Appleton building department

The City of Appleton Inspections Division, part of the city’s Community Development department at City Hall, 100 North Appleton Street, issues building, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and erosion control permits for property inside Appleton and reviews plans and inspects the work. Surrounding Fox Cities towns and villages have their own inspectors. Confirm the parcel is in the City of Appleton before applying.

What needs a permit

Appleton’s Inspections Division says decks, remodeling, pools, siding, and sheds over 50 square feet, among other projects, will most likely require a permit. Fences are among the most common permits it issues. The division publishes information sheets on:

• Decks
• Sheds
• Portable storage structures
• Fences and walls
• UDC plan submittal requirements

The city does not locate lot lines for owners building a fence or other structure near a boundary. Find the survey irons or hire a surveyor. If you aren’t sure whether a project needs a permit, the city asks you to call Inspections at (920) 832-6411 before starting. See also shed permits.

Applying for a permit

Appleton takes several applications through online forms on its applications site:

• A general building permit application. It covers new construction, additions, interior and exterior remodeling, decks, garages, sheds, pools, fences, and commercial work. It asks for project type, estimated cost, zoning, lot dimensions, building size, and contractor information.
• A residential interior alterations application with plan upload.
• A plan review application. It covers new buildings, alterations, additions, revisions, and footing/foundation submittals.

A building permit does not cover plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work. Each needs its own trade permit, and the division has separate inspectors for each trade.

New one- and two-family homes

Appleton’s new-home permit page lists these steps:

1. Enter the home on the State of Wisconsin’s permit website, using the estimated building cost without land.
2. Submit a completed building permit application with:
   • Two sets of building plans, 11” x 17” or larger
   • One 8½” x 11” plot plan
   • Wall bracing plans, 11” x 17” or larger
   • Heat-loss calculations
   • An erosion control plan, if it is not shown on the plot plan
3. Email electronic copies of everything to the residential building inspector, labeled with the parcel number or address.
4. Allow up to one week for review. The city then emails or calls with the amount due, and you come to City Hall to sign and pay.

Contractors and homeowners

Residential contractors must hold a State of Wisconsin registration. The city advises homeowners to ask any contractor for that number before hiring. New dwellings fall under the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code (SPS 320–325). The permit application must include the contractor’s credential numbers and expiration dates.

Fees

Appleton publishes separate fee schedules for building, electrical, erosion control, HVAC, plumbing and sewer, and miscellaneous permits on its fee schedule page. The fee for a new home is calculated at review, and the city calls or emails the amount before you pay.

Inspections

Every permit requires inspections by City inspectors at set stages before final approval. Call (920) 832-6411 to schedule every required inspection, and don’t cover work before it is inspected. New homes go through the state UDC sequence: footing, foundation, rough-in (framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC), insulation, and final. More on this: building inspection stages.

Inspectors keep morning office hours at City Hall from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, which is the best time to reach your inspector in person. Direct lines:

• HVAC inspector: (920) 832-6417
• Residential plumbing inspector: (920) 832-6420
• Commercial plumbing inspector: (920) 832-6419

Driveways, sidewalks, and the right-of-way

Concrete and excavation work in the street right-of-way is permitted by Public Works Engineering, not Inspections.

• Cement Finisher License: required to build or repair concrete walks, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, or pavement in the public right-of-way. It needs a stamp photo, a $5,000 bond, a certificate of insurance, and a $15 nonrefundable fee. It expires December 31 each year.
• Permit to Excavate in the Public Right-of-Way: $200 for terrace, sidewalk, driveway apron, curb cut, or staking work, and $350 for work in, under, or across the pavement or including curb replacement. Get it at least 48 hours before work starts. The concrete pour season runs May 1 to October 31.

Contact

• Inspections Division: Appleton City Hall, 100 North Appleton Street, Appleton, WI 54911
• Phone: (920) 832-6411, including inspection scheduling
• Inspector office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00–9:30 a.m.