Building Permit Expediter: Should You Hire One?

Establishing a construction project timeline is one of the first steps to moving the project forward. With so many moving parts, stakeholders, and other scheduling considerations from clients, unexpected timelines in the permitting process can cause major setbacks before the project even starts.

This is why many construction project managers choose to work with a building permit expediter before their project starts, to ensure that the permitting process goes as smoothly as possible. However, hiring a building permit expediter isn’t the right choice for every project or team. This article uncovers the role of a building permit expediter, what they do, and whether or not they’re right for your construction project.

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What is a building permit expediter?

A building permit expediter is an individual or a specific organization with expertise in local regulations or projects, and the entire permitting process that goes along with that. Building permit expediters ensure that people looking to receive a permit have everything they need on their application before submitting the paperwork. This helps to minimize any delays within the permitting process if the application has anything missing, or if the building plans are not up to code.  

Contactors and architects often partner with building permit expediters to help streamline their project process. It’s less common for the average residential client to hire a building permit expediter directly.

Hiring a building permit expediter seems like a no-brainer decision if it means a straightforward application process every time, but the downside is that hiring one can be an expensive and timely endeavor if they’re not integrated into the project early on. When hiring a permit expediter, it’s best to incorporate them into your project team from the get-go to prevent any delays within the building construction process. 

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Do I need to hire a building permit expediter?

Hiring a building permit expediter is an optional part of the building permit submission process. If you’re looking specifically for a more streamlined way to submit your building permits, there may be other options to consider besides hiring a building permit expediter. 

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Should I hire a building permit expediter for my project?

Since hiring a building permit expediter isn’t a requirement for projects, you will have to decide whether or not you want them on your team for the project. Some considerations for hiring a building permit expediter may include:

• The complexity of the permitting process in the project’s designated municipality
• Whether anyone on your team knows the permitting process
• Your team’s bandwidth to manage and maintain the permitting process

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Pros and cons of hiring a building permit expediter

If you’re considering hiring a building permit expediter, here are a few pros and cons to help you make a decision.

Pros of hiring a building permit expediter:

• Familiarity with traditional project processes: A good permit expediter has experience managing the permitting process from beginning to end. If you integrate an experienced expediter early on, they can help assist with the management of certain areas of your workflow.
• Deep permitting expertise: Most permit expediters focus on a specific municipality or type of project. If your team doesn’t have expertise in the municipality you’re working in, a good building permit expediter will have this knowledge.
• Strong connections with local municipalities: Experienced permit expediters can connect you with key individuals to help streamline the permitting process. For example, an experienced expediter may have contacts within the government to help provide more insight into where a specific permit is within the process or know the next steps.

Cons of hiring a building permit expediter:

• High cost to hire: Depending on their expertise and knowledge of a specific industry or municipality, building permit expediters can be a costly addition to a project. Permit expediters can charge anywhere from $75 an hour and up. If you have a tight budget, hiring an expediter might not be the best decision. 
• Lack of project-specific knowledge: Some building permit expediters only have experience in specific types of projects, such as plumbing or electrical, or local municipalities. Finding the right expediter who meet the qualifications of your project might be challenging depending on the type of work your project covers or the municipality you’re in.
• Minimized availability: Since permit expediters often work as independent contractors, they will have to balance multiple clients at the same time. This means that their availability and ability to dedicate time to your project may vary, so it's important to discuss their workload and availability before hiring them.

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Alternatives to hiring a building permit expediter

Hiring a building permit expediter isn’t the only option construction teams have to ensure building permits move quickly. Some building permit expediter alternatives include:

• Submitting permit applications yourself: If your project is small enough or the permit submission process is fairly straightforward, going through the process of hiring a permit expediter may be more trouble than it's worth.
• Implementing permit management software: Building permit management software like PermitFlow provides your team with experts and processes while juggling multiple applications at the same time. If your team manages several different permit submissions at once, implementing permit management software can help provide insight into where in the process those permits are. Permit management software can also help manage the variations between different municipalities so your team can submit the right information every time. 
• Building an in-house permit expediter team: If your team manages enough projects, building an internal team of experts can help streamline your process significantly. However, this is a costly endeavor and might only be worth it if your company submits permits in one specific local municipality. 

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>> Suggested Reading: PermitFlow vs. Permit Expediters

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Building permit expediter FAQ

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What is a building permit expediter?

A building permit expediter is an expert in the building permitting process for specific types of construction projects or local municipalities. Building permit expediters help professionals in the construction industry, such as contractors and architects, go through the permitting process to get construction projects approved.

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Do I need to hire a building permit expediter?

Hiring a building permit expediter is an optional part of the construction process—it’s not necessary to hire a permit expediter to submit a permit.

Discover the PermitFlow advantage

Navigating through confusing municipal websites can create more stress than it's worth when managing multiple construction projects. Instead, try PermitFlow’s end-to-end permit management software. With PermitFlow, your team will save time, reduce permitting errors, and increase transparency during the permitting process.

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Interested in learning more? Talk to one of our experts and see how your team can implement PermitFlow today.