# What is up for permits in 2010



## RJJ (Jan 11, 2010)

What is the feeling across the country for projects and permits for the year a head? The heart beat of the construction industry is at everyone's permit counter. Hows is it go in your area? And what 2010 look like from your town.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

To help stimulate the economy and encourage new building and remodeling; it is important to make the permit process as easy as possible:

1.  Attend all NAHB meetings and social functions (the city should provide the Bar).

2.  Suspend all requirements for plan submission and plan review (for one year); except for major commercial (rubber stamp).

3.  All Engineered (signed & sealed) plans will not be required to be reviewed or inspected (accept Engineer's Letter of Compliance for CO).

4.  Restrict all inspections to the ICC code required inspections, only.

5.  All inspection reports and violations to be written in English and Spanglish.

That's just for starters,

Uncle Bob


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## JBI (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

No big surge in applications, if that's what you're asking.

My _feeling_ is that it will be a good year - better than last year, but not quite to pre-crash levles yet.


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## FyrBldgGuy (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

One of the clients I work for is an Electrical Utility in a major CA metro area.  Plan review includes new substations and transformer vaults.  The projections for the next year are almost nill.  That indicates that no new subdivisions are planned.  There are a few infill areas where buildings are getting upgraded utility services.

In canvasing the local building and fire departments there are limited areas where tenant finishes are picking up, but no new large projects even at the discussion stage.  Any projects of significant size are being developed by local government agencies.  Because it is CA even the State has limited construction activities.  Most stimulus funds seem to have dried up and road construction projects have subsided.

Sales of homes has picked up do to the significant drop in home valuations.  New home building is limited, but a few developers are starting to submit for single family homes.  Just a guess, but they must be paying much lower wages now.  A couple of the construction companies we work with have laid off workers due to the limitation on projects.

This morning a local Sams Club that opened in 2007 announced that it was closing due to the lack of business.  This Sams Club was in an area of projected growth (border area) and could not sustain sales.

The economic forcast looks like home sales will start to pick up as small businesses start to regrow.  Small businesses will only start to regrow when wages come down and they get some breaks on loans and taxes.

The question of building permit fees and inspections is just a rube in the overall equation.  But rubed too hard it will become a problem quicker than in the past.

One of the local cities has been in the news frequently due to rubber stamping permits, and now even the Feds are involved.  It was all done to expedite plan review and inspection.


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## rktect 1 (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

I am seeing more activity than usual.  We shall see how long this lasts.


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## TJacobs (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010



			
				Uncle Bob said:
			
		

> To help stimulate the economy and encourage new building and remodeling; it is important to make the permit process as easy as possible:1.  Attend all NAHB meetings and social functions (the city should provide the Bar).
> 
> 2.  Suspend all requirements for plan submission and plan review (for one year); except for major commercial (rubber stamp).
> 
> ...


UB, keep this up and you will need surgery to remove your tongue from your cheek   :lol:


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## TJacobs (Jan 11, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010



			
				rktect 1 said:
			
		

> I am seeing more activity than usual.  We shall see how long this lasts.


Send some SW of you...


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## jpranch (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

We have had a good 5 year run but the crapy economy is catching up with us now. We went from an unemployment rate of 1% to 6% in less than 12 months. That is better than the national average but still a big jump. The vacancy rate went from <1% to 6.3 percent in the same time period. We are still doing well but 2010 I believe will see a lot less building activity.

Now if we wanted to completly kill building we could adopt icc-700!   :x


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## jim baird (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Like molasses in winter here.

Local phone utility sold a bldg to a bank that is branching out, so banks and phone co. look to be doing fine.

Meanwhile anchor county of our MSA saw a 49% increase in unemployment claims last year, poverty rate there at approx 38%.


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## Alias (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Flat as a pancake so far.  We usually slow down here due to weather, so, this isn't surprising.  Only difference is that it is flatter than I have ever seen it.

I have been getting a couple of inquiries about commercial buildings, all are government connected.  Local coalition is trying to make sure that we get the new hospital we need.  Our current hospital doesn't meet earthquake standards and needs to be replaced or retrofitted by 2014 or CA will shut it down.

Unemployment is hovering between 12-13%, which is pretty normal as we are heavily ag.  Local contractors are scrambling for jobs and some that were 'picky' are now taking anything they can get.

Sue, lost on the frontier.........


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## FM William Burns (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Unemployment at 15% and yes we are the highest in the US, need I say more :shock:

I believe unemployment is only based on those who collect it and does not account for those who don't or who just live off the wasteful spending of others  

I did just get done doing a review for a foam suppression system that I've been waiting for for 18 months


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## packsaddle (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

The only people spending money right now is the federal government.

Therefore, there will be very limited construction activity (vertical) until after the 2010 elections.


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## FM William Burns (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010


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## RJJ (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Interesting comments! keep them coming and FM I know your area is hard hit. JP that is a major turn around since last year when I raise the same question. It has become flat here with very little in the pipe line for new, but quite a bit or re do!


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## jpranch (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

My son-in-law has not worked since before Thanksgiving. He is a pipeline welder. The bunny huggers have everything shut down. Brace yourselfs for a natural gas increase!


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## mtlogcabin (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

We like to send our bunny huggers out to hug a grizzly. After all they are warm and fuzzy too  

Things about the same here. Giving the BD fire prevention inspections to keep us busy and employed.


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## Daddy-0- (Jan 12, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Not setting any records here but work is steady and no layoffs yet. I take that as a good sign.


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## RJJ (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

How about projects shovel ready or in planning? This is the long range view of what will happen in the next year. If the pipe line is empty out across the country the downturn is going to last a lot longer then Washington and Wall street predict. For the construction industry we all sit where the rubber meets the road.


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## FM William Burns (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

None here and

I respectfully defer to my esteemed colleague’s (packsaddle's) previous comment  :cry:


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## Min&Max (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

2010 will be the same as 2009 which was the same as 2008 which was 30% less than 2007 which was 35% less than 2006. No contractors shutting down but they are having to scramble to find work.

One of the biggest problems is energy(oil) costs. To many consumer discretionary spending dollars being stolen at the gas pumps.


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## pwood (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

min&max,

   i have to agree with you whole heartedly. the economy started heading south when gas hit 5 dollars a gallon in some places. it left no extra money for consumers to spend anywhere else. things snowballed from there. i blame W for the situation we are in. :mrgreen: toss in a war and a search for wmd's and a few billion for good measure, some bank and institutional bailouts and viola! we're screwed. the banks are once again able to handout big bonuses and all is well on wall street. contractors ,developers,small businesses, and home-owners can't borrow so much as quarter from these beaurocrats to get a cup of coffee. my permits are way down and likely to stay down until the suits cut loose with some change.


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## FM William Burns (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

*Transparency as promised :lol:  :lol:  :lol: *


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## RJJ (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Trans what?


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## packsaddle (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Numbers don't lie.

Unemployment in the private sector is currently at 10 percent.

More specifically, unemployment in the construction sector is currently at 22 percent.

*Unemployment in the government sector is currently at 3.6 percent.*

Since the private sector actually produces something and the government sector does not produce anything, it doesn't take a genius to figure out the economic forecast.


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## jpranch (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Pack, What do you mean the government doesn't produce anything??? We here in the U.S. produce some of the finest bureaucrats in the world and enough BS to fill the Grand Canyon!  :lol:


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## RJJ (Jan 13, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Twice with some left for the pork barrel! :lol:


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## texas transplant (Jan 14, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

December here in South Texas is double what last year was, but no quite as good as the year before.

Enough activity that we had to fill an empty position to keep service level where council expects it to be.

January is already busier than December so we are hoping the trend continues.


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## north star (Jan 15, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

*min & max,*

*I agree with your statement!    The consumers are getting ripped off at the gasoline pumps.   Most pumps measure by*

*volume, not weight ( i.e - you're paying for air, not fuel  ).  See globe trekker's comments on how to save money*

*when buying gasoline.*



> *HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN BUYING GASOLINE**Are you sick and tired of paying too much money for gasoline? These tips are*
> 
> *GUARANTEED to save you money when you fill up.*
> 
> ...


*Actively participate in Crime Control here in these United States, ...vote  A L L*

*incumbents out of office!   :evil:*


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## Alias (Jan 15, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Well, I have a set of plans and an application for a modest stick built home on my desk.  It has taken the owner two years to 1) get the money from the insurance company after the fire (total loss), and 2) get financing to rebuild.

There is one minor problem, he only has enough money to build the shell of the home and not enough to finish it.  I talked to the contractor and said okay to this, as long as it has doors, windows, siding, and a roof.

I wish this owner could afford to do the whole house at once, but it's not going to happen.  Between the banks not lending, the price of gas, and the fact that we generally lag behind the rest of CA about a year, I'm prepping for a long, dry year.

Sue, lost on the frontier


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## Mac (Jan 15, 2010)

Re: What is up for permits in 2010

Our permit numbers are running about the same as last year, so far. Also expecting a couple of 'big' projects - one currently in planning.

NStar:

1. ground temp is pretty stable...

2. the faster you get your gas in the tank, the less vapor is lost

3. if your tank isn't completely full, the exposed surface area is the same

4. YES! Always!

5. vapor loss is negligible

Reminds me of the old truckers' excuse for letting diesels idle, instead of shutting them off - that they use more fuel restarting than idling.

It's hard to use less than none.

Happy MLK day.


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