When do you need permits to remodel a bathroom?

It’s easy to understand why bathroom remodels are one of the most popular home renovation projects. We demand a lot from our bathrooms! In turn, upgrading to space-efficient tubs, tub-to-shower conversions, faucets, and toilets make daily life better. Building codes, however, dictate how far you can go with changes before requiring a permit. Do you need permits to remodel a bathroom?

The short answer is, you usually need permits to remodel a bathroom. Most contractors know in advance which projects need a permit but, you should be aware of these requirements in order to avoid getting fined.

There is a general rule that if your bathroom remodels consists of construction work related to structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical upgrade, you entail getting a permit.

The most noticeable thing is that you need permission for the related construction work on load-bearing structures, building envelope enhancements, and improvements regarding egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance, no matter how small the project might be.

In fact, a kitchen remodel in Seattle is necessary to get permits for these grey areas as following:

Plumbing permit

If you simply substitute your faucets and toilet, you will possibly be able to forgo this permit. 

Otherwise, for those remodel projects taking place a significant bathroom rebuilt; homeowners have to conceivably get a plumbing permit. Any construction work that will change your existing bathroom layout, for instance, replacing a tub having 2″ drain to be code-compliant, a plumbing permit would be acquired to avoid getting fined. Another upgrade that might force you to get a plumbing permit is to switch from galvanized pipes to copper or PEX or some improvements to the plumbing behind the walls.

Electrical permit

An electrical permit is required when you install, alter, extend, or connect electrical wiring to any electrical equipment, including signs. If you simply replace broken or damaged electrical outlets, light fixtures, and light switches with a like replacement, you don’t have to obtain an electrical permit. Keep in mind that a grounded outlet cannot be placed in an ungrounded box and you should hire an authorized electrician to install grounded GFI outlet for your family safety

For a bathroom innovation, you can usually only get a Construction Permit – Subject-to-Field-Inspection (STFI). There are some tips on getting permit approval and the fee schedule can be found from the Seattle Department of Planning and Development. When you apply for comparatively simple construction projects that do not require extensive plan review, Seattle will issue these permits on the same day.

Inspections

Depending upon the scope of your project, there may be inspections included in your permit fee along the way. Employing a reputable contractor who is knowledgeable in building codes could save a significant amount of time without doing extra work. If your construction project is eligible for an STFI building permit (see above), it would be up to the inspector to guarantee that you follow current building codes rather than an office worker inspecting your projects before they are completed. 

In case that you’ve hired a general contractor, you should probably go through these below steps: 

• You need to go through your first inspection, which is called the rough-in inspection. Once all the wiring and plumbing are set up but before the walls are closed up, electrical, plumbing, and building inspectors will be arranged by your contractor to make sure that your kitchen progress is up to code. 
• Another round of inspection will take place once your progress is finished. When there are adjustments that need to be made, you’ll be given a checklist of items to be changed. Another appointment with the inspectors should be scheduled to verify it was fixed properly. 
• Before getting the building inspector’s final approval, your general contractor will test for proper installation of items such as insulation on exterior walls to ensure that the plumbing and electrical inspectors have signed off.