New Outreach Effort Asks Residents Doing
Home Improvement Projects: `Got Permits?’
Clark County’s Department of Development Services unveiled a public outreach effort today aimed at educating homeowners about the need to obtain building permits and inspections for home remodel and repair projects.
“Many people don’t realize they need permits for various types of work or repairs on their homes,” said Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown. “The goal of our `Got Permits?’ campaign is to build awareness. Permits and inspections go hand in hand with protecting the safety of your family and the value of your home.”
Building permits and inspections are required for construction or remodeling work that could impact the health and safety of a home or building’s occupants. Development Services produced several brochures in English and Spanish to explain common types of residential building permits required for projects. The brochures are posted on Development Services’ Web site in a special section devoted to the campaign via www.accessclarkcounty.com. Other “Got Permits?” materials include bilingual public service announcements for radio and television stations created by Clark County Television Channel 4 (CCTV). The Home Depot also is partnering in the education effort. Development Services staff will help promote the campaign through a new outreach program called “Ask the Inspector.” Inspectors and staff from the department will attend home shows and community events to help answer questions from the public about permits, inspections and the process for submitting applications and building plans.
“Building permits and inspections help ensure the safety of your home for you and your family, as well as protect your investment,” said Ron Lynn, the county’s Building Official and Director of the Department of Development Services. “Faulty installations can cause fires, flood damage and other hazards. If you do projects without permits and inspections, you may find yourself in a situation were the work isn’t covered by insurance. You also may have to do costly repairs when you sell your home if work was done without permits.”
On June 2 the County Commission approved a 90-day amnesty program that waives penalties and investigative fees on residential construction work done without permits. Homeowners who report work done without permits on their homes from June 2 to Sept. 1 will be subject to paying normal fees for permits and inspections but not penalties.
“The amnesty program coincides with the kickoff of our `Got Permits?’ campaign,” Commissioner Brown said. “We want to educate residential property owners, not penalize them. The amnesty program provides homeowners with an opportunity to come forward to address and resolve any repair work in their home that requires permits and inspections.”
Building officials say work that changes the structural integrity of a room requires a general building permit. Alterations to a home’s electrical, plumbing or mechanical system usually require a related permit as well. Examples include room additions, garage conversions, re-roofing when the roof load is increased, and installing new wiring for new outlets, ceiling fans or light fixtures. Projects that are cosmetic in nature generally do not require permits. Examples include painting, replacing existing doors and windows and light fixtures, or replacing floor coverings and standard items such as toilets or stoves. Other common home improvement projects that require permits include pools and spas, fences and water heaters and water softeners.
In conjunction with the kickoff of the “Got Permits?” campaign, Development Services also unveiled a new page on its Web site that allows homeowners to obtain plumbing permits for water heaters and water softeners online. Customers can go directly to the site to fill out and submit their application for a water heater or water softener permit, and pay for it online with a credit card. The permit is emailed to customers when the transaction is complete. Upon installation of the items, homeowners can then schedule an inspection online or call Development Services directly at (702) 455-3000. All permit fees include the cost of inspections. The department launched a pilot program last year with commercial customers to test its ability to offer permits for water heaters and water softeners online. “We continue to strive to provide enhanced services to all the citizens of Clark County,” said Lynn. “In the future we’ll be expanding the program to cover other types of projects that lend themselves to online submissions.”
Applications for building and related permits for all other projects besides water heaters and water softeners need to be submitted in person, along with any necessary project plans, at Development Services’ Permit Application Center, located at 4701 W. Russell Road or at the department’s offices in Laughlin or Overton. The time it takes to get a permit depends on the complexity of the project. Permit applications and plans for many small home improvement and repair project such as patio covers and enclosures can be processed over the counter while you wait. Plan reviews for new homes or major remodeling projects may take three days to a week. Fees for building permits and plan reviews are based on the construction value of projects. A fee calculator is available online to help homeowners determine fees. Homeowners also can call Development Services’ Russell Road office at (702) 455-8010 to speak with a building permit specialist for help calculating fees. Phone numbers for the department’s office in Laughlin is (702) 298-2436 and Overton is (702) 397-8087.
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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 15th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 44 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The county also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development. In 2009, Clark County celebrates a “century of service.”