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May 12, 2013 at 10:44 pm #607499
JlynncoxMemberHello there! So my husband and I would like to lay concrete for a driveway and possible half size basketball court(in our side yard), but are not sure what Seattle’s regulations are. Do we need a permit to do this? Also does the person laying the concrete slabs need to be certified? Right now our driveway is gravel, while the side yard is grass. I’ve read that a special method has to be done in Seattle city limits in order to have proper drainage. My dad is a certified general contractor and has offered to do the work, but isn’t sure what the rules/regulations are for the city of Seattle (he works in Pierce County more in country areas). Any help on this topic would be great. Or a point in the right direction. We would like to get started on this project, but are clueless where to begin. Thanks in advance!
May 12, 2013 at 10:59 pm #789884
JanSParticipantMay 13, 2013 at 12:41 am #789885
amaliaParticipantGo to the DPD (5th and Cherry) and get over-the-counter coaching. Don’t bother calling, they will just tell you to come in for coaching.
You may be able to get your answer from the Client Assistance Memos (CAMs) on their website, but they are very confusing in the way they reference other memos and say that your project “MAY” be subject to blah blah blah.
I believe you need a building permit to pour concrete, but I’m not entirely sure. If you are near a steep slope or other critical area, you will certainly need a critical areas assessment or waiver.
May 13, 2013 at 3:03 am #789886
brstParticipantYou do not need a permit to pour a typical concrete driveway, patio, or sports court. The person performing the work does not need to be certified nor do you need to pour pourous concrete.
May 13, 2013 at 5:22 am #789887
DianaParticipantAnyone who does this work needs to have a contractor’s license. If you have a question contact the Department of Labor and Industries.
May 13, 2013 at 6:22 am #789888
brstParticipantYou are WRONG. As a homeowner, I can hire whomever I choose to pour a patio or driveway, whether licensed or not, just as I can hire an unlicensed carpenter to re-side my home etc. As long as they are not acting as a “contractor”. I am not saying it is not good policy, just that a contractors license is NOT required.
May 13, 2013 at 3:24 pm #789889
LoloParticipanti believe there is an impermeable lot coverage restriction, 75% of total sq footage or something. so before you decide to lay a bunch of concrete down, check with the city.
May 13, 2013 at 4:18 pm #789890
jwwsParticipantBrst,
Unfortunately you are WRONG. While there are and always will be unlicensed contractors out there anyone performing work of this type on your property is required by state law to be licensed. You of course can ignore that and hire an unlicensed contractor but it is always a case of buyer beware.
May 13, 2013 at 4:27 pm #789891
amaliaParticipantReally? I can’t mix and pour concrete (provided I obtained any needed permits)? But I can build a deck, or put in a fence. Is this in the City Code somewhere?
May 13, 2013 at 5:13 pm #789892
brstParticipantJwws,
The OP was NOT asking about hiring a contractor, she asked if anyone pouring a concrete pad on private property needs to be certified, and NO they do not. The only tradesmen that are required to be licensed in the state of Washington are Electricians and Plumbers.
The OP’s father is a general and nothing would prevent him from recommending a couple of his flatwork guys to do the pour and finish. The OP would provide the materials and the flatwork guys would provide the labor. No different than hiring the neighborhood kid to mow your lawn or an experienced painter to paint your house. Of course, the OP would have no recourse if the pour went bad. As a Construction Manager for a large firm for 35+ years, I do have some experience in the subject.
May 13, 2013 at 5:56 pm #789893
JlynncoxMemberYes, as brst has said my father is a certified general contractor and has poured concrete before. I guess I’m worried if he pours our sports court/driveway and will someone come out and ask us to show the permits for these changes. Or if permits or even really required. He has never obtained permits for the personal concrete pours he’s done at his home in Auburn, but then again it is more in a country setting and I’m not sure anyone really cares or could see it. The homes he builds are majority in Pierce County and he’s never done work in Seattle city limits. Right now our driveway is gravel and possibly broken up concrete below (if you dug it up). The house was built in 1920, but had a compete remodel in 2011. The contractor just didn’t dish out the extra money for an actual drive, and instead laid gravel.
May 13, 2013 at 6:01 pm #789894
JlynncoxMemberAlso is porous concrete required?
May 13, 2013 at 6:37 pm #789895
dyn99ParticipantOn the more important issue of the permit: A permit is definitely required for the driveway.
DPD’s website is correct in that you do not need a DPD permit.
But because you have to cross the city right-of-way in order to get from your lot to the street, an SDOT permit is required. They may also require a DPD permit if concrete is used or if you have an ECA zone on your lot.
Ask me how I know…oh yeah, the hard way! Thankfully it only took 6 months and $1000 in permit fees and inspections to get it approved after the fact – much better than making me tear it up.
May 13, 2013 at 6:39 pm #789896
brstParticipantYou do NOT need a permit in the city of Seattle for concrete driveways, slabs, and patios, providing the work does not encroach upon the right of way (sidewalk, street, and/or curb). Sidewalks, driveway aprons, and/or curbs are regulated by SDOT.
Per the Seattle Residential Code, the following are examples of work that is exempt from needing a building permit:
– Miscellaneous work including the following, provided no changes are made to the building envelope: patio and concrete slabs on grade, painting or cleaning a building, re-pointing a chimney, installing kitchen cabinets, paneling or other surface finishes over existing wall and ceiling systems, insulating existing buildings, abatement of hazardous materials, and in-kind or similar replacement of or repair of deteriorated members of a structure.
– Platforms, walks and driveways not more than 18 inches above grade and not over any basement or story below.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Permits/FAQ/The_Basics/default.asp
May 13, 2013 at 6:48 pm #789897
dyn99ParticipantBrst, you basically just said the same thing that I did, but focused on your argument for not needing a permit instead of the fact that they do need a permit.
You inherently NEED the SDOT permit because you inherently HAVE to cross the right of way to get from your property to the street. Depending on the street, the city owns anywhere between 10 and 30 feet of property on each site of the street (which includes sidewalks, planting strips and likely part of what you consider to be “your property”).
So unless you are pouring a driveway that doesn’t come close to the property line, sidewalk or street, you need at a minimum an SDOT permit.
Unless you just like driving up and down your driveway (which doesn’t encroach upon the city right-of-way), and never pulling your car out onto the street.
Heck…it might be fun for some people!
May 13, 2013 at 7:02 pm #789898
brstParticipantYou are incorrect. You can pour your driveway up to the sidewalk on most typical West Seattle lots without any SDOT permit.
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