Yes, you do need permission

Q. I know I need an architect because we want to take down walls and make our rooms flow into each other better. In talks with our building department, I get the impression that they don’t require any permission to do interior work, just for the outside of the house. Is this true, and how much does it cost to just take some walls down and finish the walls, floors, and ceilings?

A. I can’t imagine that you were actually told that you don’t need permits for interior work, like removing walls, by anyone in an official capacity. Often people tell me things they’ve heard from someone or that “somebody” said. It’s like that old ploy by politically oriented media people, who use phrases like “It’s been said,” or “The word on the street is…” The word is bunk. Most stuff like that is intended to sway an opinion or to try to hide facts.

That’s why I consistently recommend making an appointment with a plans examiner — an approving code official, one who reviews the written documents and grants a permit for your proposed work. That official may be a commissioner, a senior plans examiner or a plans examiner. Building inspectors also have code enforcement duties during construction. I usually rely on plans examiners, since the plans must be approved by them before ever making it to the construction site.