Turning in plans for approval questions

[Steve_B]

Here is the first question...

Wanting to build the 20 x 30 with 1.5 and will order the plans from the site here. I am thinking of lengthening the house from 30' to maybe 36' and keeping the same 20' width.

I know all zoning and planning boards are different, but as a general question.... when turning in said plans for approval and permits, is it just a matter of ( in simplest terms here ) crossing out the 30 on the plans and making it 36, or must I completely redo everything for it to get approved?

[flyingvan]

Everything should reflect the change---the elevations, floor plan, windows, energy calculations, etc.  It's really worth your while to make a good impression with your plans or they'll nitpick every little thing.  But there's a bigger reason to have your plans drawn correctly---it will make following the instructions for the build easier, and planning the materials more accurate.

[rick91351]

With the current climate in building and CYA I am afraid that flyingvan is quite correct from what I have found.  That is unless that frame of mind has not hit your local area yet and went Cover Your A$$ modern.
   
We took a huge swing in the county where my ranch is at.  Over night we went from you could get away with anything like you are inquiring about and much much worse - to plans have to be submitted like and on this on this type of paper and we went to engineering on almost everything I think above 4000 in elevation unless you can get an Ag Exemption then the truss still have to be engineered and stamped.  Not only that but the professional contractors and builders and the owner built or hired were expected to follow the instructions and color between the lines.   

We went from you don't need no stinking code to dragging around the code book even when you head off to the  .  Funny people were in rebellion and shaking their fist to now caving in now it is just accepted.   

[glenn kangiser]

...continuing on to UN Agenda 21 where we all all be herded into the cities, branded and chipped ....must stay out of the pristine countrysides where we are a blight on the land...

Good luck with your project. 

[UK4X4]

I bought plans from here- used them as the basics and drew up new ones insuring I used similar terms and details, the better your plan set the better its recieved- the details for yours will stay the same. some dwgs are best redrawn to scale, copy over all the details and information from the original and just change the sizes to suit

I supplied two sets of complete plans

Engineered truss design- I have a high snow load area

Engineered signed off foundation plan- required for my my mountainside

Soil / geotechnical report- required by the HOA and county

All beam/header, joists etc calculations - I supplied the reports from Ilevel Forte software- added extra to show design was not guessed at

Energy form from the online calculator specifying all insulation types of windows doors and structures

They have then come back to me for a letters from the engineer who signed the foundation off - to say he had read the geotech report and that the structure design was suitable for the conditions and loading

They also wanted a letter from the Geotech company stating that had reviewed and seen the plans and that the foundation design was suitable for the plot

They also wanted a letter from me saying that I had read the Geotech report and fully understood the possibility of movement due to the expancive clays and movement in the hillside.

The two extra letters cost another $300 usd.

Every piece of paper from both the Geotech company and engineer if full of disclaimers and actually makes the whole "engineer required" a farce and for me as the house owner just a bunch of expences for a second opinion as thats all the documents are worth.

I designed and drew up the complete foundation plans- eng redlined 2 items and stamped them off- he has done one site visit and will do another when the REBAR is in place- cost $ 3,000usd

[flyingvan]

That's a lot of money....  You're still bucks ahead by building your own place, and if you ever need to borrow against it or sell it, all those things that make it legit really help.  I know someone here that wasn't eligible for a refinance because her house was on a post and pier foundation