Phoenix Shed & Accessory Structure Permit Rules: What Homeowners Must Know
Building a backyard shed in Phoenix seems like a weekend project until the building department asks a question you weren’t ready for: how far is it from your property line, and does it count toward your lot coverage? Many homeowners assume “small shed” automatically means “no permit needed,” and that assumption is exactly where Phoenix […]
Lot Coverage Ratio Explained: How Much of Your Property You’re Actually Allowed to Build On
You measured your lot. You picked a pool size, a shed, or an addition that looks like it fits. Then the building department sends back one line: lot coverage exceeded. Nobody told you that “fits on the property” and “meets your lot coverage ratio” are two completely different tests. We review site plans for this […]
A Contractor’s Guide to Avoiding Permit Delays on Multiple Job Sites
Running one job site is hard enough. Running four or five at once, each sitting in a different county’s permit queue, is where most contractors lose weeks they never get back. A crew shows up ready to frame, and the permit for that address is still sitting in “under review.” Materials are on order. The […]
What Does “Insufficient Setback” Mean on a Rejected Permit?
Your permit application comes back with one line that stops the whole project: “insufficient setback.” No further explanation, just a rejection stamp and a resubmission deadline. We review correction notices like this every week, and setback rejections are one of the most common reasons a site plan gets sent back before it ever reaches a […]
Los Angeles Accessory Structure Permits: Sheds, Garages & ADUs Under LADBS
Building a shed, adding a garage, or converting space into an ADU seems like a weekend project until the Department of Building and Safety gets involved. Most homeowners assume that anything “in the backyard” is exempt from permitting, and that assumption is exactly where correction notices, stop-work orders, and stalled escrow sales begin. We prepare […]
How to Find Old Building Permits on Your Property (And Why It Matters Before You Buy or Build)
You’re about to buy a house with a finished basement, or you’re planning an addition on a property you’ve owned for years, and one question keeps coming up: was any of this ever permitted? Skip that question and you risk inheriting someone else’s unpermitted work, along with the fines, forced teardowns, and stalled closings that […]
Site Plan Requirements for Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Conversions
Converting a house, duplex, or accessory unit into a short-term rental rarely stays a simple furniture swap. Most counties treat the change of use as a permit trigger on its own, separate from whatever certificate of occupancy the property already holds. We put this guide together because the site plan requirement is the part homeowners […]
Do You Need a Site Plan for a Dock, Seawall, or Boat Lift Permit?
Waterfront property owners assume a dock or seawall project is a simple contractor job pull a permit, start building. That assumption is where the delays begin: the water side of your property brings review requirements a standard residential permit never touches. Most counties treat waterfront structures as their own permit category, and almost all of […]
Los Angeles ADU Permit Requirements 2026: Full Guide
Building an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) in Los Angeles sounds simple until you’re staring at a correction letter from LADBS, wondering why your “60-day permit” is entering month five. Most of that confusion comes from one thing: homeowners plan around state headlines instead of the actual local rules that decide approval. In Los Angeles, an […]
How to Respond to a Permit Correction Notice – 2026 Guide (With Free Template)
You checked the portal expecting approval. Instead, your permit status changed to “Corrections Required,” and there’s a letter or comment list waiting for you. It’s not a denial — but it can feel like one, especially if you don’t know exactly what the reviewer wants or how to answer them correctly. Most permit applications don’t […]