When it comes to new additions to municipal buildings, there are standards of operations that public officials need to follow. Building permits need to be obtained and the right people need to have signed off on new projects in order for things to go smoothly.

Without the right methods and procedures, public officials can find themselves in legal battles that are costly and time consuming, and set back their plans for months or indefinitely. This can be protected by insurance for public officials, which provides financial backup in the event of litigation. If a project gets underway without building permits, depending on municipality rules, inspectors can shut down a project if it is not officially permitted. To avoid these issues, let’s look at some important things to know when it comes to building permits.

Why Are Permits Required?

A building permit grants legal permission to construct or alter a structure. When it comes to municipal buildings, such as libraries or courthouses, method needs to be used. City building codes are there for a reason and not following protocol will only cause problems.

Building permits provide a means to protect the public health, safety and welfare by limiting the potential hazards of unsafe construction. Also, they’re set in place so inspectors anc come review and approve all construction taking place to ensure that standards for materials and methods are used.

If you’re building something new, you can almost guarantee that they will need permits of some kind. This is necessary to make sure that all buildings meet standards that protect its occupants and neighbors.

Different Kinds of Permits

There are many different kinds of permits that can be obtained, each with their own purpose. Whether you’re constructing or modifying a building or structure, or needing an electrical permit to install or modify and electrical system, public officials have access to various and specific types of permits.

For heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration, public officials could seek a mechanical permit. Looking to update the ipes in your building? Then there’s a plumbing permit that can be obtained.

Also, with the push for renewable energy in cities and counties, solar permits have become more popular in recent years. A solar permit is in place for the installation of one- and multi-family homes, but can also be applied to municipal buildings.

Permits can be null and void if work authorized is not started within 180 days of the issuance date. Regardless of the type of building permit needed, the most important thing to know is that any new or additional work needs to be made official by the right people in order to avoid legal issues and major setbacks.

About PGUI

Professional Governmental Underwriters, Inc., is a full-service risk management company dedicated to assisting public, educational and non-profit entities in the management of their professional liability exposures. We are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art professional underwriting management and loss control advisory services on behalf of our designated carriers. For more information, call us toll-free at (800) 586-6502.