The Building Division assists developers, contractors and homeowners with questions about new construction, as well as rehabilitation.

  Building Services

The Building Division provides plan review
and construction inspection services to
enforce minimum safety standards by
regulating and controlling design,
construction, quality of materials, use
and occupancy, as well as location and
maintenance of all buildings and structures.
 
To streamline the permit process, both the
Planning and Building Divisions provide
contractors and homeowners with an easy
step-by-step guide for completing the process.
On large-scale projects, pre-construction
coordination meetings are held with project
proponents and all City staff who will play a
role in the construction process to help
ensure a smooth running project.

Types of Work Requiring Permits: Most residential, commercial, and industrial construction work on private property - whether new, added, remodeled, or altered - require building plans and permits. A property owner may apply for a permit, including building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, as an "owner-builder" if the owner lives on the property. If the owner does not live on the property, the owner is only allowed to apply for a building permit. Permits must be obtained prior to the onset of any work and include the following types of jobs: Building construction/remodeling - New structures and room      additions, exterior stucco, interior remodeling, roofing, structural      repairs, pools and spas; enclosure of a patio, replacement of      windows, any structural work Electrical - Installing, altering, reconstructing or repairing      electrical wiring  Mechanical - Installing, altering, reconstructing or repairing heating,       ventilating or air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment and duct       work, miscellaneous heating appliances Plumbing - Piping, re-piping, new or replacement fixtures and      devices, swimming pool equipment, repair or installation of      lawn sprinklers Sandblasting Sign Installation

Learn more about Energy Star homes and buildings--a joint program of the EPA and U.S. Dept. of Energy. Handbook of  B.M.P. for eliminating or reducing the discharge of pollutants from construction sites.

To find out if your project requires a permit, call the Building Division at (626) 570-5034 for further information.

Click here to view the Alhambra City Code's ordinances on building and construction.
(See Title XX: Building and Construction)

Hiring Workers:
Section 7031.5 California Business and Professional Code states that only properly licensed individuals or individuals specifically exempt (Section 7044) from the provisions of the Contractors State License Law shall be allowed to pull a permit for work regulated by code. Owners who obtain construction permits must perform the work in a safe and professional manner, and must provide worker's compensation insurance for relatives and others working on the project even if they are not being paid. Worker's compensation requirements do not apply to the property owners living on the property and immediate family members who also live on the property

Building Inspections:
The City's building inspectors will inspect a property once an inspection request has been made. Such requests must be made at least one day in advance and can be made by calling (626) 570-3240. The inspection request line is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may call the Building Division at (626) 570-5034 the day of your inspection after 9:30 a.m. to receive an indication of whether the inspection will occur in the morning or afternoon.

Related Sites:
State of California - Contractor's State License Board