A roundabout beginning

Around 1995 there was major flooding along the Russian River. It was not the first time it had flooded but coming so close to the 1986 record flood many people decided to take their insurance money and raise their homes out of harm's way.  As a contractor at the time I quickly had 6 homes to lift and I needed plans to get permits. To make a long story short,  soon I was drawing residential plans for everything from house lifts to additions to decks.  Truth be told, they were not the neatest plans ever seen, and I took a bit of kidding from the permitting agencies and other contractors, but they had what was needed. I could get plans through the building departments and I could then go to work. A few years later I taught myself how to use a Computer Aided Design (CAD) program for my plans.  Soon I was getting complements and more drawing jobs.

There was a hitch.  I could draw clear and straightforward plans by now, but if I gave them to the client to get the permit there were problems. It seemed that the average homeowner or business person did not know how to negotiate their way through the county agencies that were responsible for issuing permits. My clients were intelligent people caught in a system that seemed to be more designed to tell them what they could not do, rather than how to do it. They needed help.  Worse, if they said the wrong thing, or presented their project in an unfavorable manner, they could reap for themselves all sorts of unnecessary costs and aggravations.

So I started doing something to help my clients get their plans approved.  Besides the drawings, I would handle getting the permits, clearing violations, dealing with zoning and septic issues, etc. I did not realize that shortly, through word of mouth, people would be calling me who did not need drawings or a contractor. They just needed help dealing with the building department.  By now my permit assistance services were being recommended by the permitting agencies themselves. Governmental agencies such as Community Redevelopment and FEMA were sending clients. Sonoma County PRMD lists me as a consultant. Also, other contractors were becoming clients.

And that is where Sonoma County Permit is today.  Offering experienced expertise for an otherwise difficult and confusing process.  Today I am involved in commercial and residential development, construction oversight, permit applications, building code violation clearances and of course, design and planning work.  I work for homeowners, business owners, contractors, realtors and banks. I offer reasonable rates along with a commitment to my client's satisfaction.   You have little to lose.  With a phone call an evaluation of your project can be arranged quickly and at no cost.  I look forward to hearing from you.