Yeah, the digital forms are a mixed bag. I like having a record, but half the time I’m guessing what they actually want. Last month, I had to resubmit my solar panel plans because the file name wasn’t “correctly formatted.” No clue what that even meant until I called.
Curious—has anyone tried calling the permit office and actually gotten a straight answer? Or is it just as confusing over the phone?
Curious—has anyone tried calling the permit office and actually gotten a straight answer? Or is it just as confusing over the phone?
Honestly, it’s hit or miss. I had a similar issue with a deck permit last year. The online form flagged my “support beam detail” file because of a space in the name—seriously, just a space. I called, and after three transfers, someone finally explained their naming convention (all caps, underscores, no spaces). Not exactly intuitive. My tip: write down the exact words they use and ask them to spell it out. Saves a ton of back-and-forth. Still, I’d say the phone’s only slightly less confusing than the forms.
Permit office phone calls are a whole adventure. I’ve got an old Victorian, so every time I need to fix something, it’s like a game of “guess what code applies this year.” Last time, I called about replacing a window and the first person told me I needed historic commission approval, the second said I didn’t, and the third just read me the website. Ended up emailing photos and hand-drawing what I wanted—somehow that worked better than any form or phone call.
Honestly, half the time I feel like they’re making it up as they go. My advice: keep notes on who you talked to and what they said, because you’ll probably get a different answer next week. And yeah, naming files is its own weird ritual... underscores, no spaces, all caps—like we’re back in 1998. At this point, I just expect at least one round of rejection before anything gets approved. Keeps me humble, I guess.
Getting denied is almost a rite of passage with these old houses. Here’s what I usually do when the permit office throws me a curveball:
- Review the denial letter closely. Sometimes it’s just missing info or a technicality, not a hard “no.”
- Call (or email) and ask for clarification—ideally, get the same person twice, but that’s wishful thinking.
- If it’s about historic status, I double-check if my property is actually listed or just “contributing.” That changes everything.
- Sketches and photos help, but I’ve found attaching product specs or manufacturer cut sheets can speed things up. They like seeing exactly what you’re using.
- Keep a running doc with every conversation, date, and what was said. It’s tedious but has saved me more than once when someone contradicted themselves later.
- If you get conflicting answers, sometimes asking for a supervisor (nicely) gets you a more definitive ruling.
Honestly, half the time it feels like they’re making up new rules on the spot. But persistence usually pays off...eventually. And yeah, those file naming conventions are straight out of dial-up days—no idea why that hasn’t changed.
Keep a running doc with every conversation, date, and what was said. It’s tedious but has saved me more than once when someone contradicted themselves later.
Couldn’t agree more—documenting everything is a lifesaver. I’d add, if you’re dealing with structural changes, sometimes bringing in a licensed architect or engineer to stamp your plans can cut through a lot of red tape. They tend to take stamped drawings more seriously, even if it costs a bit up front. Also, I’ve found that dropping off paper copies in person (instead of relying on their online portal) sometimes gets things moving faster... weirdly enough.
