Question: We are doing a commercial build in Fort Bend county and the building permit has been approved and clearing is going on.

Does anyone that's familiar with Fort Bend Co or Houston building processes think there is any chance at all that permitting will allow a not huge, but not totally irrelevant configuration change in the building? It's a 4,000 sqft building and footprint and the changes are not drastic but they do involve restrooms being moved. We are nowhere near pouring slab yet but only clearing. .

Are you the builder or the building owner?

Owner. Haven't even asked builder yet. Don't want to even push if it's impossible to begin with.

I don't see why the county would care where you put your restrooms as long as you are still within code. Probably just need to let them review. I'm sure they'll want some more money/fees

If you were in the City of Houston, you would 100% have to resubmit drawings, but in the jobs I've done in Fort Bend, they are really only concerned about the life safety stuff(emergency lights, egress, etc). There are no MEP inspections like in the city.

I'm not sure specifically about FB county, but any permit issuing entity is going to be used to permit resubmissions. There may be fees associated with it, and it may delay construction if they can't inspect the revised area without the approved plans.

Honestly - if the inspector is reasonable, a lot of times they will inspect an area without stamped plans with the knowledge that it's coming.

I've seen architects submit plans to a city knowing that as soon as the permit is issued they will submit for a change for one reason or another. It's all part of the process.

Are you in City of Houston or Fort Bend County? COH will require submitting plan change revisions. Fort Bend County may not. I assume you are in FBC because otherwise you would have the yellow COH permit card with permit #.

Call the FBC permitting offices and just ask. If this is something you want to change, then would recommend ask now rather than wait until you have slab and underground plumbing inspected.


https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/county-services/engineering/contact-us