Objective:

Help homeowners see that every successful project starts with knowing who governs their property and what digital tools those agencies use.

Learn It:

Your local government—city, county, or utility district—controls permitting, zoning, water, power, sewer, and inspections.
Modern cities use online portals where you can submit plans, pay fees, and track approvals in real time.

Log It:

✅ Search your property address on your city’s “Building & Planning” website.

✅ Identify every department that will play a role:

• Building & Permitting

• Planning / Zoning

• Public Works (water & sewer)

• Fire Department (for sprinklers / driveway access)

  
  ✅ Create a folder in your Digital Home Manual → Government Portals titled “City & Utilities Access.”

Tip: Bookmark each website in your browser and paste the links into your Word Manual under “City Portal Links.”

Objective:

To set up your official permitting profile with your city or county.

Learn It:

Most permit portals (like MyBuildingPermit.com, EnerGov, or Accela Citizen Access) require an account before you or your contractor can submit drawings.

Registering early saves headaches later.

Log It:

✅ Visit your city’s portal → click “Register / Create Account.”
✅ Use the same email you created for your Digital Home Manual.
✅ Complete verification and log in.
✅ Create a folder titled Permits & Submissions in Google Drive.
✅ Copy and paste your login URL, username, and instructions into your Manual.

Tip: Don’t share passwords—just share the portal link and permit number with your project team.

Objective:

To get homeowners registered with every utility and jurisdiction needed before construction starts.

Learn It:

Different agencies manage different systems. Most have online portals for new service, billing, and outage reporting.

Log It:

✅ Create subfolders in Google Drive → Utilities:

• 💧 Water / Sewer District

• ⚡ Power Provider

• 🔥 Gas Utility

• 🗑️ Trash / Recycling

• 🌐 Internet / Telecom

✅ Go to each provider’s site and create accounts under your project address.

✅ Save confirmation emails & account numbers as PDFs in the folder.

✅ Add links and contact info to your Digital Home Manual → Utilities Section.

Tip: Add a note of who to call for emergency shut offs or inspections.

Objective:

To link all permitting and utility files to your main home manual so nothing is ever lost.

Learn It:

As your architect, engineer, or contractor submits drawings, copies of approvals, inspection reports, or correction notices should go into your Drive immediately.

Log It:

✅ Create folders labeled Permit Applications, Inspections, Corrections, Final Approvals.

✅ Save every PDF uploaded to the portal in these folders.

✅ Insert those folder links into your manual under “Permits & Approvals.”

✅ Use consistent naming: Permit_Application_01-2025 or Inspection_Report_03-15-2025.

Tip: Once final approval is granted, highlight that row green in your manual to mark it as complete.

Objective:

To establish a rhythm for checking updates, renewals, and post-construction obligations.

Learn It:

Cities continue to post inspection notes, energy reports, or occupancy documents long after you break ground.
Your portal remains your digital handshake with the government.

Log It:

✅ Log in once a week during construction to check for new messages.

✅ Save any updated permits or inspection results.

✅ After final approval, download and archive all portal files in a folder titled Final Permits & CO (Certificate of Occupancy).

✅ Update your Manual index with “All City Records Finalized [Date].”

Tip: Keep your accounts active for future remodels—it saves re-registration time later.

Key Takeaway

Setting up your city permit portals and utilities early gives you professional-level organization and transparency.

It keeps your project compliant, your records centralized, and your team aligned—all within your Digital Home Manual.

When you build the habit now, you build smarter forever.

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