Plan Review

Before anyone breaks ground, a building department runs a desk-side check on your construction drawings called plan review. A reviewer reads the plans and confirms they meet the adopted building code, the energy code, and the zoning rules for your lot. If something is missing or wrong, the department issues corrections, and the plans go back for fixes. Once the plans clear, the AHJ issues the building permit.

The 2018 International Residential Code requires submitted construction documents for a permit, and plan review is how the AHJ confirms those documents comply. Reviewers look at the structural design, the foundation, electrical and plumbing layouts, energy details, and whether the house fits inside the setback lines for the lot. On a custom home, the package usually includes architectural plans, an engineered foundation, and a site plan.

For example, a custom home in Scottsdale goes through plan review at the City of Scottsdale, while a build on unincorporated land near Rio Verde is reviewed by Maricopa County. A first submittal often comes back with a round of corrections, such as a missing soil report detail or an energy calculation. The builder resubmits, and the permit issues after the plans pass.

Plan review is different from inspection. Plan review checks the design on paper before construction. Inspection checks the actual work in the field at each stage. Timelines vary by city and workload, often a few weeks for a single-family home, and expedited review is sometimes available for a fee. Getting a clean, complete plan set in on the first try is the fastest way through, so we build the permit package to the local jurisdiction's exact checklist.