If you are looking for a building permit (not an “over the counter” permit), you may be wondering how long this will take. There are several factors involved, which means that unfortunately, the answer is: it varies. However, this article should be able to give you a bit of insight as to what to expect.

Step 1: Research

The first thing we do with any project with potential permitting needs is to review documents on file with the county and the site lines based on what is documented online. This will tell us immediately if there are any building restrictions that might prevent the project from moving forward. Our goal here is to save time and energy, we don’t want to develop a project just to get it rejected.

From here, we take it a step further and reach out to our county officials to ask if they see any potential red flags before we begin the permitting process. This is where sometimes we find out if a site is flagged as historical or Tribal land that then will require permission to move forward.

We usually take about a week, potentially two to do this research (sans permission letters). Most of it can be done in an afternoon on our part, but correspondence research takes time even in our modern world.

During this time, we will also research other potential issues to be aware of. For example, buildings adding more than 500 square feet require a sprinkler system- and this system must be incorporated in the entire home, not just the addition. (A sprinkler system average cost is about $9,000 and is permitted during construction).

Step 2: Department of Health Application

Once we feel confident that we have a go-ahead, we will want to get a building permit from the Department of Health. The full building permit will not be approved without this. In order to submit this application, we need a site plan that illustrates the new footprint and how the construction will impact the site.

This one typically takes 3-5 weeks based on my experience. Some people like to wait once this application has gone in to make sure we will get a thumbs up to move forward. Typically, if the thumbs up are not given, it is because there is a request to do work on the existing septic system. This may mean a remodel or rebuild of the system.

If an upgrade is needed, a septic designer will be pulled in. They will submit the design for approval and once approved, the update can happen and the okay will be given for the building permit.

Step 3: Full Permit Application

With the building approval in hand, we are now ready to apply for the permit. The drawings must be developed enough for us to do building sections, plans delineating walls and general plumbing locations, door and window sizes, and floor, ceiling, and wall types.

Usually, we have the time to do this development while waiting for the DOH. However, sometimes homeowners want to make sure we get a thumbs up from the DOH. There is often a good chance that a septic upgrade is needed, so while it doesn’t hurt to wait, it can mean that the remaining design and application process can be drawn out.

This timeline changes frequently, but current expectations may be found on King County’s site.

The range is anywhere from 2 weeks to 39 weeks at the time of writing this. Essentially, the bigger the project and the more site impact we see, the longer the wait.

We try to make the permitting process as painless as possible, but the key thing to keep in mind here is that we often have just as much intel as you do, and the best we can do is wait, wait, wait and enjoy the quiet time on our beautiful island.

Do you have any tips or experiences of your own that you’d like to share on permitting? Please share in the comments below.