Los Angeles building codes are among the most complicated, rigorous, and time-consuming in the United States.  Complying with them entails getting the approval of numerous agencies, just to commence work in the first place.  The following is a look at some of the departments you may have to deal with.

Public Works Department

This agency will review your plans for potential flood hazards and storm drainage issues.  If this office decides that the area in which you want to build is flood-prone, it can deny your request altogether, or require expensive modifications to your plans.  The department can also disapprove your plans if it foresees issues related to grading or soil conditions.

Geo-Technical and Materials Engineering Division

You may have to deal with this office if your plans might possibly affect geological stability or soil conditions in the area that you want to build in.  Your plans might be denied by this department altogether, unless you can prove that you have the wherewithal to deal with any concerns it has.

Construction Division

You’ll visit this office to get your encroachment permit, which you will need for any work within public rights-of-way, such as curb breaks.

Regional Planning Department

If you’re planning to build in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles, then this office will evaluate your plans.  The officials will want to see that they meet all applicable regulations involving zoning, height, lot locations, number of stories, vehicular access, and parking spaces.

Los Angeles County Fire Department

Before you can erect a structure in Los Angeles, the fire department must determine whether it will be able to tap into sufficient water resources to extinguish the flames, in case it ever burns down.  The local water purveyor will make this determination.  If he or she says that not enough water can be locally accessed, then you will need to see the people at the Plan Check Unit, to see if you can get a variance on this requirement.  In addition, this department must also approve all projects proposed in buffer fire zones, Fire Zone 4, or areas rated as Very High Hazard Severity Zones.

Health Services

If you will be using a private septic system (as opposed to city sewers), then this department will review your plans to ensure that they meet its requirements.  Their decision will be based on soil percolation tests, geo-technical reports, and dwelling floor plans.

Local School District

You will be dealing with these people if the city determines that you owe developer fees for new residential housing units or expansions of existing ones.

Los Angeles County Public Libraries Department

If you’re planning to build in an unincorporated part of Los Angeles, then you’ll be issuing payments to this department before your permit is approved.

Los Angeles County Sanitation District

You’ll visit these people when you write out your check to them to be connected to the city sewage system.

The California Coastal Commission

If the land you wish to build in is designated as a “coastal zone,” then you must first obtain the necessary permits from this department.  If you’re unsure whether or not your property falls within coastal zone, then you will need to visit your local Building and Safety Office for clarification.

We Could Go On, and On, and On…

But we think you get the point.  Complying with Los Angeles building codes is nearly impossible without the help of highly experienced permit expeditors like the ones at Burnham Nationwide.  We can guide your building request through the nearly-endless maze of departments, offices, fees, permits, and inspections required.  Contact Burnham today to get the process started.

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Los Angeles is becoming greener by the day, and one sign of that is the growing presence of photovoltaic panels across the city.  So, if you’re considering using the sun to help provide your energy needs, then we congratulate you on being both thrifty and environmentally conscious.  As solar panel inspection experts, we also recommend that you let our building code consultants make sure that your project’s plans meets all applicable building and fire codes.  L.A.’s regulations regarding solar power installations are reasonable, but also rather stringent.  Here are just some of the many things the city will expect to see on your plans:

• The building’s footprint and north reference point
• The locations of all on-site structures
• The street address of the building
• All access points from the street to the buildings
• The locations of the solar arrays
• The locations of all disconnects
• The locations of all required signage
• The locations of all required access pathways
• The locations of all required markings, warning signs, and labels

The city will also need elevation views of the buildings on your property.  They will need to show the following:

• Placement of the arrays
• Ridgelines for the roof
• Eave lines
• All equipment on the roof
• Skylights, roof hatches, vent lines, and all other objects present on the roof

In addition, you should provide photographs of the area where the array is to be placed.  This will assist city officials in evaluating the feasibility of your plans.

Regulations Regarding Labels, Warning Signs, and Marking

City codes are detailed in their requirements for all signage, as it will be referenced by emergency responders in the event of a fire on the premises.  Here’s a list of some of the things they will be looking for:

1. Markings inside the main service disconnect.  These must be placed on the exterior cover if the main service disconnect can be operated with the service panel closed.
2. For commercial buildings, the marking must be adjacent to the main service disconnect.  It must be clearly visible from the point where the lever is operated.
3. The verbiage on the markings must read CAUTION: SOLAR ELECTRIC CONNECTED.
4. It must be white lettering on a red background.  All letters must be capitals and be a minimum height of 3/8 of an inch.  The font used must be Arial or something similar, and the letters cannot be in bold.
5. The material used for the markings must be reflective and weather resistant.

For DC conduits, enclosures, raceways, DC combiners, junction boxes, and cable assemblies, the following is required of all markings:

1. They must be placed every 10 feet.
2. The verbiage must read CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT.
3. Markings will also be required at turns, above and below penetrations, and on all DC combiners and junction boxes.

Regulations Regarding Access Pathways and Smoke Ventilation

For one and two family dwellings, the following are some of the requirements you will be expected to meet:

1. For buildings with a hip roof layout, solar panels must provide a three-foot wide access pathway from the ridge to the eave, on each slope where panels are placed.  The access pathways must be located along load-bearing walls or other structurally strong points of the building.
2. For buildings with a single ridge, the panels must provide two three-foot access pathways, from the eave to the ridge, on each slope where the panels are placed.  Access pathways cannot include any eave’s overhang.
3. Panels cannot be placed closer than 1.5 feet to a hip or valley, if they are placed on both sides of the hip or valley.
4. If the panels are placed on only one side of a hip or valley of equal lengths, then the panels can be located directly adjacent to the hip or valley.
5. In cases where there are two or more access pathways, the clear pathways must be arranged so that there are no dead ends longer than 25 feet.  Any access pathways that leads to a dead end if greater than 25 feet in distance, it must continue on to the next access pathway.  However, at no time can any access pathway cause an individual’s travel to be greater than 150 feet prior to arriving at another access pathway.
6. Arrays of photovoltaic panels must not exceed 150 feet by 150 feet in dimension.  This applies to both axes.
7. Panels must have a clearance of at least three feet below the ridge, UNLESS the fire department has determined that an approved method or product will provide equal or greater opportunities for ventilation.

For housing units intended for three or more families, additional regulations must be met to pass solar panel inspection.  These are spelled out in detail on fire department and building safety department websites.

Further Rules and Guidelines

The locations of your wiring systems and raceways are also important.  They must be as close to the ridge, hip, or valley as possible.  Conduit runs must follow the shortest paths from the array to the DC combiner box.  Those combiner boxes must be located so that conduit runs in the pathways between the arrays are minimized.  DC wiring must run along the bottoms of load-bearing walls.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

The city has many other rules that must be followed when solar panel arrays are installed.  Though all of this may sound excessive, in reality, it’s not.  Every sub-section of every heading of every page in the manual of regulations is there because it helps to ensure not only your safety but also that of your residents, your neighbors, and the public at large.

That being said, we hope that you can understand how important it is to have the help of a company like Burnham Nationwide.  We’re experienced building code consultants and can perform many types of third party inspection.  If there are problems in your setup, we will see them and point them out, allowing you to make the necessary changes so that you can pass when the fire marshal does come out to look over your project.  Let our expertise help you avoid needless delays.  Contact us today.

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If you live in the Los Angeles area, then you’ve probably seen this happen more times than you can count.  Construction begins on a new home or business, reaches a certain point, and then stops, either never to begin again or to resume after several months have passed.  What’s behind these weird delays?  Usually, it’s because the permit process has hit a snag, and the builder is dealing with city hall.  Meanwhile, the partially finished project is left to the mercies of the elements.  That’s the harsh reality of dealing with the complex and confusing world of Los Angeles building permits.

How the Building Permit Process Works in L.A.

All structural projects in the city must first be approved by the Department of Building and Safety. The main office is located at 201 North Figueroa.  The process can either be relatively straightforward or long and drawn out, depending on a wide variety of factors.  Some of the many things that can cause delays include:

• Overlay zoning decisions
• ZAA hearing outcomes
• Changes in planning ordinances
• Zoning designation conflicts

The location of your property will be a major factor in how long the process takes.  Some of the ways that land is divvied up by the Department of Building and Safety include:

• Hilly areas
• Q condition specific plan areas
• Enterprise zones
• General specific plan areas
• Historic preservation zones

It’s important to understand how city officials deal with each of these areas before paying an architect or engineer to draw up plans.  Otherwise, you may be denied permission to build, even after you have invested significant funds.

Next Stop: The Department of City Planning

Your next stop along the way is the Los Angeles Department of City Planning.  Their concern isn’t so much that your project will be structurally sound, but rather that it is permissible at all, given the zoning regulations of the area in which you plan to build.  It can take a while for them to reach a decision.

Back to the Department of Building and Safety

Assuming that the zoning department gives your project the green light, you will submit your completed plans to the building and safety people.  It’s important to find a designer who is familiar with how they think.  Their officials are quick to reject proposals for the slightest of reasons.

They will spend a month or so going over your plan, just to ensure that it all meets their approval.  During this stage, it’s possible that they will approve your proposal, reject all of it, reject part of it, or call you in to answer questions.  When – and if – your project gets their okay, you can then move on to obtaining your Los Angeles building permits.

This doesn’t mean that you are done with the city’s bureaucracy, however.  It only means that the initial phase of construction may commence.  Further inspections, waiting periods, and red tape await you throughout the entire process.  Any failure on your part to dot an “I” or cross a “t” in their eyes can cost you months of further delays.

Sound Stressful?  It is, but we can help.

Here at Burnham Nationwide, we understand how convoluted and frustrating the process of obtaining Los Angeles building permits can be.  As permit expeditors, we have the knowledge, contacts, and expertise to be your guide through the maze of bureaucratic regulations that come with doing construction in L.A.  We can help you to avoid costly delays, getting your project completed on time and within budget.  So, put us to work for you today and see how we can simplify your life.

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As we celebrate our first 20 years, we can’t help but wonder what’s in store for the next 20? Our valued clients associate Burnham with the uniform, a tailored blue button down with an orange Burnham logo. With confidence, we can say this branding effort has made us a fixture in City Hall, in Chicago where it all began and in thousands of municipalities nationwide. Efficiencies will be created and processes improved as we continue to leverage existing and new technologies. Our commitment to the global adoption of sustainable building and development practices will bloom bigger and brighter.

 We do know that the next 20 years will go by faster than our first – and we have already initiated efforts to improve our process and systems to enable everyone to be more productive:

 > All of our teams are utilizing iPhones, equipped with the best applications to simplify efforts in exchanging and processing information timely.  

> We have partnered with Avolve Software, Inc. and their ProjectDox™ application that will allow us to process electronic drawings, perform plan reviews, and deliver information more efficiently and effectively.

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A comprehensive national rollout often requires construction related permits from a variety of jurisdictions, departments and agencies. Our Nationwide division, working with our local circles of support, is now able to provide retailers, architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, property managers, and construction managers with expert permitting and code consulting solutions geared to their specific needs.

Through our Nationwide division we’ve helped companies such as Chase Bank, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Marriott, Starbucks and many others with their multiple location construction agendas. Our permit technicians have helped normalize the disparate permit processes for thousands of unique municipal authorities and construction projects throughout the country!

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“I was contacted by Burnham Nationwide’s San Jose office and met with Greg Sellers during a Solar convention he was attending. I had started a company 18 months prior, specializing in gas station permitting work throughout California based on a mandate of enhanced vapor recovery, from state air quality folks. With a fueling background from Mobil Oil and Hertz Corporation, I was able to help over 130 independent dealers pull their needed permits to achieve compliance.

Greg mentioned the parent company, Burnham Nationwide, specialized in building permitting services, and while his office was focused on solar efforts, he asked if I would be interested in helping out the Chicago office with permitting projects for several Chase bank branches in the Los Angeles area. The projects were a great success and we decided this could be a permanent thing. I returned home, found a small starter office and Burnham Los Angeles was born.

While we are fairly new to the Burnham family, we have moved, doubled office space and are poised for growth and market share in Southern California. Happy 20th Anniversary Burnham, it’s great to be here.”

- Fred Weaver, Burnham – Los Angeles

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California Building Codes and Los Angeles Building Codes include a number of provisions that address the environmental quality of projects. These provisions must be followed, and they are an integral part of the codes that govern almost every project that is developed in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, developers cannot just follow one simple set of codes. They must adhere to the correct state building codes for their project, as well as the state’s environmental codes, and Los Angeles’ environmental quality codes. These codes include directives that concern everything from water usage to alternative fuels.

For instance, developers who are working on single family homes, duplexes, and town homes that are less than three stories high must adhere to the environmental quality regulations that are outlined in the CRC (California Residential Code), as well as the environmental guidelines that are outlined in other pieces of legislation. Developers who are working on all other types of structures must adhere to the CBC (California Building Code). As most contractors know, in addition to both of these codes, they must also follow the provisions that are outlined by the CGBSC (California Green Building Standards Code).

The CGBSC mandates that all homes and buildings must be built using practices that are sustainable and energy efficient. The construction practices on these projects must also strive to use water efficiently, conserve materials, and improve the quality of the environment. Architects, engineers, contractors, and other professionals who are an integral part of the project must utilize all three of these state codes. These professionals must be intimately familiar with these codes to ensure that their proposals are submitted correctly under the provisions of the state building codes. The state will not approve any plans that are not in compliance with all of the applicable building codes. When a developer, a contractor, or other professional submits plans that are not approved, they face delays in their projects. These delays can add excessive costs and time to their project.

As well as keeping track of all of these guidelines, Los Angeles developers must also keep close track of the Los Angeles Building Codes that are unique to their city. Keeping track of these codes can seem like a full time job. Luckily, the professionals at Burnham are available to lift this onerous burden off of their clients. They specialize in making sure that their clients’ proposals are consistent with all of the relevant codes and environmental quality regulations, and they take all of the necessary steps to ensure that their clients’ proposals are approved. This helps to prevent delays and save money.

In addition to California building codes and Los Angeles Building Codes, developers must also adhere to the statutes that are outlined by the California Environmental Quality Act. This landmark act was passed in 1970, and other cities are still modeling their environmental guidelines after this act. The regulations outlined in this act do not directly affect developers. Rather, they regulate how state and local agencies govern the environmental impacts of projects in their area.

Due to this act, many agencies are now requiring projects to meet some of the following criteria: fifteen percent of the vehicles used in projects must run on alternative fuel, fifty percent of a project’s waste must be recycled, and ten percent of the building materials used in a project must be local. In some cases, these measures are also extended to cover things like car-pooling, how long equipment is idle, carbon credits, and other issues.

Some projects, however, are not required to follow the regulations that are outlined by CEQA. For instance, ministerial projects, projects that do not seem to have a large impact on the environment, and other ones that have a statutory exemption are not required to meet CEQA regulations. In addition, the maintenance of existing buildings is not required to meet the standards outlined in this act. Figuring out which codes your project must meet and which ones it is exempt from can be difficult.

The consultants at Burnham have been working closely with local and state officials in California for over a generation. They have connections that help them anticipate when certain codes are changing, and they know exactly which parts of the CEQA, the California Building Codes, and the Los Angeles Building Codes are applicable to your next project. For more information about how to make your project meet the necessary codes and environmental guidelines, you can contact the professionals at Burnham. They can ensure that your project meets the required codes, and they can help further boost the environmental integrity of your project by providing LEED consulting services to you as well.

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At Burnham Nationwide, we can provide our clients with green building consultants whose job it is to work directly with project managers, building owners, architects, and engineers. Their role is to advise these professionals about the best ways of integrating green technologies into their next building project. Their advice concerns how to meet USGBC’s LEED certification standards as well as how to integrate green technologies that will save the building’s owner money and increase the property’s ultimate resale value. We can tailor our advice to fit the needs of your particular project.

When you speak with our green building consultants, you will discover things that you may have never realized about green technologies and methods. Some of the emerging technologies are simply too expensive to be useful right now. However, every day technologies have become more pervasive and more affordable. Our consultants can help you discover which ones are right for your project. Their experience gives them the necessary skills to crunch the numbers regarding each technology. For instance, they can help you figure out how much it will cost to implement certain technologies. These technologies could be anything from toxin absorbent paints to green roofing materials that help filter air to certain types of solar energy panels. After they help you estimate installation costs, our consultants can assist you with ascertaining the long-term value of these efforts. When looking at the long-term value, they will consider things such as how much energy you will save, how the technology will affect the security of the building’s occupants, and how it will eventually affect the property’s value.

At Burnham, we are committed to pursuing environmental excellence and creating structures that are more welcoming, more energy-efficient, more attractive, and finally, more profitable than their non-green counterparts. We extend this level of commitment to our clients so that their next project can achieve these goals. Our consultants are also trained in LEED certification standards, and we ensure that we take you through all of the necessary steps so that you receive all of the relevant tax credits and recognition that are associated with this program.

At Burnham, we believe in tailoring our offerings to your needs. If you are interested in educating your team members about the benefits of our green building practices, we can offer that to you as well. We are interested in providing professionals with information on the benefits of green building and giving them the knowledge that they need to implement these practices into their commercial or residential buildings. In addition to providing education, we can help the designers of your project add green elements.

When it comes to being green, our business model is built around a serious set of principles. We are one of the nation’s leaders in the progression of the green building movement. We serve all kinds of clients, and we offer services that address the needs of almost all types of buildings and projects. If you want someone to work with you on your next project, we would love to speak with you. Our green building consultants use proven methods, and they have the experience and organizational skills to be with you through every step of your project from drafting the plans to filing the paperwork to completing it all. We have helped many of our clients earn their LEED certifications. We have worked with projects that have focused on everything from building schools to revamping existing apartment blocks to meet contemporary green standards. To see some of our achievements, you only need to browse through our website and look at our client testimonials. We have a formula for success that allows us to help our clients execute even the most difficult and innovative projects.

Because we have been working with clients in so many capacities for so many years, we know what will help them the most. We have close relationships with the building officials in most cities. This makes the entire process of applying for permits much more streamlined and straightforward. In addition, we have also worked closely with the officials of the USGBC, and we understand what needs to be completed and filed for a project to earn their LEED certification. We let our connections and experience work for you.

At Burnham, we do not want to just sell you a service. Instead, we want to provide you with value. We give this to you in the form of our collective experience. Our experience provides the necessary leadership and technical knowledge for your next project. Our staff consists of renowned professionals with extensive knowledge about architecture, engineering and design. We are committed to facilitating and educating our clients to affect real change in the building industry. At Burnham, we believe that green buildings should be more than just the right design or a certain construction. We believe that they should be high-performing spaces that benefit their owners and their occupants. This belief allows us to help create buildings that offer more than they consume. It allows us to help create buildings that give back to the environment and the economy of their communities.  These are the commitments that you will get when working with any of our consultants.

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Keeping track of Los Angeles building codes can be a difficult job for even the most detail-oriented contractor. However, figuring out when your project may be eligible for zoning variances can be even more difficult. Every contractor knows that zoning variances are when the city allows an exception to their usual zoning laws. Variances are usually approved when the property is used in a way that is mostly consistent with the code but has small differences.

The Burnham experience means that we can help you determine which variances are likely to get approved by the approval board. We streamline this process, often accompanied by hassles, to save you time and money. Our years of experience, combined with our close relationships with city officials, means that we have in-depth knowledge about zoning ordinances and building codes as well as changes to the codes and the laws. We understand what the city wants, what neighbors’ concerns may be, and how to submit requests that are likely to get approved. One of our main objectives is to get everything approved so that there are no hold-ups and so that no issues escalate into disputes or zoning conflicts.

While our Burnham team is guiding you through your zoning variance request, you can expect that we will study the relevant codes in each zone and thus predict where any potential problems may occur. Then we can work to circumnavigate those potential problems. We have experts that understand every aspect of getting a variance approved, from the impact the variance may have on traffic to its impact on the environment. Understanding the far-reaching effects of a variance is part of why we are so successful in getting variance requests approved.

Before you submit your request for zoning variances, you should speak with our consultants at Burnham. Our business connections mean that we understand the Los Angeles building codes, often have preemptive knowledge of changes, and know how to manipulate the approval process. We gladly offer our clients the benefits of our years of experience.

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