

      <h2 id="chapter_40212624">Welcome And What DPS Reviews</h2>


        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>0:09</time>
      <p>
          Welcome   to   the   Montgomery   County   Department   of   Permitting   Services   podcast.   I&#39;m   Gail   Lucas.   I&#39;m   also   the   division   chief   for   the   Customer   Support   and   Outreach   Division   here   at   DPS.   Joining   us   on   the   podcast   today   is   Will   DeGrouchy,   a   residential   plan   reviewer,   who&#39;s   going   to   talk   to   us   about   home   renovations   and   decks   and   additions   and   good   things   like   that.   Welcome   to   the   podcast,   Will.   Thank   you,   Gail.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>0:39</time>
      <p>
          It&#39;s   uh   great   to   be   here.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>0:40</time>
      <p>
          You   and   I   talk   a   whole   lot   about   home   renovations   all   the   time   because   we   always   seem   to   have   something   breaking   in   our   own   homes.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>0:49</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   we   do.   And   uh   your   your   home   is   uh   has   always   got   work   to   be   done   at   it.   You&#39;re   always   going   to   have   a   project,   so   to   speak.   Right.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>0:58</time>
      <p>
          Well,   before   we   get   into   the   projects,   why   don&#39;t   you   tell   us   a   little   bit   about   what   you   do   at   DPS,   what   your   job   entails.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>1:05</time>
      <p>
          Okay.   Well,   I&#39;m   a   residential   plan   reviewer.   Um,   I&#39;ve   been   on   board   with   the   county   for   about   20   years.   Our   job   uh   is   to   make   sure   minimum   code   is   met.   Um   we   are   we   we   enforce   the   2021   International   Residential   Code.   So   that&#39;s   where   our   design   criteria   comes   from   um   when   you   submit   for   permit   here   at   Montgomery   County.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>1:29</time>
      <p>
          Right.  
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212623">Renovation Basics Budget And Research</h2>


        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>1:30</time>
      <p>
          Well,   then   let&#39;s   start   at   the   beginning.   When   a   homeowner   begins   planning   a   renovation,   what   fundamentals   should   they   be   paying   attention   to?   What   fun   what   do   they   need   to   think   about   first?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>1:42</time>
      <p>
          Well,   I   mean,   a   lot   of   times   with   a   homeowner,   um,   their   budget   is   going   to   drive,   you   know,   right   the   scope   of   work.   It   always   does.   And   one   of   the   big   concerns   is   with   homeowners,   um,   is   some   do   do   their   research,   some   don&#39;t.   Um,   I   think   when   a   homeowner   is   making   their   own   application,   um,   our   job   as   plan   reviewers   um   and   working   with   the   permit techs,   we   kind   of   lead   the   homeowner   down   the   path   of   what   you   need,   how   to   go   about   doing   it.   Um,   some   homeowners   are   more   detailed   than   others,   um,   but   we   have   numerous   documents   that   DPS   has   to   assist   homeowners   in   their   project,   whether   it&#39;s   large   scale   or   small   scale.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>2:23</time>
      <p>
          One   of   the   things   that   we   are   always   stressing   to   customers   is   to   do   their   research   about   the   person   doing   the   work.   If   you&#39;re   hiring   a   contractor,   make   sure   they&#39;re   licensed.   What   else   do   they   need   to   think   about   with   respect   to   a   contractor,   first   of   all?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>2:39</time>
      <p>
          And   that&#39;s   a   great   question.   Um,   when   you   use   a   licensed   contractor   in   the   state   of   Maryland   that&#39;s   licensed   and   certified   and   insured   in   the   state   of   Maryland,   you   have   you   have   a   guarantee   fund   that   the   Department   of   Improvement   Commission   has.   Right.   And   every   contractor   pays   it   into   that   when   they   renew   their   dues.   That   gives   a   homeowner   the   uh   reassurance   that   if   something   is   to   go   wrong,   they   can   kind   of   file   a   claim,   kind   of   similar   to   your   insurance.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>3:08</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>3:08</time>
      <p>
          The   state   does   an   investigation   at   that   level,   and   then   the   state   determines   whether   they   award   a   decision   or   a   monetary   amount   back   to   the   homeowner.   So   that&#39;s   the   big   thing   in   using   a   licensed   home   improvement   contractor   that   is   licensed   within   the   state   of   Maryland.   Um,   there   are   a   lot   of   benefits.   No   benefits   when   you   use   an   unlicensed   contractor.   Right.   Because   at   that   point   it&#39;s   a   civil   matter.   He   said,   she   said.   So   always   look   forward   to,   I   mean,   always   look   at   using   a   licensed   contractor.   Right.   Ask   for   their   documents,
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212622">Why Licensed Contractors Matter</h2>


        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>3:45</time>
      <p>
            the   certificate   of   insurance,   and   and   that&#39;s   a   really,   really   good   starting   point.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>3:49</time>
      <p>
          Okay.   Let&#39;s   talk   about   application.   You   get   your   application   in,   all   of   our   applications   are   filed   electronically   today.   Um,   so   once   the   application   is   in,   the   first   stop   for   almost   every   application   in   DPS   is   zoning.   Talk   to   us   about   why   it&#39;s   it   zoning   needs   to   look   at   what   you&#39;re   doing.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>4:09</time>
      <p>
          And   and   it&#39;s   the   the   first   crucial   step.   So   zoning   is   a   main   function   is   to   verify   that   if   they&#39;re   doing   an   addition,   that   they&#39;re   working   within   their   zone,   their   boundaries,   their   setbacks.   Um,   zoning   is   really   meant   for   prohibiting   you   developing   property   line   to   property   line.   So   a   lot   of   things   can   come   up   in   zoning   easements.   Um,   you   know,   depending   what   zone   you&#39;re   in,   you&#39;re   gonna   have   different   setback   criteria.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>4:40</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>4:40</time>
      <p>
          Um,   a   lot   of   times   when   I   get   a   homeowner   that&#39;s   just   coming   in,   hey,   Mr.   DeGrouchy,   I&#39;m   looking   at   doing   this   type   of   project,   I   said,   Look,   you&#39;re   here   in   the   office,   let&#39;s   speak   to   a   zoning   official.   Okay.   If   you   get   a   a   verbal   pre-approval,   that&#39;s   half   the   battle.   People   don&#39;t   realize   they   want   a   big   structure,   but   then   they   can&#39;t   fit   it   on   their   property.   Right.   So   that&#39;s   the   key   component.   If   a   homeowner   could   reach   out   to   zoning   first   before   even   applying   or   looking   into   what   they&#39;re   doing,   that&#39;s   half   their   battle   because   then   they   know   all   right,   zoning&#39;s   going   to   approve   me.   The   next   step   is   designing   and   so   forth.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>5:19</time>
      <p>
          And   just   to   be   clear,   setback   means   how   far   you   are   from   the   property   line,   right?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>5:23</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   ma&#39;am.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>5:24</time>
      <p>
          And   their   requirements   for   that.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>5:26</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   and   and   uh   it&#39;s   it   varies.   You   know,   Montgomery   County   has   agricultural   areas   where   setbacks   aren&#39;t   even   a   problem.   You&#39;ve   got   a   10-acre   parcel.   But   if   you&#39;re   in   downtown   Bethesda,   some   R60   zones,   you&#39;re   restricted   on   what   you   can   do.   And   believe   it   or   not,   there   are   lots   that   are   real   tiny,   and   they   call   those   undersized   lots,   but   there&#39;s   a   house   on   it.   And   so   zoning   pay   plays   the   first   step   of   any   permit   here   at   DPS.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>5:58</time>
      <p>
          Okay.   We&#39;ve   already   talked   about   how   you   need   to   submit   your   application   electronically,   but   walk   us   through   what   the   submittal   package   should   contain.   What   do   people   need   to   make   sure   they&#39;re   including?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>6:09</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212621">Zoning Setbacks And Fit On Lot</h2>


        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>6:10</time>
      <p>
            So   the   submittal   package,   it&#39;s   it&#39;s   large   in   in   regards   to   what&#39;s   required.   We   don&#39;t   break   out   a   small   project,   a   large   project.   We   have   one   guidelines   for   additions   and   alterations.   Okay.   Smaller   projects   are   quite   different.   Um,   as   homeowners   engage   in   doing   work   on   their   house,   um,   for   a   small   basement   renovation,   pretty   cookie   cutter.   You&#39;re   not   enlarging   footprint.   Sure.   Simple   floor   plan,   legal   size   paper,   11   by   17,   drawn   to   scale.   Um,   and   indicating   some   key   components,   you   know,   the   ceiling   height.   Um,   that&#39;s   a   key   component   because   it&#39;s   an   existing   home.   And   when   you   finish   an   unfinished   basement,   some   of   those   factors   come   into   play.   Are   you   doing   a   bedroom   down   there?   Those   those   are   key   factors.   Uh   life   safety,   emergency   egress   windows.   Things   of   that   would   have   to   be   indicated   on   the   plants.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>7:08</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>7:09</time>
      <p>
          Larger   scale,   much   more   involved,   possible   architect   engineer,   like   an   addition.   Um,   and   then   a   new   home.   Very   many,   not   very   many   homeowners   try   to   build   their   own   home.   Right.   Um,   and   that   would   clearly   be   much   more   information   would   be   required.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>7:27</time>
      <p>
          But   we   do   have   some   that   is   their   own   contractor.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>7:31</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   we   do.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>7:32</time>
      <p>
          Right.   Any   other   practical   advice?   I&#39;m   doing   a   kitchen   renovation.   What   do   I   need   to   think   about   doing?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>7:38</time>
      <p>
          I   always   show   homeowners   is   sometimes,   you   know,   how   many   contractors   have   you   interviewed?   One.   Okay.   Right.   And   and   then   I&#39;ll   I&#39;ll   go   into   detail   because   homeowners   are   visual   folks.   Okay.   You   show   them   something   on   the   computer.   Yep,   my   house   looks   just   like   that.   That&#39;s   what   I&#39;m   looking   to   do.   So   when   they   can   visualize   something,   then   they   can   have   a   better   understanding,   both   from   the   requirement   side   and   then   from   the   designer   side.   But   one   of   the   biggest   factors   is   homeowners   tend   to   not   really   understand   the   permit   process   because   they&#39;ve   never   done   it.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>8:13</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>8:13</time>
      <p>
          Not   every   homeowner   is   as   good   as   some   with   the   computers.   Sure.   Um,   so   those   are   key   uh   issues   we   have   when   we&#39;re   working   with   homeowners.   And   we   try   to   explain   look,   by   doing   it   in   certain   ways,   you   take   less   of   a   chance   of   having   your   plans   denied.   If   your   plans   are   denied,   it&#39;s   not   the   end   of   the   world.   You   make   the   corrections   and   resubmit.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>8:36</time>
      <p>
          Okay.   One   of   the   things   that   change   with   the   new   codes   are   energy   requirements   and   electrification,   electrification   partword   for   me   to   say   in   Montgomery   County.   Yes.   So   what   are   the   things   that   people   need   to   think   about   with   that?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>8:51</time>
      <p>
          Part   of   the   new   submittal   guidelines   for   residential   projects,   uh,   if   you   do   an   addition,   you&#39;re   increasing   footprint,   you&#39;re   increasing   the   demand   for   heating   and   cooling.   Sure.   Um,   your   existing   system&#39;s   typically
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212620">What Plans To Submit</h2>


        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>9:05</time>
      <p>
            not   going   to   be   able   to   handle   that   demand.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>9:07</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>9:08</time>
      <p>
          So   the   county   has   a   climate   action   plan,   and   our   job   is   to   make   sure   we   receive   the   minimum   require   uh   the   minimum   information.   So   part   of   the   climate   action   plans   requires   certain   types   of   dimmers   and   certain   types   of   electrical   switches.   Um,   but   the   big   difference   is   showing   us   how   you&#39;re   going   to   heat   and   cool   that.   Okay.   And   that   requires   kind   of   like   it&#39;s   a   mechanical   engine,   uh,   it&#39;s   really   an   energy   review,   but   we&#39;re   analyzing   the   mechanical   system   to   make   sure   the   new   addition   um   is   going   to   be   able   to   be   heated   and   cooled   at   a   comfort   level.   And   believe   it   or   not,   people   don&#39;t   realize   the   code   does   indicate   that   you   must   maintain   heat   at   a   certain   degree.   Um   those   are   key   factors.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>9:57</time>
      <p>
          How   warm   do   I   have   to   keep   my   house?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>9:59</time>
      <p>
          Your   house   has   to   be   it&#39;s   68   degrees.   Okay,   typically   three   feet   in   from   the   exterior   wall.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>10:05</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>10:05</time>
      <p>
          Um,   so   that&#39;s   sometimes   why   you&#39;ll   see   duct work   and   things   and   vents   on   the   exterior   wall.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>10:10</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>10:11</time>
      <p>
          So   that   is   the   minimum.   Believe   it   or   not,   you   do   not   have   to   put   air   conditioning   in   your   house.   That&#39;s   that&#39;s   that&#39;s   an   interesting   thing.   Yeah.   With   the   weather   coming   this   weekend,   it&#39;s   that&#39;s   gonna   be   hot.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>10:22</time>
      <p>
          What   else   do   we   need   to   think   about   um   when   we   are   talking   about   an   addition?   One   of   the   things   that   we   have   talked   a   lot   about   at   DPS   is   sprinklering.   Sprinklering   our   home.   When   is   that   required?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>10:37</time>
      <p>
          Another   great   question.   And   and   a   lot   of   times   we&#39;ll   get   just   a   cold   call   about   hey,   I   got   a   permit   for   my   addition.   Do   I   need   to   put   sprinklers   in   it?   And   the   criteria   for   sprinklers   is   if   you   took   all   of   the   area   from   exterior   wall   to   exterior   wall,   and   you   demolished   50%   of   all   of   the   walls,   okay,   not   counting   the   basement.   Okay.   So   if   it&#39;s   a   two-story   home,   you   take   the   top   floor   off,   we&#39;re   right   at   50%.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>11:06</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>11:07</time>
      <p>
          If   you   exceed   that   threshold,   the   plan   reviewers   will   advise   you   hey,   sprinklers   are   going   to   be   required.   And   that&#39;s   one   good   thing   that   we   do   really   good   here   at   DPS.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>11:18</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>11:19</time>
      <p>
          We   have   a   senior   level   residential   plan   review   staff,   and   we   cover   all   of   the   bases   with   the   homeowner   because   the   last   thing   they   want   to   do   is   be   told   by   the   inspector,   hey,   now   you   got   to   sprinkle   your   home.   But   to   be   honest,   there   are   times   where   homeowners   exceed   the   amount   of   demolished,   you   know,   the   amount   of   uh   the   house   they   demolished,   and   therefore   they   do   have   to   put   sprinklers   um   after   the   fact.   So   we   really   do   a   good   job   trying   to   flag   that   because   that   is   an   additional   cost   to   the   homeowner   in   in   doing   the   uh   doing   the   new   addition.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>11:55</time>
      <p>
          One   of   the   other   things   that&#39;s   new   this   year   or   new   in   recent   months   is   limits   on   demolition.   When   you   need   a   demolition   permit,   even   if   you&#39;re   doing   an   addition.   So   talk   to   us   about   the   new   demolition   rules.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>12:10</time>
      <p>
          That&#39;s   a   really   good   question.   Uh   when   when   we   now   have   legislation   in   the   Montgomery   County   Building   Code   that   actually   limits   the   amount   of   demolished   uh   demolishment   you   can   do   of   a   single   family   building.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>12:23</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>12:24</time>
      <p>
          And   it&#39;s   not   as   complex   as   people   think.   The   county   has   a   policy   of   67%   of   your   first   floor   walls   can   be   demolished.   So   that   means   you   must   maintain   33%   of   your   first   floor   walls.   And   the   way   that   we   measure   that   is   exterior   wall   to   exterior   wall.   So   we   measure   the   total   length   of   all   of   the   walls,   and   then   we   look   at   the   demolish  
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212619">Energy Rules And Heating Requirements</h2>


        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>12:55</time>
      <p>
          uh   amount   of   what   you&#39;re   demolishing,   and   then   we   also   analyze   what   is   being   retained.   And   we   have   a   good   matrix   that   we   actually   put   out   to   the   homeowners,   the   builders,   and   so   forth,   that   it   lists   linear   foot   of   wall,   linear   foot   of   demo,   and   linear   foot   of   what&#39;s   being   retained.   And   therefore,   it&#39;s   a   simple   mathematical   calculation.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>13:19</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>13:20</time>
      <p>
          Am   I   above   67%?
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>13:21</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>13:22</time>
      <p>
          Or   am   I,   you   know,   below   that?
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>13:24</time>
      <p>
          And   that   can   throw   you   into   a   whole   different   category   of   permit   and   a   whole   different   category   of   requirements.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>13:30</time>
      <p>
          Yes.   And   and   a   great,   great   question   because   that   throws   you   into   a   new   home.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>13:35</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>13:36</time>
      <p>
          And   when   you   have   to   qualify   for   a   new   home,   numerous   other   restrictions   come   into   play.   Right.   Full-blown   settlement   control,   land   development   permits,   bonds.   Right.   Um,   and   then   one   of   the   things   is   zoning   implications   under   today&#39;s   standards,   right?   If   you&#39;re   thrown   into   a   new   home,   maybe,   possibly,   you   can&#39;t   build   what   you   want   to   build.   Right.   And   when   that   all   happens,   it&#39;s   it   it   it   it   definitely   throws   the   budget   out   of   whack   for   people.   But   the   biggest   concern   is   the   fact   is   additional   time   because   now   you   have   to   pull   into   civil   engineer.   Right.   So   um,   but   these   are   great   questions.   And   we   face   these   these   these   things   every   day   um   with   projects   that   are   either   too   big   or   whatever.   And   we   try   to   give   our   customers   good   guidance.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>14:29</time>
      <p>
          And   we   have   a   process   called   pre-design   consultation   for   residential   that   anyone   can   participate   in.   Um,   it&#39;s   free   of   charge   to   the   customer,   right?   They   can   come   in,   they   can   talk   through   all   of   these   issues,   talk   about   what   they   want   to   do,   talk   about   the   implications   of   what   they   want   to   do,   right?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>14:48</time>
      <p>
          Yeah.   It&#39;s   it&#39;s   something   that   I   guess   within   the   last   two,   three   years   that   we&#39;ve   done   here.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>14:54</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>14:54</time>
      <p>
          And   I     usually   sit   in   on   a   lot   of   these   meetings.   And   to   be   totally   honest,   they&#39;re   great.   They&#39;re   they&#39;re   able   to   be   at   the   comfort   of   their   own   home.   They   pull   their   engineer   or   architect   in   in   on   the   um   on   the   meeting.   And   like   you   said,   it   doesn&#39;t   cost   them   anything.   And   they   get   a   free   hour,   and   then   we   pull   in   our   technical   staff,   right?   We   pull   in   um   usually   they   fill   out   a   a   questionnaire.   All   right,   I&#39;m   looking   to   get   these   questions   answered.   I   have   some   land   development   zoning.   Um,   we   even   pull   in   a   representative   from   WSSC.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>15:28</time>
      <p>
          Okay.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>15:28</time>
      <p>
          And   I   cannot   tell   you   how   many   people   say,   this   is   great.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>15:32</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>15:32</time>
      <p>
          This   I   got   all   my   questions   answered   from   plumbing   to   mechanical   to   zoning   to   sediment   control   and   land   development.   I&#39;m   even   well   and   septic.   Okay.   So   um   it&#39;s   uh   it&#39;s   we   really   try   to   encourage   it.   I   really   think   that   homeowners   and   and   even   the   design   professionals   appreciate   that   meaning   because   they   get   a   lot   of   their   questions   up   front   and   out   the   door.
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212618">Sprinklers Trigger And Demo Limits</h2>


        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>15:55</time>
      <p>
          Let&#39;s   flip   the   script   a   little   bit   and   talk   about   when   you   don&#39;t   need   a   permit.   What   kind   of   work   can   I   do   as   my   as   a   homeowner   in   my   house   where   I   wouldn&#39;t   need   to   come   to   DPS   for   a   permit?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>16:06</time>
      <p>
          Typically   re-shingling   roofs,   okay,   siding,   um,   uh   windows,   doors,   if   the   openings   are   not   modified.   So   pull   and   replace.   Okay.   Okay.   Bathrooms,   pull   and   replace,   okay?   Kitchens,   pull   and   replace.   But   as   soon   as   you   relocate   fixtures,   okay.   I   want   my   stove   now   over   there,   that   that   gets   into   a   little   bit   more,   and   then   permits   would   be   required.   Um,   those   are   typical   things   that   are   we   we   kind   of   look   at   restore   repair.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>16:39</time>
      <p>
          Right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>16:40</time>
      <p>
          But   it&#39;s   restore   repair   with   that   doesn&#39;t   require   a   building   permit.   Believe   it   or   not,   we   have   a   significant   list   of   what   requires   a   permit   and   what   doesn&#39;t   on   our   website.   Um,   but   there&#39;s   always   areas   where   people   call,   well,   I&#39;m   doing   this   and   I&#39;m   doing   that.   Um   and   you   try   to   walk   them   through   the   process   and   and   and   so   forth.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>17:02</time>
      <p>
          Well,   thank   you,   Will,   for   joining   us   today   on   the   podcast.   All   valuable   information.   Folks   can   go   to   our   website   for   uh   submittal   guidelines   for   information   about   inspections   and   all   of   those   things.   Yes.   So   all   good   information,   and   we   always   encourage   folks   to   take   advantage   of   our   pre-design   process.   Any   tips   on   you   you   said   at   the   beginning,   or   you   were   telling   me   before   we   started   recording   that   you   had   three   F&#39;s.   What   are   those   three   Fs   for   our   deck?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>17:34</time>
      <p>
          Um   we   I     kind   of   like   to   tell   people   DPS   in   Montgomery   County   um   is   the   best   in   the   DMV.   And   the   reason   I   say   that   is   to   see   the   effort   all   our   staff   makes   every   day.   We   have   a   pre-engineered   deck   packet,   and   it   allows   homeowners   to   come   in   just   with   a   site   plan.   And   it&#39;s   an   installation   manual.   I   mean,   everybody&#39;s   put   a   bookcase   together   and   they   read   the   directions.   And   in   the   process   of   getting   your   deck   permit,   once   you&#39;ve   got   it,   it&#39;s   typically   three   inspections:   a   footing   inspection,   a   framing   inspection,   and   a   final.   And   sometimes   I   I&#39;ll   work   with   homeowners.   I   say,   look,   we   kind   of   label   it   the   three   F&#39;s,   okay?   But   in   a   good   way.   Okay.   And   you   know,   people   can   look   at   the   three   F&#39;s   and   think   about   school.   But   the   three,   and   and   once   you&#39;ve   elaborated   that,   it&#39;s   three   simple   inspections.   Okay.   But   it   does   require   them   to   monitor   the   job,   right?
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>18:26</time>
      <p>
          Right,   right.
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>18:27</time>
      <p>
          How   well   a   homeowner   is   a   construction   manager,   so   to   speak,   because   they&#39;re   taking   on   these   weekend   warrior   projects.   Uh,   so   once   you&#39;ve   kind   of   explained   things   to   them   in   a   simplistic   way,   they   get   it.   They&#39;re   like,   okay,   that&#39;s   not   that   hard.   I   can   do   that.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>18:42</time>
      <p>
          All   right.   Is   there   any   last   tip   that   you   want   to   give   to   our   viewers,   to   our   listeners   about   doing   home   renovations   or   alterations?
      </p>

        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>18:51</time>
      <p>
          Yeah,   I   think   your   research   at   the   very   beginning,   right?   Okay.   Pre-planning,
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212617">Pre-Design Consultations And No-Permit Work</h2>


        <cite>William DeGrouchy</cite>
      <time>18:55</time>
      <p>
            um,   you   know,   understanding   what   what   you   want,   whether   it&#39;s   a   kitchen   or   an   addition.   Most   homeowners   with   an   addition   um   do   have   some   sort   of   contractor   involved   or   whatever.   But   we   do   get   homeowners   that   will   get   their   own   permit   and   they   become   like   the   general   contractor.   But   then   they   don&#39;t   have   all   the   knowledge   to   deal   with   the   plumber   and   the   mechanical   guy   and   the   electrical   guy.   So,   my   best   advice   is   do   your   work   up   front.   Don&#39;t   just   choose   one   contractor,   get   three   estimates.   Okay.   Make   sure   they&#39;re   all   licensed   contractors.   And   I&#39;m   a   type   of   person,   if   I   have   a   big   ticket   item,   I&#39;m   gonna   put   the   work   in   to   be   able   to   see   where   I   am,   where   I   need   to   go.   Right.   And   I   think   if   we   can   educate   homeowners   on   that   part,   um,   they   have   a   better   understanding   that   it&#39;s   not   so   hard   getting   a   permit   and   it&#39;s   a   collaboration   with   DPS.   It&#39;s   a   team   effort.   And   we   try   to   present   that   to   the   homeowners.   It&#39;s   not   us   against   the   contractors.   And   homeowners   are   typically   really,   really   receptive   to   understanding   the   importance   of   why   we   need   permits.
      </p>

        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>20:02</time>
      <p>
          Okay.   Thank   you   so   much,   Mr.   DeGrouchy,   for   joining   us   today   on   the   podcast.   And   thank   you,   our   listeners,   for   tuning   in.   It&#39;s   important   to   know   when   you   need   a   permit   and   when   you   don&#39;t   need   a   permit   and   why   you   need   a   permit.   Remember,   DPS   is   here   to   help   you,   our   customers,   succeed.   You   can   always   contact   us   through   our   Customer   Service   Center   at   MC311-DIAL   240-777-0311.   Or   you   can   come   into   our   office   at   2425   Reedy   Drive   on   the   seventh   floor.   We&#39;re   here   Monday   through   Friday   from   7:30
      </p>

      <h2 id="chapter_40212616">Deck Packet Inspections And Wrap-Up</h2>


        <cite>Gail Lucas</cite>
      <time>20:45</time>
      <p>
            a.m.   to   4   o&#39;clock   p.m.   And   there&#39;s   always   someone   here   that   can   help   you   and   answer   questions   and   point   you   in   the   right   direction.   Again,   thank   you   for   joining   us   today.   Got   an   idea   for   a   topic   for   a   podcast,   or   do   you   have   a   question   that   you&#39;d   like   to   see   answered   on   a   podcast?   We   want   to   hear   from   you.   Email   your   ideas   and   questions   to   dps.podcast   at   MontgomeryCountymd.gov.   Please   help   us   spread   the   word   about   the   podcast.   Share   it   with   your   friends   and   your   neighbors,   and   subscribe   so   that   you   always   get   the   latest   episode.   I&#39;m   Gail   Lucas.   Remember,   DPS   is   your   project   partner.
      </p>

        <cite>Announcer</cite>
      <time>21:32</time>
      <p>
          This   podcast   is   brought   to   you   by   County   Cable   Montgomery,   your   source   for   news   and   information   from   the   Montgomery   County   government.   Connect   with   us   via   cable,   Facebook,   Instagram,   or   YouTube   by   searching   for   County   Cable   Moco.
      </p>