Enrichment · Passion Projects

Find out what needs a permit
before the first shovel.

Work through the research for your project: whether it needs a permit, zoning and HOA rules, calling 811 before digging and the lead-safe rules for older homes. Then track each permit and inspection to the end.

Research a projectWhat you get

Projects

The worked example is a made-up backyard deck on a 1960s house, with a failed footing inspection. Projects save on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · Passion ProjectsFree

What you finish with
A page per project with the kind, place, house age and HOA; nine research steps; permits with applied date, fee and status; inspections with date and result; flags for lead-safe rules on pre-1978 homes, calling 811 for digging projects, failed inspections and a needed permit not yet logged; permit fees per project.
Who it is for
Homeowners and renters planning a project, high school students in construction and design classes, and families researching a first renovation.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved page per project. Prints a project page, all projects or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Passion Projects space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Describe the project, the city or county, the house’s age and whether there is an HOA.
  2. Find the building department’s permit page and confirm whether you need a permit.
  3. Check zoning, HOA and historic rules; plan to call 811 before digging.
  4. Log each permit with its fee, and each inspection as it is booked.
  5. Fix anything an inspection fails before the re-inspection, then close out the permit.

Research a project

Permit or not

What the model residential code exemptsFence7 feet high or lessOften no building permitShedOne story, 200 sq ft or less, detachedOften no building permitDeckUnder 200 sq ft, 30 in or less above ground, not attachedOften no building permitRoof, electrical, plumbing, water heaterMost workUsually a permitAddition or moved wallsAnyPermit and plan reviewWhat the model residential code exemptsFence7 feet high or lessOften no building permitShedOne story, 200 sq ft or less, detachedOften no building permitDeckUnder 200 sq ft, 30 in or less above…Often no building permitRoof, electrical, plumbing, wate…Most workUsually a permitAddition or moved wallsAnyPermit and plan review
Cities and counties adopt and change the model code, and zoning and HOA rules apply even where no building permit does. The local building department’s answer is the one that counts.

Two federal rules that apply everywhere

In homes built before 1978, renovation that disturbs painted surfaces, beyond small areas, must be done by a lead-safe certified firm under EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. Before any digging, call 811, the national call-before-you-dig number, a few business days ahead so underground utility lines are marked.

Why permits matter

A permit brings an inspection, and inspections catch footings that are too shallow and wiring that is not safe. Work done without a needed permit can surface when the home is sold or insured. Permit rules, fees and exemptions are local, so the building department is the source to trust.

Sources

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart E (epa.gov/lead).
  2. Common Ground Alliance. 811: Call Before You Dig (call811.com), the federally designated national number.
  3. International Code Council. 2021 International Residential Code, section R105.2: work exempt from permit (model code; local adoption varies).
  4. Federal Trade Commission. Hiring a Contractor (consumer.ftc.gov).

The worked example is made up. Permit rules are set locally; this checklist helps you research them and does not say whether your project needs a permit. Projects stay on this device until you print or export them. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.