How to Estimate Building Permit Costs Before You Bid
Building permit fees are one of the most unpredictable line items in a construction estimate, and the variance is not small. In some jurisdictions a residential addition triggers a flat fee of $300. In others, the same project generates a sliding-scale base permit, a separate plan review fee, electrical and plumbing trade permits, an impact fee, a technology surcharge, and a school district fee - stacked charges that can push a $150,000 project's permit cost past $8,000. If you don't research the local fee schedule before you bid, you absorb the gap out of your margin.