Any remodeling project that includes additions or changes to the home structure requires a building permit from your local building inspector. Before beginning any project, always contact your inspector to find out if you need a permit. If your project includes changes to mechanical systems, like the wiring or plumbing, you will need additional permits for this work.

To obtain a building permit, you must have a floor plan, elevation drawing, and a materials list to show to the inspector. You also must pay a small permit fee. The amount of the fee depends on the estimated cost of your project.

When the inspector issues the work permit, you also will receive a schedule for the required onsite inspections. For most projects, the inspector will visit your site after the framing work is done, but before the walls are finished.

Plot possible locations for new windows and doors with masking tape. Always mark the full swinging arc of hinged doors. Use newspaper or cardboard to make full-size cutouts of furniture, and use them to experiment with different room layouts. Designers recommend that your floor plan allow ample room around furniture: 22" around a bed; 36" around couches, chairs, and tables; 40" in front of dressers, chests, and closets. Walk through the room along different paths to judge how the room elements will interact. Remember to allow a 40"-wide path for foot traffic across a room. Once you have found a pleasing layout, make final floor plan and elevation drawings.

1. Use existing blueprints of your home, if available, to trace original floor plans and elevation drawings onto white paper. Copy the measurement scale of the original blueprints onto the traced drawings. Make photocopies of the traced drawings, then use the photocopies to experiment with remodeling ideas. Test your ideas in the project area.

2. Make a detailed floor plan showing the layout of the area that will be remodeled, including accurate measurements. Show the location of new and existing doors and windows, wiring, and plumbing fixtures.

3. Make elevation drawings showing the side view layout of windows and doors, as viewed from both inside and outside the home. Indicate the size of windows and doors, ceiling heights, and the location of wiring and plumbing fixtures.

4. Create a complete list showing the materials you intend to use. The list will help the inspector determine if the materials meet accepted standards for strength and fire resistance, and will help you estimate the cost of the project.