got denied for a permit - what would you do next?

Totally agree, calling can really clear things up. Had a similar headache myself - got stuck in email limbo for weeks over some eco-friendly insulation I wanted approved. Finally called, and turns out they just needed a clearer explanation of the material. Funny how a quick chat can untangle weeks of confusion... Hang in there, you're definitely not alone in permit purgatory.

Calling definitely helps, but honestly, sometimes it just depends on who picks up the phone. Had a client once whose permit got denied over window placement - called repeatedly, explained clearly, still no luck. Eventually, we had to submit revised drawings anyway. So yeah, calls can clear things up...but they're not always a magic fix. Sometimes you just gotta brace yourself for the long haul and jump through the hoops.

Had a similar experience when we were renovating our deck - got denied because the railing height was off by literally an inch. Tried calling to explain it was just a minor oversight, but no dice. Ended up resubmitting everything with new measurements anyway. Makes me wonder, is there a point where it's quicker to just redo the paperwork instead of trying to reason with them on the phone...? Seems like it depends a lot on who's handling your case that day.

Totally agree - sometimes it's way less hassle to just bite the bullet and redo the paperwork. Had a similar issue with window placement once... spent days trying to reason with them, then resubmitted and got approved in 48 hours. Lesson learned: pick your battles carefully.

"spent days trying to reason with them, then resubmitted and got approved in 48 hours."

Yup, sometimes it's just quicker to redo the paperwork than argue your case. If you're denied, my usual go-to is: 1) double-check the rejection reason carefully, 2) tweak your plans slightly to address their concerns (even minor adjustments can help), and 3) resubmit promptly. Had an issue once with a porch extension... wasted a week debating, then resubmitted with a minor tweak and sailed through. Save yourself the headache.