All Forum Posts by: Prashanth Mahakali

@Lucas Hammer

Google “chicago building violations”(yes, even though you are not searching for violations)

-click on link that takes you to city of CHicago website and click “get started online”)

-click “i accept the terms of this license”

-enter address

- will give your list of all permits pulled and results of any city inspections along with violations

- anyone can do this and you only pull a FOIA request if you don’t see any records from this search or if you find a permit but want more details on that( if you want to see drawings for that permit but you are not the owner, then you ask the seller to sign the foia form or authorize you to apply for it!)

Hope this helps.

Prashanth

@Mark Ainley thank you for the mention! @Jeremy Cohn the short answer is, it depends!

I would try getting an estimate from a few local architects and check for knowledge of process, creative ideas and scope of services they are able to offer. When you shop by price/ sf you generally get a skewed estimate. Happy to assist you in this process. Dm me at your convenience. Good luck!

@Amir Elias

Welcome to BP. This is a great place with tons of resources and really helpful experts. How I would do it if I were to start all over again is to gather a great team of Realtor, lender, Architect and contractor. These people will ensure that your investment will go long and far. Real estate is not kind even for the most seasoned investors. While other’s returns seem great, the hidden cost is often neglected. If you get into this, your life will change and you have to be ok with it. Know your goals and work toward them. Good luck!

@Curtis Contreras

Absolutely. Please send me an email at

Prashanth at pmpcarch dot com

Thank you

Mark,

The fence permit can be obtained through an easy permit process ( EPP). It seems like the city just wants to have a record of the fence permit and of course : permit fees :)

Eric, It’s very encouraging to see your success story. All the best! Prashanth

Jerry, I am an Architect and can confirm that you as the owner can receive the projectdox notifications. However, we encourage owners to check permit review status online by providing them the online application number. You can login as often as you want and see the open corrections. The update is not as immediate as the projectdox notifications which the Architect gets by default but it works. Hope this helps.

Hello Everyone, In Chicago demolition process starts with application for a wrecking permit. You can’t get a building permit for a new construction without applying for a wrecking permit(unless it’s a vacant lot) or having one already. You can pre-determine if the lot zoning would allow what you want to build there. Since this topic has generated some interest, I will add my process to the topic. First step is to determine if tearing down the building is the right thing to do. So I usually set up a field visit to walkthrough the building. I also check for building violations, current cash flow, rehab budgets( if it makes sense etc). I educate the owner enough to make a determination if the project is viable as a rehab or a teardown for new construction. Once it has been determined that the building is beyond repair, we consider new construction. If the comparables in the area prove that a multi unit makes sense, then I compile some similar properties and figure out what was built: Area, materials, number of units etc. Most often someone has already done what you want to do in the area. For a three story building, you have to use masonry construction in Chicago. So use $150-$160/sf as general cost of construction. Reverse determine how much area of building you can afford based on your cash on hand and pre-approval. Determine if the project is still viable based on how much you can afford to build. I do a zoning analysis after I do the financial analysis since it helps determine the project direction. If zoning does not allow you to do what you plan to do, I usually consult my zoning attorney to check out other options. We recently went with a zoning change AND a zoning variance for a Project since it made financial sense to spend the time and effort to go through it. Getting to the design and permits comes after a long way into the process. In summary, I put my architect/GC/ Broker hats on to evaluate the best direction for a project. I use the market data, client’s available financial resources, zoning and building code information to determine the best route for the project. Thank you for reading my elongated post. Each project is unique and you have a consider a variety of information sources before you make a decision. To simplify, My motto has always been “Let money show you way”. Hope this helps. Prashanth

Unfortunately, posting about building code issues and local permit rules can only get you advice that may not be safe. First of all, as an Architect, I can assure you that pulling a permit is the most important thing you could do. Imagine this scenario, you hired your friend plumber and in the way of his plumbing cuts a joist which leads to structural damage and you go to your insurance to claim repair money. Guess what they are going to ask. Did you pull a permit to do this work. Think of obtaining a permit as a way for the city to have your back against people who think they know what they are doing. You cannot evaluate someone's work when you are not qualified to do so. Let the city inspectors help you. True some of them are not as polite as others but nothing beats a code compliant building when it comes to value!! It shows you care when you go to sell the building. I deal with a lot of investors making drawings and obtaining permits for them in chicago. They used to question the value of drawings and also permits. Not anymore. A wise investor will account for the time, effort and cost of permits in their timeline. Chicago does not allow flexible plumbing connections. As an investor and Architect, I am very passionate about this issue and would welcome hearing differing thoughts.

Hello Eric, I am an Architect willing to help you with any questions you may have. Thank you. Prashanth