Working With Your AHJ For Your Temporary Building Structure In Houston

Working With Your AHJ On Temporary Building Structures in Houston

The AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) organization in your area has a number of responsibilities. They must review, adopt, and enforce the IBC (International Building Code). It is also up to them to authorize building permits. That’s a major undertaking. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that approximately 1.5 million building permits are issued every year. This number includes permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary building structures.

It’s the job of your AHJ to make sure buildings meet specific standards. Building code restrictions are designed to keep both buildings and the people in them safe. In many cases, you’ll wind up with more than one AHJ on a single construction. For example, the company that is underwriting the insurance policy will serve as a private AHJ. Every one of these AHJs is able to approve or deny your design.

This can be a difficult process to get through. That’s why you should work to form a positive relationship with your AHJ. If you have a good working relationship, you’ll be able to keep the project running smoothly. Keep these suggestions in mind as you move forward with the building process.

Reference the correct building code. When you’re communicating with the AHJ, you’ll want to make sure you’re looking at the same building codes. Find out whether they are using the newest version of the IBC or a version that’s a bit older. If you and your AHJ are looking at different codes, you could wind up with some serious miscommunication issues. You’ll also want to make sure you’re looking at the right code for your structure. A permanent structure won’t use the same codes as a temporary building structure. Find out what your structure is defined as. The AHJ is strict about enforcing requirements. Make sure you’re fully aware of what they are asking of you.

Be positive and professional. A lot of people see the AHJ as their adversary. You shouldn’t look at the AHJ as a roadblock that is keeping you from finishing your project. Remember, they want to cooperate with you. When they ask you something, you should respond politely and swiftly. Comply with everything that they ask of you. They use your data to make their decisions. If you don’t give them what you need, they won’t be able to make approvals.

You should make sure that the vendor that is providing your temporary building structure is able to provide the information that they need. During the review process, the AHJ is going to ask to see specific building reports. Your vendor should be able to provide them with everything they need, whether it’s a copy of your lease or an engineering report. Even though you’re the one that is responsible for obtaining permits, working with a great vendor should make things a lot easier for you.

Don’t take unnecessary risks. Even if you’re tempted to break or bend the rules, you should make sure you play things by the book. As an example, if you tell the AHJ that your temporary structure is going to be up for three months, you need to make sure it comes down when those three months or over. Don’t leave it up for another month or two and hope they don’t notice. If you keep your structure up without the proper approval, you could face a number of consequences, including fines and a shutdown. Violating the rules will also make it difficult for you to get approvals from your AHJ in the future. If you need to leave your structure up for a longer period of time, you should get in touch with your AHJ. If you communicate your needs to them, they should be more than willing to work with you.

There are a lot of challenges you’ll have to face as you work to obtain the permits and approvals that you need. Thankfully, with the right knowledge, attitude, and vendor, you’ll be able to avoid most major setbacks.

If you’re going to be reaching out to your local AHJ, you should start gathering information now.

Make sure you’re ready for whatever lies ahead. Get in touch with us, and one of our project managers will work with you to get your project started. Once you talk to us, you’ll be able to see how beneficial our turnkey projects can be. We’ll get your temporary building structure delivered to you quickly, and we’ll provide your AHJ with everything that they need.

Call to get more information.