What Document Shows My Homes Building Materials?

Posted on August 26, 2024August 25, 2024 by Jason Somers

From estimating repair costs to maintaining high energy efficiency, understanding the building materials that your home is made of can be highly advantageous. Homes can be constructed with a wide range of building materials, which include everything from brick and stone to wood and stucco. Each building material can have different characteristics, which you may need to understand when constructing or repairing a home.

Building materials can impact a home’s sustainability, appearance, durability, energy efficiency, and quality. Buyers who are in search of a new home often ask real estate agents and builders about the materials that the structure is made from before making serious offers.

If you’re preparing for a new development or renovation project, you’ll likely need to brush up on the materials you’ll be working with. Keep in mind that these projects can only progress if you maintain the necessary permits. However, the permit approval process can take months if your local building department routinely asks you to make changes to your building plans or material list.

To ensure your project sticks to its proposed timeline, consider obtaining permit expediting services. The purpose of permit expediting is to effectively navigate the permit approval process, which should reduce the amount of time it takes for you to receive your documentation. In this article, you’ll learn about how to understand building materials and the role that permit expediting has in the construction process.

What Document Shows Your Home’s Building Materials?

If you want to know “What document shows my homes building materials?”, the answer is that there are several key documents that detail these materials and their specifications. For example, you can find a list of the materials that were used to make your home on the construction blueprint. This is a 2D representation of many of the details associated with completing the project. It will show you the design of the building, many of its features, and the materials.

If you intend to complete a construction or renovation project, you must know how to create and read blueprints. Otherwise, the quality of the craftsmanship might not be sufficient to adhere to local building codes. Construction blueprints are often made during the design stage of a development project. These documents can also be useful when making repairs or modifications to an existing home. The characteristics that most blueprints consist of are:

• Structural drawings
• Site plans
• Title sheet
• Detailed images
• Floor plans
• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) drawings
• Elevations and sections

Blueprints come with symbols, abbreviations, and scales that help developers and homeowners read them. They might include information about permits and building codes as well.

Details about building materials can also be found in construction plans, which are documents that describe the requirements and guidelines associated with development projects. When any type of structure is built, construction plans will be drawn up.

These documents include information about electrical, mechanical, and structural systems. The finishes that are used on the building will also be detailed. Construction plans often include project specifications, which is where information on materials will be detailed. Scheduling, resources, and budgets can also be provided in construction plans.

Every construction project details material specifications in a separate document. This type of document provides accurate details about materials to suppliers, clients, and contractors. Material specification documents are often made by the designer or architect. They emphasize the benefits of different materials while also describing how each option aligns with the project goals.

If you need to maintain or repair your home, it can be helpful to know which materials were used to construct the building. When renovating your home, it’s a good idea to maintain consistency throughout the structure by using the same materials that it was built with. If you plan on selling your home in the coming months, buyers might ask about the materials that were used when your home was built.

Why Knowing Your Home’s Building Materials Matters

There are numerous reasons why you should know about your home’s building materials. For example, this information plays a major role in determining your home insurance premium. These premiums are primarily based on overall property risk, which is assessed by measuring the destructibility and flammability of the home.

If a home is made of wood or stucco, it might have a higher burn rate. Homes that are built with concrete, steel, or brick should be able to withstand high winds and small fires. If your home is made with building materials that are more susceptible to fire damage, you may need to pay a higher insurance premium.

These materials also influence maintenance and repair costs. While structural steel and brick siding materials are designed to last longer than wood and stucco, they can cost more to repair. However, maintenance costs for wood and stucco are higher when compared to other building materials.

Your home’s materials play a role in energy efficiency and sustainability as well. The right materials can make your home much more energy efficient, which will help you reduce your monthly electricity bills and protect the environment. For example, materials like recycled steel and plant-based polyurethane foam are sustainable. If you’re building a home with a focus on sustainability, consider the following materials:

• Cool roofing
• Recycled steel
• Insulating concrete forms
• Low-E windows
• Structural insulated panels
• Straw bales
• Vacuum insulation panels
• Recycled wood
• Plastic composite lumber

Keep in mind that high-quality building materials can increase the value of your property. If you’re refinancing an existing home, you can assess property value by identifying the building materials that were used during the construction process.

What Is Permit Expediting?

When you start working on a development project, consider how long it will take for your building permit to be approved. As mentioned previously, the permit approval process can take months. Approval can also be delayed if your local building department finds errors in your documentation. Before applying for a permit, consider hiring an expediter who knows how to handle any issues that might arise.

Permit expediters are professionals who help clients obtain building permits. They have a comprehensive understanding of building codes and zoning regulations. Experienced expediters also have relationships with jurisdiction professionals, which may speed things up. Keep in mind that building permits are necessary for most construction and renovation projects. No matter the scope of your project, it’s highly recommended that you obtain permit expediting services.

Once you hire an expediter, they’ll review your building plans and construction documentation to identify and resolve any issues that would otherwise cause delays. They can also advise engineers, building owners, and architects about local building codes before the application needs to be submitted. Some of the tasks that permit expediters handle include the following:

• Submit application packets
• Review project documentation
• Perform due diligence research
• Interpret building codes
• Monitor permit activity for any unexpected delays
• Handle corrections with owners and architects
• Take part in variance and architectural review hearings
• Meet with local officials to gain a better understanding of blueprint revision requests

The Importance of Permit Expediting

Permit expediting is a highly effective service that’s designed to help homeowners save time and reduce stress. Since expediters research local codes and zoning regulations, homeowners don’t need to. Permit expediters have the skills needed to find mistakes in building permit applications and anticipate potential delays before they happen. By providing a more efficient permit approval process, the timeline can be reduced by weeks or months.

If you can shave weeks off your project timeline, you should save a considerable sum of money. Any delay to a construction project can cost a considerable sum of money. If construction crews have already been hired, you’ll need to continue paying labor costs while you wait for your permit to be approved.

You may also be required to pay extended storage costs. If you haven’t purchased and acquired the necessary building materials, you can still lose money if these items increase in price before you get your permit.

While obtaining building permits can be time-consuming and expensive, you’re required to have them before you start work on your construction project. If your building department approves the permit, you’ll know that your plans meet local safety codes and regulations. Without this permit, the city could ask you to tear down any completed work.

Conclusion

Understanding your home’s building materials allows you to accurately estimate repair costs, keep home insurance premiums down, and improve sustainability. If you’re about to add a room or remodel your kitchen, you’ll likely need a building permit. To get through the permit approval process without delay, consider obtaining expediting services. By taking proactive steps in managing your home construction or renovation project, you can keep costs down and meet your estimated timeline.