Getting permits is a big hurdle for many pool builders, often causing up to 3-month delays.
Some municipalities switched to online systems for permits, which has been a significant change since the pandemic. But, these digital setups might be less bright than we’d hoped, sometimes just covering up old slow-downs rather than fixing them.
To tackle this, some builders, like Green Scene in Illinois, hire permit runners with deep construction knowledge, particularly in pools, to communicate effectively with permit offices and clarify project details.
This approach can expedite project starts, cutting costs and making offices run more smoothly.
Permit headaches
However, it often involves manual methods such as spreadsheets and note-taking to compile and organize the “pet peeve sheets.” In the case of Green Scene, they sift through past permit documentation to see what questions and corrections are made, not only from city to city, but also specific to each individual plan checker.This time-consuming manual process allows for a detailed and tailored approach to each permit application based on historical data and interactions with plan checkers.
Your data is power
However, using a turnkey virtual inspection & permitting platform transforms days into hours and hours into minutes by digitizing the process of creating “pet peeve sheets”.
Now, the platform drives the collection, organization, and data analysis of past inspections and permit applications, building up a robust knowledge base. For instance, our Permit Hub system handles permit tracking, notarization, plan review status, and inspection updates.
The document workflow engine automates tracking common issues and preferences of individual plan checkers, making the information readily accessible and more efficiently used in preparing for new permit processes.
Enterprising teams may compile lists of common issues and queries encountered during permit applications based on past experiences with different cities and individual plan checkers. This preparation aims to anticipate and address potential concerns beforehand, streamlining the permit process for each project.
Inspected.com could help with a situation like clearing a backlog of permits, similar to a case where local teams had to tackle permits lingering for 150-180 days.
The platform could make it easier to manage these permits, especially for pools that are 99% complete but require a final check, often called a life safety inspection. While some inspections might require an in-person visit, Inspected.com could handle many aspects virtually, speeding up the process.
We must also bear in mind that. The expediters or permit runners in the construction industry have shifted significantly. Previously, they often had insider experience and could physically submit and expedite permit applications.
Permits in the digital age
With the shift to online applications, the insider advantage has diminished, turning expediters more into administrative roles. Additionally, their services can be costly without speeding up the permit process.
Pool builders can close gaps in permitting by digitizing their operations and removing manual processes associated with permitting. The latest inspection workflow engine generation feeds off a team of private inspectors, engineers & architects collaborating with pool builders inside one platform.
Moving in this direction deploys a virtual inspection process that promises to wrap up in less than 10 minutes for #PoolContractors rather than stretch on for hours.