Home Addition Guidelines

Before beginning any construction project, call the Planning & Development Department at 901-6650.

Planning a room addition, deck, garage, or other home improvement project? There are three general phases for completion:

1. The research and preparation phase;
2. The permit application and plan approval phase; and
3. The construction and inspection phase.

Once the inspection phase is complete, your home project will hopefully bring years of pleasure to you and your family.

RESEARCH AND PREPARATION
Your approach to this phase will have a great impact on the overall time necessary to complete the project. Activities include calling and meeting with the Westerville Building Division (901-6650) to obtain all necessary paperwork for the application. You will likely also need to contact the Westerville Planning Division (901-6658, -6659, or -6660) to discuss setback and lot coverage issues. Anyone considering a home addition is also strongly encouraged to contact their respective homeowner association to determine any additional deed restrictions over and above city code. The individual homeowner is ultimately responsible for adhering to these supplemental restrictions. Additional guidance is available on the Guides and Resources page.

APPLICATION AND PLAN APPROVAL
At the time the project is submitted for approval, the Planning Division will need to see a plot plan or mortgage survey (usually included with mortgage papers). This scaled drawing should indicate the desired addition and include a calculated lot coverage percentage including the desired addition and setbacks.

Depending upon the project, completed applications for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits may also need to be submitted to the Building Division for approval before construction can begin.

CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION
Construction can begin once the respective Planning and Building divisions approve plans (a process which usually takes about two weeks after complete applications are submitted). During construction, a number of inspections will occur to ensure that the construction meets city code regulations for safety and reliability.