Permits & Plans
Bay Area Permit & Plan Services
Permits are where Bay Area projects stall. Our team prepares complete, correction-resistant submittals and walks them through the city for you.
Every Bay Area city runs its own permit process — San Jose's SJePermits portal, Sunnyvale's One-Stop Permit Center, Palo Alto's notoriously thorough plan check. Incomplete submittals bounce back with correction lists that add months. The fix is simple but requires experience: submit complete, code-annotated plans the first time.
We pull permits in these cities week in, week out. Whether you need full plans drawn, an over-the-counter sign-off, or a stalled application rescued, our team knows the checklists, the reviewers' priorities, and the fastest path through each building department.
Why clients choose BARC
Complete Plan Sets
Architectural, structural, Title 24, and CALGreen documentation prepared to each city's submittal checklist.
Permit Expediting
We file, track, and respond to corrections fast — often same-week — to keep your application moving.
Restaurant & Health Permits
County Environmental Health plan check, grease interceptor sizing, and hood/fire submittals handled in parallel.
Unpermitted Work Legalization
As-built drawings and retroactive permits to clear violations before a sale or refinance.
Owner-Builder Support
Doing the build yourself? We'll produce the plans and get the permit; you swing the hammer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long do building permits take in the Bay Area?+
Typical 2026 timelines: over-the-counter same-day for water heaters or re-roofs; 2–8 weeks for kitchen/bath remodels; 1–3 months for additions; up to 60 days for ADUs (state cap); 2–5 months for restaurants because county health review runs alongside building review. Complete submittals land at the fast end.
What happens if I remodel without a permit?+
Unpermitted work surfaces at sale time — buyers' inspectors and appraisers flag it, lenders may refuse the loan, and cities can require exposing finished work for inspection plus penalty fees. Legalizing later costs more than permitting upfront. We legalize unpermitted work regularly and can scope the cleanest path.
How much do permits cost?+
Cities charge based on project valuation. Rough 2026 figures: $1,500–$5,000 for a kitchen or bath remodel; $8,000–$20,000+ for additions and ADUs once plan check, school fees (additions over 500 sq ft), and utility fees stack up. ADUs under 750 sq ft are exempt from impact fees statewide.
Can you take over a permit application that's stuck?+
Yes — rescuing stalled applications is a core service. We audit the correction list, fix the drawings, resubmit, and meet with plan checkers directly when needed.
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