First Step: Get a Permit

Building application and approval processes vary from town to town and district to district, but most municipalities will review plans and approve them directly through the building or planning office. Some will let you pay the fee and walk away with the permit to post in your window.

Other municipalities will require an appearance before the zoning or planning board prior to issuing approval. How closely they monitor your project and how difficult your permit is to obtain depend on a number of factors, primarily the size of the addition, whether it can be seen from the exterior, the degree to which it impacts the building footprint, and where your house is located.

In San Antonio, TX, a standard building permit for additions under 1,000 square feet that are a single story tall can be obtained immediately. “For a residential room addition of less than 1,000 square feet, all we need is a site plan showing the dimensions and setbacks,” says Jacob Sanchez of the San Antonio Building Department. Any addition that is more than 1,000 square feet or is two stories tall or more requires a plan review. “The review takes anywhere from 10 to 15 days,” Sanchez says. For an additional fee, homeowners can put a rush on their review, cutting the wait time to about five days.