LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – March 11th 2014

The City of Los Angeles offers two over-the-counter opportunities for plan reviews – a Counter Plan Check and an Expanded Counter Plan Check.

At Permit Advisors we push for these types of reviews whenever possible, rather than back-room submittals, so that we can save our clients time and money throughout the permitting process.

Counter Plan Check

A Counter Plan Check is a same-day review issued for small – medium sized projects. In our experience, a Counter Plan Check typically takes about 30 minutes or more. Projects pertaining to these often involve small modifications to an existing building such as adding new finishes or fixtures to a retail space. As mentioned, we push for these whenever possible so that we can receive comments from Plan Reviewers immediately and move the project forward for our clients.

Expanded Counter Plan Check

When a Counter Plan Check is not available, we push for an Expanded Counter Plan Check (ECPC). While still an over-the-counter review, an ECPC takes longer and is assigned for projects that are slightly more complex than a typical Counter Plan Check. A project qualified for an ECPC will likely include any non-structural tenant improvements to multiple levels of a building. This option is still preferred instead of a back-room submittal which we’ll get into next.

Submittals


A submittal occurs on larger projects that require a lengthier plan review. Projects that may qualify for a submittal will include complex projects such as a ground-up build or removal of a structure-bearing wall. The process can sometimes take months depending on the reviewers’ workloads. At Permit Advisors, we make sure to provide regular updates regarding timelines and new information while our client’s plans are awaiting review.  We also advise regarding the opportunity to pay an expedited fee which is often available on Los Angeles projects.

 

Services We Provide for Plan Checks: