Most residential, commercial, and industrial construction work on private property, 
whether new, added, remodeled, or altered, require building plans and permits.
 

Inspection requests must be made at least one day in advance. Inspectors' office hours are
8 a.m.-9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Inspections are conducted from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Schedules will be available after 8:30 a.m, Monday through Friday. You may call the Building Division at 626-570-5034 on the day of your inspection to get an indication of whether the inspection will occur in the morning or afternoon. 

The Building Division provides plan review and construction inspection services to enforce minimum safety standards by regulating and controlling design, construction, quality of materials, use and occupancy, as well as location and maintenance of all buildings and structures.
 
To streamline the permit process, both the Planning and Building Divisions provide contractors and homeowners with an easy step-by-step guide for completing the process. On large-scale projects, pre-construction coordination meetings are held with project proponents and all City staff who will play a role in the construction process to help ensure a smooth running project.

For related information, view the following:

• Alhambra Municipal Code (see Title XX: Building and Construction)
• Single-Family Residential Design Guidelines
• Home Improvement Resources
• Energy Star Products
• City of Alhambra Home Improvement Assistance Programs for Income-Qualified Homeowners
• State of California - Contractor's State License Board

Most residential, commercial, and industrial construction work on private property - whether new, added, remodeled, or altered - require building plans and permits. A property owner may apply for a permit, including building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, as an "owner-builder" if the owner lives on the property. If the owner does not live on the property, the owner is only allowed to apply for a building permit. Permits must be obtained prior to the onset of any work and include the following types of jobs:

• Building construction/remodeling - New structures and room additions, exterior stucco, interior remodeling, roofing, structural repairs, pools and spas; enclosure of a patio, replacement of windows, any structural work
• Electrical - Installing, altering, reconstructing or repairing electrical wiring 
• Mechanical - Installing, altering, reconstructing or repairing heating, ventilating or air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment and duct work, miscellaneous heating appliances
• Plumbing - Piping, re-piping, new or replacement fixtures and devices, swimming pool equipment, repair or installation of lawn sprinklers
• Sandblasting
• Sign Installation

Contractor's Reports are required of any construction company performing work within the City to verify that each subcontractor has a valid business license for the construction period, and that the current amount was paid for the business license tax bracket in which it falls.

• The Development Services-Building & Planning Division (626-570-5034) tracks the
  location of each construction site.
• The Finance Department (626-570-5021) handles the receipt of the Contractor's Report
  by the general contractor or owner-builder. The report should list all subcontractors hired
  for a particular construction site.
• The verification process should be completed within two weeks and the company
  notified so as not to delay the contractor from finalizing the job.
• If all subcontractors are licensed and no payment adjustment is needed, the Building
  and Planning Division is notified. If subcontractors are not licensed or a payment
  adjustment is needed, the general contractor has the option to instruct the subcontractor
  to pay or pay for the subcontractors. The Building and Planning Division will be notified
  when all outstanding fees have been paid.
• The Code Enforcement Division (626-570-3230) works closely with the Business License Division to enforce the Alhambra Municipal Code in determining whether a business
  has a valid business license and occupancy permit.

Section 7031.5 California Business and Professional Code states that only properly licensed individuals or individuals specifically exempt (Section 7044) from the provisions of the Contractors State License Law shall be allowed to pull a permit for work regulated by code. Owners who obtain construction permits must perform the work in a safe and professional manner, and must provide worker's compensation insurance for relatives and others working on the project even if they are not being paid. Worker's compensation requirements do not apply to the property owners living on the property and immediate family members who also live on the property.