ADU Permits in Austin: The HOME Initiative and SF-3 Zone Explained
Austin ADU Permits: Building an accessory dwelling unit in Austin can be a practical way to add housing, create space for family members, generate rental income, or make better use of an existing property. But getting an ADU approved is not as simple as drawing a small building in the backyard and submitting it for […]
Texas Pool Permit Requirements (IRC R326 Explained)
Planning to build a swimming pool in Texas involves more than choosing the pool size, shape, and location. Before construction begins, homeowners need to consider permits, property setbacks, drainage, electrical work, plumbing, safety barriers, and local building requirements. One of the most important parts of a residential pool project is the pool barrier. A properly […]
HB 14: Texas’s 45-Day Permit Decision Rule
For Texas contractors, builders, developers, and property owners, permit delays can quickly become a serious project problem. A delayed building permit can push back construction, affect subcontractor schedules, increase financing costs, and create uncertainty around the project’s completion date. Texas House Bill 14, commonly called HB 14, introduced a third-party review and inspection process intended […]
Site Plan vs. Full Drawing Set: Which Does Your Texas Project Need?
Site Plan vs Full Drawing Set: When planning a construction or improvement project in Texas, one of the first questions property owners and contractors face is what type of drawings they actually need. A simple project may only require a site plan showing the property and proposed improvements, while a more complex project may require […]
Bexar County’s Building Permit Authorization: The Step Most Drafters Miss
Getting a Bexar County Building Permit Authorization is not always as simple as preparing architectural plans and submitting them to the Fire Marshal. For many projects in unincorporated Bexar County, there is an important step that needs to happen before the Fire Marshal can issue the building permit: obtaining a Building Permit Authorization (BPA) from […]
Fort Worth Site Plans: Fire Lanes, Hydrants & Utility Plans Explained
A commercial Fort Worth site plans are more than a drawing showing where a building will sit on a property. The City uses site plans to review important development details such as property boundaries, building placement, parking, driveways, fire lanes, fire hydrants, easements, sidewalks, and utility infrastructure. The City of Fort Worth specifically states that […]
Travis County Commercial Site Plans: Why Yours Must Be Sealed
Travis County Commercial Site Plans involves much more than drawing the location of a building, parking area, and driveway. A commercial site plan must show how the proposed development will address grading, drainage, erosion and sedimentation control, access, environmental conditions, transportation impacts, and other applicable requirements. One of the most important requirements is the professional […]
Houston Chapter 42 Explained: The Code That Replaces Zoning
Houston is unusual compared with many major U.S. cities because it does not have a traditional zoning system that separates property into residential, commercial, industrial, or other land use districts. Instead, development is regulated through city ordinances, subdivision rules, deed restrictions, building regulations, and other requirements. One of the most important rules to understand is […]
Austin Site Plans Under LDC Title 25: What Every Application Needs
Austin Site Plans: Planning a development projects involves more than drawing the location of a building on a property. A site plan must demonstrate how the proposed development fits within the City’s Land Development Code (LDC), environmental requirements, transportation standards, drainage rules, and other applicable regulations. Austin’s Land Development Code, including Titles 25-1 through 25-13, […]