Real questions.
Real answers.
See the types of complex construction questions PermitSage can analyze across your entire document set.
Pre-Construction and Land Development
Foundation planning and site analysis
"Cross-reference the Civil Site Plan against the Structural Foundation plan. Confirm all Building Corners, setback dimensions, and utilities are consistent."
Why it matters: A 2ft offset in the building location can push footings into wetlands or encroach utilities, causing permit rejection and 3-month delays.
"Review the Soil Boring report for "bearing capacity" (tons/SF). Cross-reference against the Structural Notes. Confirm the footing design uses this capacity."
Why it matters: Oversizing footings due to unknown bearing capacity wastes material. Undersizing causes settlement and structural failure.
"Scan the Civil Sheets for "Wetlands" or "50-Year Floodplain" notations. Cross-reference with the Zoning Report for permitted land uses."
Why it matters: Building in a floodplain requires elevation or flood-resistant construction. Placing a parking lot in a wetland requires mitigation. Both block permits.
"Verify that the Civil Plan shows "Gas", "Water", "Sewer", and "Storm Drain" connections. Confirm the MEP documents match the proposed utility sizes."
Why it matters: Designing 500 ton/day of cooling with a 3/4" water line will cause cooling tower starvation and equipment failure on day one.
Architectural and Structural Integrity
Design accuracy and code compliance
"Verify that Architectural column grids match Structural column grids. Check for "Major Grid" vs. "Minor Grid" discrepancies."
Why it matters: Off-grid columns force last-minute redesigns, create weak points in the structure, and can cause load-path failures.
"Confirm the Structural slab thickness and reinforcement schedule matches the Architectural floor level dimensions."
Why it matters: A 1.5" difference in slab thickness changes the building height by 10+ floors in a high-rise, invalidating permits.
"Cross-reference the floor-to-floor height against the Mechanical equipment clearances. Confirm HVAC, plumbing, and electrical can fit between slabs."
Why it matters: Insufficient vertical space forces ductwork through walls, cuts beam capacity, and makes systems unserviceable.
"Verify that the Structural Notes specify "Live Load" for the roof. Confirm solar panels, HVAC units, and antennas are included in the structural calculations."
Why it matters: Missing rooftop equipment from load calculations can cause roof collapse under wet snow or wind loads.
MEP Systems and Fire Safety
Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire code review
"Verify that the Electrical Panel clearance (minimum 3ft in front) doesn't conflict with HVAC ducts or plumbing risers. Check the 3D coordination drawings."
Why it matters: Cramped panel clearances prevent emergency shutdowns and violate the NEC. Rework is costly after equipment installation.
"Confirm that all plumbing fixtures have trap seals (P-traps or S-traps) and that the vent stack is properly sized. Cross-reference fixture unit counts against the stack diameter."
Why it matters: Undersized vent stacks cause backed-up sewage. Missing traps allow sewer gas into the building.
"Identify all "Floor Penetrations" where MEP runs through fire-rated slabs. Confirm each has a "Firestop Schedule" and matches the rated assembly."
Why it matters: Missing firestops allow smoke and fire to spread between floors, defeating the passive fire safety strategy and creating life safety violations.
"Scan the Electrical Plan for all outlets within 6 feet of "Water Sources" (sinks, showers, exterior). Confirm they are protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters."
Why it matters: Missing GFCI protection violates NEC 210.8 and creates shock hazards. Inspectors red-tag non-compliant outlets.
Accessibility and Compliance
ADA and energy code compliance
"Verify that all "Accessible Routes" from the building entrance to all primary functions have a maximum slope of 1:20 (5%). Flag any areas exceeding this."
Why it matters: Routes steeper than 1:20 are ramps and require handrails, reducing usable space. Steeper than 1:12 are stairs, blocking wheelchair access.
"Check all Door Schedules for hardware sets. Flag any knobs or handles that require "tight grasping or twisting". Confirm lever handles are specified."
Why it matters: Round doorknobs are generally prohibited in commercial accessibility codes. Lever handles are required for operation with a closed fist.
"Calculate the "Lighting Power Density" (Watts/SF) for the Retail Sales Area. Compare against the maximum allowed by IECC for the specific climate zone."
Why it matters: Retail tenants often want bright lights, but if the design exceeds the energy budget, the city will not issue a permit.
"Verify that "Continuous Insulation" is detailed on all Exterior Wall Sections. Confirm R-Value meets the requirements of the Energy Code."
Why it matters: Missing continuous insulation is a major thermal performance failure and a common code plan review comment.
Sector Specifics
Industry-specific requirements
"Scan Structural Elevations for "Signage Blocking" or "Plywood Backing" at the storefront parapet. Confirm it aligns with the proposed Tenant Signage location."
Why it matters: Lack of blocking forces the tenant to open up the finished wall to add support, causing delays and lease disputes.
"Check the "Partition Schedule" for walls separating dwelling units. Verify the STC rating is >50 and details show "Resilient Channels" or "Staggered Studs"."
Why it matters: "Paper-thin walls" are the primary source of tenant complaints. Soundproofing is cheaper to install during framing than to retrofit.
"Verify that "Emergency Power" receptacles (red outlets) in Critical Care areas are connected to the "Life Safety Branch" of the electrical panel schedule."
Why it matters: Connecting life-support equipment to non-emergency circuits is a critical safety failure.
Scheduling, Cost, and Procurement
Project management and cost control
"Analyze the Schedule for "Open Ended" activities (missing predecessors or successors). Flag any activity other than Project Start/End."
Why it matters: Open loops break the Critical Path Method (CPM). A delay in an open-ended task won't show a project delay, masking real risk.
"Identify all items in the Specifications labeled "Long Lead" or "Custom Fabrication". Verify corresponding "Submit", "Approve", and "Deliver" tasks exist in the Schedule."
Why it matters: Switchgear (40+ weeks) and Elevators are notorious project killers. If procurement logic is missing, the schedule is unrealistic.
"Search for "Final Connection" language in the Electrical vs. Mechanical specifications. Identify who is responsible for low-voltage control wiring."
Why it matters: Control wiring (thermostats to units) is often excluded by electricians. If the HVAC contractor didn't include it, it becomes a Change Order.
Use Cases & Applications
Real-world scenarios showing how PermitSage prevents costly errors and streamlines construction compliance.
Voltage Mismatch Detection
Ordering a Rooftop Unit (RTU) at 480V when the panel is 208V is one of the most common MEP errors.
PermitSage catches this early, saving restocking fees, shipping delays, and the $15,000+ cost of an unplanned step-up transformer.
Schedule Logic Validation
For items like switchgear with 40+ week lead times, missing schedule logic can mask real risks.
PermitSage identifies dangling activities and ensures Submit, Approve, and Deliver tasks are logically tied in your schedule.
ADA Compliance Verification
ADA Title III violations carry penalties up to $184,767. Correcting non-compliant construction is financially ruinous.
Proactive ADA assessment costs significantly less than potential legal fees and mandated reconstruction.
Constructability 2.0
Detect latent defects and scope gaps—like mismatched floor elevations or missing signage blocking—that human reviewers often overlook.
Industry data shows rework can consume up to 14% of total contract value if left unaddressed.
Strategic Value & ROI
Shift from reactive fire-fighting to proactive system integration during pre-construction. The cost of correcting a design error increases exponentially as a project progresses.
The “Ten-Fold” Rule
An error that costs $1,000 to fix in the design phase can cost $10,000 during procurement and over $100,000 if discovered post-installation.
The Spearin Doctrine Defense
Protects project owners by meeting the legal necessity of detecting errors and omissions in design documents before construction begins.
Under the Spearin Doctrine, project owners impliedly warrant that plans are adequate. PermitSage helps meet your “duty to inquire” with exhaustive AI-powered reviews.
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