Do I need a building permit for adding a bedroom?

[Helen Zhang]

I currently have an upstairs common area with 3 walls, and I am interested to convert that into a bedroom. I am interested to add a closet, a wall, and a door. Do I need a building permit for it in Texas?  If so how much would that be? 

[Mike Castellow]

@Helen Zhang & @Dion McNeeley There are a number of things to consider and every town has different code requirements on when you need to pull a permit. It's a fairly simple process that many homeowners, contractors, and investors tend to ignore until it costs them far more in the end than it would have in the beginning. In addition to ensuring that the room is built to the proper load bearing capacity as @Mike Reynolds mentioned, you should also keep in mind that you need a second egress point, such as an egress window, for any habitable room especially if it is designed for sleeping purposes.