- Home
- Departments
- Code Enforcement
- Building Permits & Related Information
- Building Permit Submittal Guide
Building Permit Submittal Guide
Introduction
This booklet was prepared to help you submit the information necessary for City Staff to process your application for a Building Permit. Your project will be evaluated in terms of compliance with the Zoning, Building, Plumbing, Electrical and Fire Code Ordinances as adopted by the City of Biddeford and the State of Maine. The information presented in this booklet are not all inclusive of code requirements. They are intended only to highlight areas which often present difficulties for designers, contractors and City residents.
Contractor Requirements
Contractors are required by State law, Title 10, M.R.S.A. Chapter 219-A to provide consumers with a written contract for any home remodeling or construction job with an estimated cost in excess of $3,000.
Posting of Permits
Upon issuance of the building permit, the permit is required to be posted and visible from the public Right-of-Way. The permit approval requires compliance with all codes and ordinances, which the City of Biddeford has adopted.
Submission of Plans
Two sets of plans must be submitted with a building permit application, which can be obtained at the Code Enforcement Department. One set of approved plans, specifications and permit amendments will be returned with the permit. The approved set must remain on the job-site until the final inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.
Permit Application Requirements
The permit applicant is responsible for making arrangements for inspections and insuring that a City Code Enforcement Officer has performed all the required inspections. The required inspections are indicated on the face of the Building Permit job card. When calling for required inspections, please provide the following information:
- Building permit number
- Contractor name
- Project location
- Type of inspection required
Certificate of Occupancy
Please remember that structures may not be used or occupied until the City has issued a Certificate of Occupancy.
Should you have any questions concerning your project, please contact us in the Code Enforcement Department.
Thank you,
Inspection Services
Code Enforcement
205 Main Street
Biddeford, Maine 04072
Phone: 207-284-9236
Fax: 207-286-9388
Chapter 1: Planning & Zoning
Two complete site plans must be submitted with each application or, if interior renovation only, two complete floor plans must be submitted for review. Examples of site plans and floor plans are provided in Appendices A through C.
Requirements for all permit applications:
- Exact dimensions from all existing and proposed improvements to all property lines, including driveways, swimming pools, sheds and other outbuildings.
- Graphic scale must be shown or noted on the plan
- Site plan must be drawn to scale
- Location of all easements on the property, both public and private.
- Any lot which contains a recorded easement or right-of-way must have the following note on the site plan; "Nothing shall be placed, planted, set, or put within the area of the easement that would adversely affect the function of the easement or conflict with the easement agreement."
- Location of all existing and proposed buildings and improvements including all driveways, swimming pools, shed(s) and other outbuilding(s)
- Location of all municipal boundaries, if applicable
- Location of all property lines
- Location of all public street right-of-ways and location of all public streets, including curbs and sidewalk
Additional information may be required for review.
Information Required, If Applicable
- The submission must include the locations of:
- All wetland areas
- An on lot sewage (septic) system
- The 100-year flood plain and the 100-year flood plain elevation
- Any new construction or substantial improvement done to a structure within a designated flood plain as shown on the community’s Flood Insurance Rate Map must submit a completed elevation certificate along with the application for a building permit.
- A professional land surveyor must complete elevation certificates.
- If a new or relocated driveway is proposed, or any excavation or work is proposed within the city right-of-way, a street opening permit must be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
- Permits from other authorities having jurisdiction (such as the Saco River Corridor Commission, the Maine Department of Public Safety, Historic Commission, etc.) must be attached to the application.
- All variances, conditional use permits, site plan approvals must be noted on the site plan.
Chapter 2: Code Compliance Requirements
General Plan Requirements
Scaled drawings - scale shall be indicated on each plan.
Provide full cross cut sectional drawing of each different area to be constructed.
- All applicable items to match their respective schedules (beams, columns, doors, etc.)
- All point load locations requiring blocking to solid foundation
- Complete beam schedule with minimum bearing requirements and support columns
- Complete window schedule, including manufactures name, catalog number, location, size and type
- Dimensions of all areas including rooms, stairways, hallways, doors, etc.
- Fireplace specifications, including:
- Clearance to combustibles
- Construction type
- Footing size and thickness
- Firebox depth
- Location
- Width of hearth
- Fire separation between garage and residence, including:
- Drywall and opening protection specifications
- Floor joist size and spacing and direction, span and type of lumber for all areas
- For pre-manufactured chimneys and fireplace inserts, indicate:
- Brand name
- Model number
- Testing agency
- Glazing - label all hazardous locations
- Handrail and guardrail details and locations
- Location of access panels for:
- Attics
- Crawl spaces
- Mechanical equipment
- Whirlpool motors
- Location of all plumbing, mechanical, and electrical equipment
- Location of smoke detectors. Code requires:
- A.C. powered with D.C. back up type detectors
- Detectors are located:
- In each room used for sleeping purposes
- On each level including basements.
- Outside of the sleeping rooms
- Each detector must be wired to the other so that when one sounds, they all sound
- Skylight locations
- Use of all new and adjacent spaces
Foundation Plans
Scaled drawings - scale shall be indicated on each plan.
Provide full cross cut sectional drawing of each different area to be constructed.
- All footing and wall dimensions and specifications
- Footings must be continuous.
- All pier pad, column and beam locations, sizes and specifications
- Crawl space ventilation locations and sizes
- Details of beam pocket construction
- Location and size of any hydrostatic openings, if construction is within a special flood hazard zone
- Radon system locations
- Sump pit and / or ejector pit
- Type and location of any footing and/or foundation reinforcement
- Type and spacing of anchor bolts
Cross Sections
Scaled drawings - scale shall be indicated on each plan.
Provide full cross cut sectional drawing of each different area to be constructed.
Provide cross sections of unique areas or complex construction details
- All stairways, including:
- Rise (maximum 7 3/4 inches)
- Tread depth (minimum 10 inches)
- Nosing overhand and headroom (minimum 6 feet to 8 feet measured from nosing of tread)
- Basement / garage slabs, including:
- Thickness of concrete and stone base
- Vapor barrier (6 mil poly required)
- Brick / stone veneer work, including:
- Flashing details
- Masonry tie type and spacing
- Sheathing paper
- Weep hole location
- Ceiling heights in all areas (minimum 7 feet 6 inches in all rooms except bathrooms)
- Crawl spaces, including:
- Height of framing members above exposed earth
- Vapor barrier
- Ventilation and access hole (18 inches by 24 inches minimum required)
- Cross ventilation, including:
- Location
- Type of system
- Engineered / manufactured roof systems, including
- Any special hangars required for installation
- Bracing
- Direction
- Finish materials
- Pitch of roof
- Roof sheathing
- Size
- Spacing
- Span
- Exterior wall covering, insulation, moisture barrier
- Floor joist members, including:
- Direction
- Grade of lumber to be used
- Lumber species
- Size
- Spacing
- Span
- Floor sheathing
- Thickness
- Type (3 ply, 4 ply, fir, pine, etc.)
- Footings, continuous, including:
- Depth below grade
- Size
- Size and location of reinforcement
- Thickness
- Foundation drain, including:
- Filter type
- Location
- Stone
- Foundation wall, including:
- Size
- Height of backfill
- Method of damp-proofing
- Type and location of reinforcement
- Type of mortar
- Guardrails for raised surfaces above 30 inches, including:
- Height (minimum 36 inches)
- Spacing of balusters (maximum 4 inches)
- Guardrails for open sided stairs above 30 inches, including:
- Height
- Spacing
- Handrails, including:
- Mounting height
- Grasp ability (cross-dimension maximum)
- Connection or termination detail to post or wall
- Interior finish on walls and ceilings
- Isolated piers, including:
- Reinforcement
- Size
- Thickness
- Location of all headers, beams, and steel lintels to match required schedules
- Passive radon components
- Roof members, including:
- Collar ties
- Direction
- Grade of lumber to be used
- Lumber species
- Pitch of roof
- Size
- Spacing
- Span
- Roof pitch (expressed as ____ on 12)
- Sill plate / anchor bolts, including:
- Location
- Size
- Spacing
- Transition block location
- Wall framing details, including:
- Size
- Spacing
- Wall bracing, including:
- Corner
- Intermediate
Elevations
Scaled drawings - scale shall be indicated on each plan.
Provide full cross cut sectional drawing of each different area to be constructed.
- All exterior elevations, including
- Construction and finished grades
Chimneys & Fireplaces
Masonry contractors are required to provide homeowners a disclosure concerning the construction of masonry or installation of factory built chimneys and fireplaces (Title 32, MRSA, chapter 33, § 2313-A).
All construction must meet the minimum standards found in NFPA 211.
- Chimney and gas and solid fuel burning appliance details, including:
- Brand and model number on plans at fireplace locations
- Clean-out location
- Clearance to walls, ceiling, floor and combustibles
- Fire-stopping between floors (if applicable)
- Flue liner size and surrounding materials
- Footing thickness and width
- Termination above roof
- Thimble size and distance to combustibles
- U.L. or other approved listing/testing agency certification and installation instructions
- Fireplace sectional, including:
- Ash pit / clean-out location
- Clearance to combustibles
- Combustible mantel dimension above lintel
- Distance from damper opening to throat
- Distance from fireplace opening to combustible trim
- Fire stopping details between floors (if applicable)
- Footing thickness and width
- Hearth dimension
- Hearth extension of front and sides of fireplace
- Hearth slab details and reinforcement
- Horizontal projection of combustible mantle
- Steel lintel size
- Type and thickness of firebox wall
Reference materials are available for viewing at the Code Enforcement Department, located at:
Biddeford City Hall
205 Main Street
Biddeford, ME 04005