Complete Permit Services
From the time you start with buying some land to build on until the start of construction, we will help get you through the maze of tasks required to get your new home built. We think you should enjoy creating your new home. You don’t need to become an expert in stormwater management plans. Spend time with you family rather than hours creating a scale site plan. Do you really want to know about the soil infiltration rate so you understand how big an area you need for your septic system? Take a deep breath, relax, get in touch with NorthWest Permit Services and dream about your new home. We will take care of the rest.
Complete Project Management Of your Building Permits
Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead
Member Skagit/Island
County Builders Association
Permit Requirement Clarification
Lead meetings with local jurisdictions to ensure we clearly understand what they need and do not need for their review of the permit submissions.
Investigate existing site documentation, working to fill the gap between what exists and what is needed.
Work with local planning departments to determine what is the right way to construct you new home, without damaging the surrounding environment.
Create all documents required by your local jurisdiction. This includes a scale site plan, including existing and planned structures, natural features, critical areas, setbacks, buffers, rainwater control measures, planned septic systems. Everything.
Identify and Recommend Contractors
Identify and recommend various contractors for work like site preparation, septic designs, critical area/wetlands studies, rainwater collection system designs. Generally, I am the primary contact with those contractors, providing whatever information they need to do their work, reviewing the proposals or reports, and using those to complete the permit submissions.
Need a critical area review to make sure you new home is not going to slide down that slope that gives you such a great view? We know just who can help.
Septic systems are often needed. Their designs and construction is very dependent upon local conditions. We work with contractors who understand those conditions.
We provide guidance on contractors, you choose the ones you want to work with. You have to be happy working with them.
Work With HOA and Utility Companies
Work with homeowners associations, water companies, sewer companies, electric companies, gas companies to identify how to connect to their services and arrange for the interface between those connections and the contractors involved.
We understand the interesting challenges in running water, power, cable, sewer lines across 500ft of land to the house location. And how to work with the various service providers and contractors to make that happen.
Water in Skagit County. A difficult issue these days. We work with development of rainwater collection systems for those locations that do not allow new water wells. Do not give up! We will help you get the water supply you need!
Frequently asked questions
How long will it take for my permits to be approved?
The time from submission of all documents to being ready to build depends on how complicated the project is, where the project is, and some amount of luck. As of Aug. 2021, Whatcom County takes about 6 weeks, Island County about 8 weeks, Anacortes about 6 weeks and Skagit County about 4 months. That for a home connected to existing water, a normal septic system, and critical area studies, boundary surveys, wetland studies and the like already done.
How much are Northwest Permit Services fees to project manage my building permits?
Generally we charge a flat fee for the entire project. That pays for our work from the start until the permits are issues. The fee varies from $3,500 to $5,000 for single family homes. We collect a deposit at the beginning, and the balance when everything is submitted. Our work continues until you have the permits in hand.
How much will the permits cost?
That varies all over the place, depending on what the project is. If you are building a single family house, costing $400,000 in Skagit County, expect to spend $4,000-5,000. Each location does it a bit differently, each jurisdiction posts a fee schedule on line.
Why should I hire Northwest Permit Services?
If you have the time and are comfortable dealing with a large number of issues needing resolution, are happy dealing with contractors of all types, and have the patience necessary to work with the details your city or county planning departments requires, then roll up your sleeves and dive in. If you have other things in your life that you would rather do, then call us. We actually like working with all the different folks, including those at the planning departments. And they are used to working with us. One of the builders we work with told me the other day he expects a delay of 2 months when a homeowner takes on permits himself. You can do the math and figure out the cost of that delay to yourself.
What are the biggest problems to overcome in building here?
Getting water to your new home, and getting rid of sewage. Simple. There are places in Skagit County where drilling a new well is simply not legal, but where there is so much surface water that installing a septic is impossible. Some HOAs on Whidbey Island have a 6 year waiting list for new water connections, and the soil conditions require a 1/4 acre of land to install a septic system.