Maybe the plan is a new vanity and shower, with a water softener added while the walls are open, or new windows to go with a kitchen update. In Hanford, the Building Division publishes a plain list of residential projects that need permits, and a few items people assume are minor are on it.

Hanford’s Building Division

The Building Division is part of the Community Development Department at 317 N. Douty Street, and the department’s main line is (559) 585-2500. Permit questions go to the Development Services Assistant at (559) 585-2581. The Division performs plan reviews, issues building permits, and inspects construction projects located within the city limits. It also houses the Code Compliance Section, which enforces the Hanford Municipal Code and related state and federal requirements.

If you want to talk through a detail before an inspection, the Facts and Information page lists the times inspectors are usually in the office each day, and they can also meet by special appointment.

Projects the City lists as needing permits

The City’s Facts and Information page names common residential projects that require permits. For kitchens and baths, the relevant ones are:

• Remodeling

• Water heater replacement

• Water conditioners and other water treatment equipment

• Replacing or installing new windows

• New sewer or water lines

• New gas piping, or extensions of the existing gas system

• Furnace or air conditioner replacement or repair

The water treatment line is easy to overlook if you think of a softener as an appliance. If you are weighing one, our guide to hard water and fixture choices covers the tradeoffs. Gas piping and HVAC are licensed plumbing and mechanical work, evaluated during the in-home consultation when a project includes them.

In a kitchen, the list usually comes into play when the remodel moves the sink or extends gas piping to a new range location. In a bathroom, it is the water heater, a relocated vanity or shower, or a softener plumbed in at the same time.

And the work that usually does not

The same page lists painting, wallpapering, floor coverings, and similar finish work among projects that do not need a building permit. The state residential code’s exemption list also names tile, cabinets, and countertops. Even when no building permit is needed, the City suggests calling the Planning Division at (559) 585-2580 before you start to confirm zoning compliance.

Applying and scheduling inspections online

1. Complete the City’s building permit application.

2. Gather the documents listed on the Permit Submittal Documents and Plan Check Submittal Documents pages, including the residential submittal list.

3. Submit everything as one complete package through the Citizen Self Service Portal.

4. Schedule inspections online through the same portal as the work reaches each stage.

Statement of Compliance forms are uploaded to the portal rather than handed to inspectors in the field. Fees are listed in the Building Division section of the City’s Master Fee Schedule, and the Building page links the portal and forms.

Checking a Hanford home’s permit history

The portal includes a permit search, the first place to look before you plan around an earlier remodel. The Census Bureau’s median year built for Hanford homes is 1986, and roughly two in five predate 1980, so some older work may predate the online records. The Development Services Assistant can tell you what else is on file.

Missing permits tend to come up when a house sells and buyers compare the rooms with the record. A remodeled bath with no history can turn into a repair request late in escrow, when there is little time to sort it out.

What owner-builders take on

CSLB lists the owner-builder’s duties plainly: ordering materials and making sure every supplier is paid, plus supervising, scheduling, and paying subcontractors. Using anyone who is not a licensed subcontractor may make you an employer under state and federal rules. CSLB lays out the full list on its owner-builder responsibilities page.

Next steps with All American

Bring your list of planned changes to the free in-home consultation; that is where All American confirms which permits your project needs. Homes outside city limits, such as in Armona or Home Garden, follow the Kings County permit guide, and our Kings County remodeling page covers the area. Our bathroom remodeling page covers showers, vanities, and layout options.