Meet the Permit Expediter, a seasoned professional who navigates the labyrinth of construction permitting processes.
Who is a Permit Expediter?
A Permit Expediter is an expert who guides clients through the intricate world of construction permits. Their expertise often stems from backgrounds in fields like Planning, Construction, Real Estate, or Architecture. They are well-versed in local compliance codes and zoning requirements.
Their Expertise
These professionals shine in advising on diverse areas such as plan check procedures, entitlements, and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations. Years of interaction with city officials, attending numerous meetings and plan reviews, equip them with an unmatched understanding of potential permit issues. This foresight allows them to circumvent expensive delays.
Who Hires Them?
Construction Project Managers, Architects, Directors of Entitlements, Development Managers, Directors of Construction, Tenant Coordinators, retailers, and other construction project personnel often turn to Permit Expediters for their expertise.
A Day in the Life of a Permit Expediter
Their daily tasks are varied and encompass the following:
- Researching zoning, codes, and planning
- Liaising with plan reviewers, clients, and building officials
- Scrutinizing construction drawings and documents for code compliance
- Evaluating proposed project materials against jurisdiction requirements
- Engaging city officials in pre-submittal reviews
- Facilitating an accelerated path to receiving an RTI (ready-to-issue)
Hiring a Permit Expediter can be the key to avoiding delays and overspending in your construction project. Let’s see how they bring value to your project.
Preventing Overspending
Every project manager’s nightmare is missing deadlines, leading to ballooning costs. This is where Permit Expediters come in. They’re experts in navigating the intricate permit process swiftly and efficiently to avert potential overspending. They achieve this by minimizing the number of plan checks required, negotiating for faster review times, and leveraging their established relationships with jurisdictions to gather information more rapidly.
Reducing Plan Checks
One of the ways Permit Expediters save you time and money is by limiting the number of rechecks. How? By ensuring the application and building plans are spot-on from the get-go. They invest considerable time in due diligence, enabling them to identify the relevant jurisdiction(s) and applicable code requirements for your specific project scope. Armed with this knowledge, they can fine-tune the application, accordingly, reducing the need for multiple plan checks.
Fast-Tracking Review Times
Permit Expediters also use their expertise to negotiate swifter review times. They do this by arranging over-the-counter reviews with plan reviewers, bypassing lengthy submittals. Over-the-counter reviews are face-to-face sessions where a plan check is reviewed on the spot, saving precious time. This approach immediately allows clients to receive necessary comments or corrections, eliminating the typical weeks-long wait.
Leveraging Established Relationships
Finally, permit Expediters’ extensive experience working with local jurisdictions means they have a comprehensive network of contacts. Their frequent interactions with city officials and jurisdiction representatives enable them to communicate more effectively and quickly than most. This network allows them to gather and relay information promptly and efficiently, often providing real-time updates to clients.
In conclusion, the benefits of hiring a Permit Expediter are manifold. They not only keep your project on schedule and within budget but also ease the overall management of the construction process.
