Warren building department

Warren’s Division of Buildings and Safety Engineering, usually called the Building Division, handles more than construction permits. It enforces the building codes and the city zoning ordinance, keeps the city’s construction and demolition records, and issues certificates of compliance for businesses. It also runs residential city certification, the city’s occupancy check for vacant homes. The office is in Suite 305 at One City Square.

Online permits through BS&A

Warren takes permit applications and inspection requests on BS&A Online. Homeowners and contractors use separate links:

• Homeowners apply through the “Apply for Permit” link and schedule through “Schedule Inspection.”
• Contractors first create a contractor account on BS&A, then use the contractor versions of the apply and schedule links.

Paper forms are posted on the Building Division page for anyone who prefers them: building permit and plan review, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sign, sidewalk, demolition and fence. The page also has two contractor termination forms, one for contractors and one for property owners, used when a contractor comes off a permit.

What needs a permit

The city’s permit checklist warns that working without a permit can bring fines of up to $1,000.

Category	Examples from Warren’s list
Building permit with plans and a mortgage survey	New homes and buildings, additions, decks, porches, garages, sunrooms, interior and exterior alterations, basement finishes, kitchen remodels that rearrange the layout
Building permit without plans	Roofs, windows, doors, siding, gutters and trim, demolition
Building permit with a mortgage survey or plot plan	Sheds, concrete patios, hot tubs, pools over 24 in. deep (these also need an electrical permit)
Separate trade permit	Furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, sump pumps, gas piping, plumbing and electrical alterations, electrical reconnects, smoke detectors
Other city permits	Fences, sidewalks, driveway approaches, curb cuts
No permit	Replacing kitchen cabinets in the same layout, painting, carpeting, playhouses under 120 sq ft, playground equipment, movable partitions, awnings less than 54 in. deep

Car and storage tents are not allowed.

Sheds and garages

Under the zoning ordinance:

• Only one detached accessory building is allowed per yard.
• It can be no more than one story or 10 ft to the eaves, and it can cover no more than 30% of the rear yard.
• It must sit at least 1 ft from any easement and cannot project past the side building lines of the house.
• Accessory buildings other than garages are limited to 120 sq ft in total.

The city’s foundation detail calls for a 4-in. slab with a 24-in. ratwall for buildings under 400 sq ft. Buildings over 400 sq ft need a 12 x 42-in. trench footing.

Decks

A deck permit needs:

• a plot plan showing distances to the side and rear lot lines (setbacks are measured to the deck edge)
• 2 sets of plans showing post spacing, joist and beam sizes, height and footing details

Footings are 42 in. deep. Guards are required at 30 in. above grade, and ledgers may not be attached to brick. There are two inspections: post holes, with the ledger mounted, and a final.

Inspections

Request inspections at least 24 hours ahead. Give the project address, inspection type, requested date and permit number. Keep the approved plans and the permit on site, and do not move to the next stage until the inspector approves the current one.

For new construction, Warren’s required-inspection list runs in this order:

1. Footing
2. Backfill
3. Underground trades
4. Gravel and sand
5. Open joist
6. Masonry
7. Rough electrical, heating and plumbing (each under its own permit)
8. Rough framing
9. Insulation
10. Drywall nail
11. Final mechanicals
12. Final building

Fees

Residential building permit fees follow a schedule based on construction value, with separate plan review, permit and zoning charges (the posted table is dated 3/26/14). A separate commercial fee sheet is also posted. Warren’s miscellaneous fees, effective April 3, 2024:

• Demolition permit: $250 residential, $450 commercial
• State license registration: $35 per cycle, all license types
• Residential city certification: $300
• Fence: $25 for up to 100 linear ft, plus $0.25 per linear ft beyond that
• Sidewalks and approaches: $0.30 per sq ft; curb cuts $30 each
• Certificate of compliance (commercial or industrial): $500, or $854 for a business with a liquor license
• Zoning Board of Appeals: $95 residential, $250 for a first commercial appeal
• Zoning certification letter: $80

Residential city certification

A vacant house posted “no occupancy” cannot be lived in until the Building Division issues a residential city certification. The certification confirms the house meets the International Property Maintenance Code and the zoning ordinance. The application must be notarized.

For the inspection:

• Inspections run between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• An adult (18 or older) must be present if belongings or minors are in the home.
• All utilities must be on and the house cleared of debris.
• The address must be visible from the street.

Building Division questions go to (586) 574-4504, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fax is (586) 574-4577.