Permits in Demolition

SAN RAMON — Since any type of demolition project requires a permit, it’s a good idea to get the ball rolling early when planning yours. Your contractor should gather all the permits for you, but in order to get the process started, you’ll first need to sign the contract and proffer a down payment. This will ensure your place on the contractor’s calendar and enable them to initiate preliminary steps like pulling permits.

In most cases, demolition permits are an over-the-counter affair, so they can usually be obtained within an hour of application. Occasionally, the building department will put a set of plans under review, and that process can take up to three or four weeks. Since there’s no way to know whether this will happen with your permits, it’s always best to deal with this aspect far in advance. Otherwise, your project may end up being substantially delayed—in addition to the review process, your contractor may not have the scheduling flexibility to expediently reschedule your project.