11-11-2007, 04:01 AM
quote:
...Most building dept.s charge to get copies of the filed plans. It costs, usually dollars per copy page....but here you can get the permit pulled information for free, but it only has the codes, applicant & dates, nothing about the work actually done. It is hard enough to track down work done a few years ago, impossible for 3 decades & multiple owners ago... I would gladly pay a fee to get the permitted plans. I have talked to a number of trade guys (that was a discussion topic at a remodel job today) who agree, to actually have the original plans when doing remodel work would be helpful.
I whole heartedly agree! I have needed some plans before - what I did to circumvent this issue was to see who drew them - we tracked it back that way and got a copy of the "unstamped sheets" - better than nothing...
As for the not having plans - the County bldgs up to this new one/remodel of old JC Penny's bldg - had been flooded out at least twice. When the old JC penny's mall flooded the roof caved in over the top of the "temp offices"...(about where the new bldg is going up now). Also in 1992 (??) there was a flood that ruined most of the info for Bldg and DOH..... so it maybe they are doign the best they can with what they have.
What I do like about Calif permitting is that you can take it in on a disk / submit online in some cases... But then again we don't have the traffic they have to get to the Bldg Dept...... Give a little / get a little ... huh?
Also - and here's a big thing for me - I have run into a old clerk in HD and she gave me info standing right there in line. Cant get that kinda service in Calif! ha ha