What to Expect: The Permitting Process

The permitting process is a huge part of the construction timeline when building on your lot with Wayne Homes.

As an on-your-lot builder, Wayne Homes requires that you apply for the majority of permits yourself, as the landowner. This can vary from state to state and county to county. You’ll also be working on obtaining a construction loan approval which is different from a regular home loan. Luckily, we have Production Administrators who are always there to help with any questions you have about both pulling permits and financing.

As part of our What to Expect series, we created a helpful permitting video detailing the process.

The Permitting Process:

Step 1: Your Production Administrator will reach out after the Lot Inspection and Pre-Construction Meeting are complete.

This is your point person for all lot-related items.

Step 2: Each homeowner receives a Wayne Homes homeowner manual when they sign to build their new home.

This is a great place to take notes, keep your paperwork organized, and reference throughout the building process.

Step 3: Review all permits needed for the specific property you’ll be building on.

This is unique for each customer. As an on-your-lot builder, we have lots of experience helping homeowners navigate the specific requirements of building on the lot and county they’ve chosen.

• Some properties require a well and a septic system. Others will have city water and sewer.
• These permits will need to be pulled and paid for prior to the start of construction (dig day).

Step 4: Other items that need to be completed prior to dig day (depending on the requirements for each specific piece of property).

These can include:

• A survey of the property
• Homeowner’s Association (HOA) approval
• Contacting the electric company to fill out an application and open an account

Step 5: Zoning and building permit

• Wayne Homes will pay the first $500 of the building permit, and – depending on costs in the specific building area – the remaining balance is paid by the homeowner.
• Your Production Administrator will apply for the building permit and pick it up.
• The Production Administrator is an excellent resource to help guide you through this stage of preparing your property and the next step of financing to start construction.

Step 6: Finances

• You always begin with mortgage pre-approval
• We suggest working with Premier Bank, our preferred lender
• A construction loan is different than a traditional existing home mortgage:
  • It can often combine the costs of the land, the home, and the homesite improvements (site prep, utilities, etc.) into one loan for one convenient payment.
• Many customers are able to start building their new home while still living in their current home. Each customer’s situation is unique. The banking professionals at Premier Bank can help to determine what options are available based on each customer’s unique circumstances and needs.
• The construction loan will convert to a traditional mortgage after closing on the home (or possibly earlier depending on the construction timeline and the terms of the loan agreement with the lender).
• The Production Administrator will serve as the liaison between Wayne Homes and the customer’s lender to ensure that all documents are submitted to the lender after all selections have been finalized. This ensures that the appraisal can be ordered in a timely manner.
• Our team is here to work closely with our customers to help the process be as seamless as possible.

We hope this gives you a glimpse into our permitting process and removes some of the fears you may have about obtaining permits. Remember, we are your partner during this step of the process! There are no silly questions, and we are all in this together.

Do you have a specific question about permitting? Call our expert team!

About Wayne Homes

Wayne Homes is a custom homebuilder in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia (see all Model Home Centers). We offer more than 50 fully customizable floorplans and a team dedicated to providing the best experience in the home building industry. For more information, Ask Julie by Live Chat or call us at (866) 253-6807.

Disclaimer: The details of this blog are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change.