Planning and permitting your new home, remodeling or renovation project can be the most challenging part of the process. At REEF, Cape Cod's Home Builder, we provide complete, design, planning, and permitting services as part of our construction process. Any project, even the most simple, have several layers of permitting and design that must be addressed properly for the project to be a success.  Things like building codes, zoning by-laws, historic districs, conservation and wetlands, septic systems and energy efficiency all come into play.  Our team of experts has the experience, and technical knowledge to make the entire process predictable. 

If you are thinking of building a new home or remodeling on Cape Cod, you should take a minute and download our Critical Plannign Guide below:

And this could be your new home!

   Building a new home on Cape Cod is hard enough, but the real challenge comes with permitting a project.  Each town has slightly different regulations, there is a mountain of paperwork to digest, and once the permit is submitted, it is difficult to know where the permit stands for several months. 

     Finally the county has spearheaded an effort to bring uniform online permitting to Cape Cod.  This system will be available to Cape Cod Builders, and promises reduced timelines, instant status updates, and should lend some more predictability and accountability to the process.  We look forward to seeing this program develop over the next year, and have been asked to participate in its development which will be an exciting opportunity.  This system should consolidate all of the approving authorities in each town, allowing building, health, fire, conservation, historic, and other filings to be done at once.  We will keep you up to date on the implementation of this new program.

     This is always a fun question.... and the simple answer is this... if you are doing more than cosmetic work, painting, floors etc... then you should have a permit.   Permitting a project can be challenging for homeowners.  With the various code changes that have occurred over the last few years, even homeowners may require expert help for even small projects.  Anything that involves opening the sheet rock should have a building permit, especially when performing mechanical, plumbing and electrical changes, and definitely when the work involves structural changes.

     Of course, in many areas on Cape Cod, there are other permitting requirements for your home.  Any work outside the home that changes the appearance requires a historic commission permit.  In some towns, there are even requirements for historic approval of landscape changes.  Any time there is a change to the footprint of the home, such as a deck or addition, a site plan must be submitted to confirm that the new work will not encroach on zoning setbacks or property lines.  Many towns do have an express permitting program, which makes permitting small projects like replacement windows, roofing, and siding quick and easy, even in historic districts. 

      So if getting a permit is so difficult, wouldn't it be easier to just do the work, especially if it is inside and no one will see?  The answer is NO!  Often times people will finish attic spaces, renovate or finish basements, or convert areas to bedrooms.  This happens frequently, and often times is not caught by local inspectors.  However, the problems start when the owner goes to sell the home, and the title V septic inspection occurs.  With specific definitions of bedrooms, new, un-permitted finished rooms could be considered additional bedrooms, requiring a full upgrade of the septic system when the house is sold.  This is an expensive and painful process, which is often the cause of failed attempts to sell a home, and reduced purchase prices to cover the cost of repairs. 

If you have questions about permitting your next project, large or small, consult with an expert.  You can contact one of the experts at REEF any time by clicking below!