you are trying to accomplish, what matters most to you, and ask questions. Make an informed decision that considers all factors, not just the price. Don't just judge Engineers solely on the price, because the scope of work and outcomes do vary from Engineer to Engineer. If you're already willing to invest the money to modifying your home, do you really want to jeopardize the outcome by saving 1% or even 2%?

What separates German Engineering Design and Consulting Services from our competitors? Well for one thing, we focus on customer services. We pride ourselves in educating our clients. We respond to phone calls, messages and emails. When designing, we focus on quality, because we know how much your home means to you. At German Engineering Design we treat every client like family and design every house as if it were our own.