Step 3: Permit

One of the most frequent questions we get asked: “Do I need a permit for this project?” Around Santa Barbara, the answer can sometimes be a bit ambiguous. Not only do we have a number of overlapping jurisdictions ranging from city to county regulations, but within each are often a number of other considerations like districts, zones, and neighborhoods. Each of these can have its own twist on the broader scope of rules and regulations. And they are always getting updated. So to anyone who says they know it all, we say good for you. Perhaps they’ve been doing this sort of work for decades and like to read up on the newest rules and codes in their spare time. For the rest of us, we just want to know whether our project could qualify as exempt if we plan and build a certain way. Why? Well, because of course we want to save some money and hassle. Reality is unless it’s super straightforward and simple, it’s probably best to ask and make sure you are doing it the right way. And in this regard, we would consider ourselves quite knowledgeable. We will take your ideas and plans to the proper authorities to confirm what is needed and get back with you in as timely a manner as possible so as to minimize your time spent dealing with one of the most frustrating parts of your project.