Code  Questions

 

How much will my building permit cost?

 

Most municipalities follow code book guidelines for establishing the cost of a building permit. However, other fees may be added to the permit cost. The most common are:

• Plan Check Fee - a charge to have a code specialist look over your plans for errors.
• Use Tax - a fee based on a fixed percentage of the contract cost. It may be partially recovered by tax breaks on materials purchased within the municipality.

 

In addition, other fees may apply, such as:

• Waste Water Fee
• Right of Way Fee - for the use of city streets to park dumpsters, san-o-lets, concrete pumper trucks, etc.
• Energy Check Fee - for calculating energy loss in a remodel situation
• Plumbing, Electrical and HVAC permit fees
• Fire Systems permit fee
• Grading plan review fee
• Floodplain review fee
• Development review fee

 

These fees can make a building permit pretty expensive.

 

But wait, there’s more! In some cities contractors have to apply for a Right of Way Contractor License to park a dumpster. Did I mention the Traffic Control Fees if a public road is partially blocked during construction, or the special license required to pour a city sidewalk?

 

Some cities limit the cost of permits to only structural and utility costs while others base their fees on an evaluation of total project cost. A few calculate their fees based on how you plan to use the new space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome

The Master Carpenter web site is easy to navigate. Just use the white buttons in the title block.  This Home Page is used to bring you tips, bits of advice, and news of current projects.

 

Portfolio is a gallery filled with pictures of Master Carpenter past projects.

 

About TMC has information about the company and the owner.

 

Let’s Meet provides you with Master Carpenter phone numbers and address.

 

 

 

Click here for more information

Remodel Workbook

It was necessary to upgrade the existing window to  what is called an “egress” window. Egress windows are large enough to allow firefighters easy entry with their equipment. In addition,  the owner felt that a trio of windows would fit the Victorian styling of the house.

Just Finished!

Remodel of a Victorian attic

Every now and then a project comes along that has a special appeal.

 

 

The three windows, a large skylight, and the decision to paint the cabinetry white, all help to make the space bright and cheerful.

 

Built-in-place cabinetry goes back to an earlier day, well before modular cabinets were common. Carpenters built storage on the site and made the doors and drawers themselves. The built-ins from the turn of the century could be quite beautiful. It is a real pleasure to be doing that kind of work in the present day.

 

 

Most cities provide downloadable fee schedules on their web sites. It is always a good idea, when calculating fee costs, to call the city building department and ask which fees will apply to your project.

 

Does this mean you will always get correct information from the building department in question? Not always. It doesn’t hurt to make a personal visit to them, with plans in hand, to get a one-on-one assessment of the fees involved.

 

 

This attic room had originally been used as a crafts / play room. The owners idea was to convert the attic into a bedroom with old fashioned built-in-place cabinets for storage.

 

The cabinetry was designed and built by The Master Carpenter to fit the owner’s taste for “cottage style” cabinetry.