Building Permit Expediting Services

Knowledge & Focus: The purpose of a Building Permit Expediter is to have an understanding of local building codes, permit types, and submission processes; to advise the most efficient and economical order to execute requirements, especially on complex projects. Their only focus is to secure the permit in a timely manner. 
Time Managed Well: Permit Expediters manage expectations for everyone and can provide an estimated duration for the time it may take to secure a permit or license with the municipality. This allows the project team to coordinate with the contractors to optimize their schedules and other commitments, saving everyone time and money.
Single Permit Manager: Permit Expediters serve the Architect, Owner, Building Manager and/or General Contractor to be the single familiar point of contact with the municipality; disseminating targeted updates to team members or consolidating deliverables from stakeholders to give to the municipality.
Economical: Instead of adding a Code Consultant and Land Use Planner to research and then review every submission cycle, these services are often included in the flat-rate price for the majority of typical projects, like at Burnham. 
Concentrated Experience: Additionally, expeditors have worked on hundreds of projects in many states/jurisdictions. Having someone on your side familiar with the process and local officials is the fastest and most effective way to ensure that permits or licenses arrive properly, the first time, with confidence.

• We encourage you to research yourself first with the municipality directly, but from our experience we suggest if any of these apply to you, give our team a free call to double check.
• You have an important deadline or tight schedule.
• If it's your first time with a renovation or project and unclear if you need formal approvals or a permit
• Unfamiliar with the municipality where you're building, or have a complex project.
• It's a new contractor or team you're working with or haven't worked with each other before. We're great Project Managers!
• Especially if it's a multi-site roll out for a national brand, and coordination is critical. 

• Think of how much faster you do your taxes now than the first time you did them - or do you pay a professional to get you the best deal? Every project is unique, but we guarantee it'll be faster with us than going it alone and learning as you go. We've "been there and done that" 1,000 times. 
• The time to procure the permit/license is saved typically from reduced review cycles with the city - getting it right on the first submission.
• There are much less last minute surprises that could set you back weeks or months; we look at the whole project at the start, thinking of possible needs for street closures, signage, re-zoning, etc. that can be done in parallel with each other instead of sequentially.

• Burnham operates with a 'simply get it done' mindset - and our services are typically a flat rate allowing you to budget precisely. Often other managed service providers charge hourly which can get cumbersome and expand the scope unpredictably.
• Included in our services: In-house team of design and building code professionals with decades of experience to make changes for same-day turn around when our Project Managers encounter issues. A CRM database with over 20 years of referenceable contacts, municipal requirements from everywhere we've done a project, and the plans/documents we submitted - in a secure cloud-based environment. 

• Often if Burnham takes on a project mid-submission there's a strong possibility of having to restart the process with the city.
• This may be worth restarting if the scope or complexity grew mid-project, or if other factors weren't considered like zoning, or there are building code concerns, historical landmark approvals needed or if the project team is having difficulty fulfilling required documents. 
• Due to shifts in working remotely and municipalities becoming more online and adapting to new software or approvals flows, they may be backlogged occasionally and out of anyone's control, and waiting is just part of the process. 

• Commercial projects are the majority of Burnham's project load as they are larger, more complex and require more approvals, but residential projects are a large part of our business as well. There is no project too big or too small, commercial or residential, that Burnham cannot assist with. 

• Rule of Thumb: A building permit is required for new building construction, renovations, the installation of heating and cooling systems, or any plumbing or electrical work.
• General project types that often require Permits are: Additions, Basement work, Carports, Chimney work, Conversion or Deconversion of multi-units, Outdoor Decks, Demolition, Driveways, Electrical/plumbing System work, Fencing, HVAC work, Garages, Gut Rehabs, How water heater, Masonry Work, Security Alarms, and Roofing.

All 50 States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

We have several satellite offices located in: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Denver and Dallas. 

If you have local expertise and would like to establish a Burnham Office in your city, visit our Careers Page and let's grow together. 

• Zoning is important to look at before you build - Can you do what you want to do where you want to. And can that change? Don't sign you lease without confirming with the city that your business activity can occur at that address.
• If renovating - we encourage using our Building Code Group to makes sure structurally everything is sound and in compliance with accessibility requirements.
• Looking at what operating Licenses/special inspections could be required for Food Service, Healthcare facilities, business operation, signage and seating capacities. 
• Environmental/Health Grinding permits.