• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Plan Review fees

TimNY

Platinum Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
1,133
Location
Charleston, SC
As I fight to keep my current staffing levels it came about that about 50% of the plans submitted were non-compliant to such a degree that they are stamped revise/resubmit and returned.

We currently have no fee to review the corrected plans.

One of the best statements i heard form the Board was "if we start charging them to review crap plans I bet they'll stop submitting crap"

So it looks like the plan is to have the initial review covered in the application and permit fees, but add another fee for reviewing corrected plans.

Does anybody else have something similar to this? Any rule of thumb as to when you refuse a set of plans versus just making a notation on the plans?

What about fees for plan reviews? (or re-reviews?)

A permit for a 2500sf home here is about $1600
 
Returned with the statement that there is not enough information or the information does not have enough clarity to review for code compliance. Now, if it has a lot of clear information but the information is all wrong . . . .when do you get to quit reviewing? Pretty much when you feel like it, I think.
 
Well I do the full review either way. Make notes as to required information that is missing or denote all the non-compliant items with a code section (i just note the section number, let them read it).

A lot of times if I just need a detail or two I will call up the designer and have him fax an 8x11 over to fill the gap. Although once you start chargin for re-reviews it may get into a "why did you charge me for this one but not that one" scenario if I were to continue in that manner.

I suppose the bulk of my question is whether a lot of you charge an additional fee to review a second submission, and what that fee is in relation to the permit fee.

Thanks for the reply,

Tim
 
no re review fee, normaly just a check of items form a list we create, so normaly does not take much time

maybe the fee for repeat offenders is thier plans go to the bottom of the pile and stay there for awhile.
 
Man with no shoes, meet a man with no feet;

Submitted plan, 2310 sq. ft. new home; free hand drawn (not even a ruler) on copy paper. Details; general location of bathroom fixtures and kitchen appliances. Type of fixture is recognizeable in general location of the bathroom (tub, water closet, lavatorty); which rectangle is the kitchen sink or range is a little iffy. "APPROVED".

Where Engineered lumber (TJIs, LVLs, Gluelambs, and Trusses) are used; no layouts, truss design drawings, or engineer's details are submitted or required.

Population, approximately 50,000. 2006 IRC adopted and ignored. Well, ignored is not really fair; because no one knows what's in the book.

Hope this makes you feel a little better,

Uncle Bob
 
Believe it or not, we don't charge any plan review fees... EVER! I'm working on changing that. So 1st review = free, 2nd review = free, you get the idea. Currently our permit fees barely meet the lowest comparable fees in the geographic area, and without plan review fees, we are downright cheap! Still, the builders complain that we are costing them too much.
 
* *

Salina Paul,

The builders are always going to complain about something. Too much of this or too

much of that. That is just part of the nature of the business. They would prefer

if you paid them, whilest kissing their rear ends. :eek: We have heard that same old

lament for years now.

Hopefully, you have the support of your board to start charging relevant fees to

compensate your department for your time and other resources used. You know as well

as anyone Paul, that the builders are just passing all of the costs along to the buyer, so

it's just more profit for them. Also, when you do start charging [ plan review or

other ] fees, the builders will still pass those costs along to the buyer. Good luck in

your efforts in Salina. We're all rooting for you! :D

Uncle Bob,

Welcome to your new ministry field. :D "The harvest is great, but the workers are few!"

I am glad to see you back in the saddle. May you continue to have the energy and

stamina of Sampson, ...the wisdom of Solomon, ...the perseverance of Joseph and the

heart of Jesus.

* *
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Review Fees

Tim,

I posted a request on the older version of this forum/thread and locally through our state and received enough information nationally and locally to develop a report to the suits. Our City is considering requiring permits and plan review fees and I have a report I can send you via email with applicable fees for fire service type issues like fire protection, haz mat, suppression and building reviews if interested. PM me your email if interested.
 
Top