Building Dept. 101

Building Dept. 101

Building Dept. 101

Building a studio has a number of considerations beginning with the codes and building department. This post is the first blog in our Beginning a Studio series.

The two levels of concern are:

  1. Will codes approve what it is you want to do?
  2. How much do you want to spend?

Studio Construction Service can help you with developing a realistic plan that’s affordable.

Zoning Approval

Many customers planning a studio want to build a secondary structure, sometimes referred to as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The building department has everything to say about a secondary building on your property. The factors they consider are many like, your property zoning, property line setbacks, neighbors’ consent, septic field capacities, noise abatement, parking, just to name a few. Someone must approach the department, and this can be the owner, the studio design architect, and is usually not the builder.

Securing A Permit

Many people consider building the core building with a permit and not permitting the interior studio work. There are numerous ways the building department can stop a licensed contractor from constructing any part of a non-permitted job. One serious ramification of this would be, the day you go to sell the property, and what you built was not approved in the first place.

It takes smart maneuvering to get through this approval process. We just went through a similar scenario last week trying to help a Los Angeles client with the property he purchased in East Nashville with a studio in the backyard. The secondary building had not approved, nor to the building department’s specifications. Our hands were tied, unable to help him.

Developing a Budget

Without investing in some preliminary design, it’s impossible to determine its cost. So, how can one price what one doesn’t know? This is the time to secure Studio Construction to develop a plan. Break the concept into two parts. Imagine the exterior building, which has to work with the property. Now, you have a footprint for the studio area.  Determine what you want to spend, and then design an affordable program that uses funds as efficiently as possible.

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