Multi-Scope Projects

Residential New Construction

The construction of any new residential dwelling structure (single-family home, duplex, townhouse) requires a building permit. All construction must comply with the International Residential Code as adopted and amended by the City of Caldwell. All contractors must be registered in the City of Caldwell before applying for permits.

A building permit covers all major aspects of a residential structure (foundation, framing, roofing, insulation, sheetrock, cladding/siding, doors, and windows). A building permit does not encompass work by the major trades (Electrical, Irrigation, Mechanical/HVAC, and Plumbing). Each of these trades require separate permits for the completion of a newly constructed residential dwelling structure. All major trade contractors must register with the city before applying for permits.

In order to obtain a building permit for a newly constructed residential dwelling structure, the Building Department must receive a completed application for a building permit and a set of plans. The application is available to fill out and submit through our online permitting software, Cloudpermit. The set of plans are also uploaded and submitted along with your application through Cloudpermit. A permit fee is required to be paid prior to the review of the submitted application and plans. Fees for newly constructed residential dwelling structures are based on the total square footage of the structure.

In order to ensure that the structure complies with all building codes and city regulations, a detailed review of the application, site plan and all submitted construction documents will be completed prior to the issuance of a residential building permit.

The plans will also be reviewed for compliance with planning and zoning regulations. The proposed use of the structure will be checked for compatibility with the zoning district in which the structure is to be located. If any problems are uncovered during the application/plan review process, the applicant will be required to make the necessary corrections before a building permit can be issued.

Required Plans/Documents
- Site Plan or Survey (property lines must be based on an accurate boundary survey)
  - The site plan must indicate the size and location of new construction and existing structures on the site with distances from the construction to property lines, easements, existing and proposed grades, and existing and proposed utilities to include water, wastewater, electric, and gas)
- Floor Plans and Roof Plans (must indicate room names describing their intended use, size and type of windows and doors, cabinets and fixtures, and ceiling heights, and indication of fire resistance separations as required)
- Exterior Elevation (must show exterior materials, proposed height above adjacent grade, windows and doors, roof slopes, chimneys, and overhangs)
- Driveway Plan (must indicate the dimensions of the driveway, the construction details for the driveway, the location of the driveway on site relative to the property lines, existing structures, above grade utilities , and)
- Structural Plans (must show, as applicable, foundation plans, wall sections and details, floor framing, second floor framing, ceiling framing, roof framing, headers, and beams)
  - Foundations must be designed and sealed by a professional engineer or accompanied by a sealed engineer’s approval letter. Foundation plans must indicate the address and legal description of the lot.
- Plumbing Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate location of the building’s water, sewer, gas piping, fixtures, water heaters, and gas outlets)
- Mechanical Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate equipment details and location)
- Electrical Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate the location of receptacles and other outlets, exhaust fans, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors (if applicable), light fixtures, services equipment and panels)
- Certified (Signed) Energy Compliance Report
  - Most commonly, this is a ResCheck or IC3 compliance report. ResCheck software program which can be downloaded or used at https://www.energycodes.gov/rescheck
  - IC3 Compliance reports can be created at http://ic3.tamu.edu/
Additional Plans/Documents if needed
- 911 Address Verification Form (required if additional legal addresses are needed)
- Utility Request Form (required if additional utilities are needed)

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

For new construction, the following inspections are required and must be completed in the following order:

Plumbing Rough-In
Building Foundation
Driveway Inspection (Can be inspected at any time between the Building Foundation Inspection and the Building Final Inspection. No other inspections are dependent upon the completion of this item)
Exterior Sheathing Fastener
Moisture Barrier
Plumbing Top Out *
Electrical Rough-In *
Mechanical Rough-In *
Building Framing
Building Insulation
Electrical New Service
Plumbing Final *
Electrical Final *
Mechanical Final *
Building Final

Other Inspections that may be required depending on the project:

Framing Garage Portal APA
Brick Tie
Interior Shear Wall Sheathing Fastener
Shower Liner

*NOTE: Inspections marked with an asterisk can be completed in any order provided the electrical rough-in, plumbing top out and mechanical rough-in inspections are completed before the framing inspection and the plumbing final, electrical final and mechanical final inspections are completed before the building final inspection.

Termite Treatment Certificate
Third Party Blower Door Certificate
Third Party Duct Leakage Certificate
Engineered Foundation Certificate
Post Tension Materials and Stress Certificate - If the Building Foundation Slab uses Post Tension Cables the City of Caldwell requires a Post-Tension Materials and Stress Certificate from the contractor stating the cables were stressed to the appropriate levels for that foundation slab.

Once the structure is complete and final approval has been given by the Building Department, a certificate of occupancy will be issued and the structure can be occupied.

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Residential Additions and Remodels

The remodel of, or addition to, a residential dwelling structure (single-family home, duplex, townhouse) requires a building permit. All construction must comply with the International Residential Code as adopted and amended by the City of Caldwell.

A homeowner may perform some aspects of work on their homestead, but any plumbing, mechanical (HVAC) or electrical work must be performed by a contractor licensed by the State of Texas and must be registered as a contractor with the City of Caldwell.

Property Lines and Building Setback Lines

Building setback lines are the mandatory minimum distances that structures must maintain from property boundaries, streets, or public rights-of-way. These invisible lines define the outer limits of the buildable area on a piece of land where construction is legally permitted for a property inside the city limits. Setback lines are crucial for ensuring fire safety (for structures that are too close to one another), accommodating public utilities, and preserving neighborhood privacy, and aesthetic consistency.
Zoning districts define what setback lines are applicable to a property.
Accessory structures must be within the building setback lines for that property. To find the zoning district and building setback lines applicable for your property please visit our zoning webpage

In order to obtain a building permit for a residential addition or remodel, the Building Department must receive a completed application for a building permit and a set of plans. The application is available to fill out and submit through our online permitting software, Cloudpermit. The set of plans are also uploaded and submitted along with your application through Cloudpermit. A permit fee is required to be paid prior to the review of the submitted application and plans. Fees for residential additions and remodels are based on the total monetary valuation of the project.

In order to ensure that the addition and/or remodel complies with all building codes and city regulations, a detailed review of the application, site plan and all submitted construction documents will be completed prior to the issuance of a residential building permit.

If any problems are uncovered during the application/plan review process, the applicant will be required to make the necessary corrections before a building permit can be issued.

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

Residential additions and remodels come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so the required plans for each addition and remodel varies depending on the scope of the project. Below is a comprehensive list of the required plans/documents, but not each item on the list may be required.

Required Plans/Documents for Building Items
- Site Plan or Survey (property lines must be based on an accurate boundary survey)
  - The site plan must indicate the size and location of new construction and existing structures on the site with distances from the construction to property lines, easements, existing and proposed grades, and existing and proposed utilities to include water, wastewater, electric, and gas
- Floor Plans and Roof Plans (must indicate room names describing their intended use, size and type of windows and doors, cabinets and fixtures, and ceiling heights, and indication of fire resistance separations as required)
- Exterior Elevation (must show exterior materials, proposed height above adjacent grade, windows and doors, roof slopes, chimneys, and overhangs)
- Structural Plans (must show, as applicable, foundation plans, wall sections and details, floor framing, second floor framing, ceiling framing, roof framing, headers, and beams)
  - Foundations must be designed and sealed by a professional engineer or accompanied by a sealed engineer’s approval letter. Foundation plans must indicate the address and legal description of the lot.
- Plumbing Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate location of the building’s water, sewer, gas piping, fixtures, water heaters, and gas outlets)
- Mechanical Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate equipment details and location)
- Electrical Plans (maybe combined with the floor plan; must indicate the location of receptacles and other outlets, exhaust fans, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors (if applicable), light fixtures, services equipment and panels)
- Certified (Signed) Energy Compliance Report
  - Most commonly, this is a ResCheck or IC3 compliance report. ResCheck software program which can be downloaded or used at https://www.energycodes.gov/rescheck
  - IC3 Compliance reports can be created at http://ic3.tamu.edu/
Additional Plans/Documents if needed
- 911 Address Verification Form (required if additional legal addresses are needed)
- Utility Request Form (required if additional utilities are needed)

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

Residential additions and remodels come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so the required inspections for each addition and remodel varies depending on the scope of the project. Below is a list of inspections that could be required.

Plumbing Rough-In
Building Foundation
Exterior Sheathing Fastener
Moisture Barrier
Plumbing Top Out *
Electrical Rough-In *
Mechanical Rough-In *
Building Framing
Building Insulation
Electrical New Service
Plumbing Final *
Electrical Final *
Mechanical Final *
Building Final
Other Inspections that may be required depending on the project:
1. Framing Garage Portal APA
2. Brick Tie
3. Interior Shear Wall Sheathing Fastener
4. Shower Liner

*NOTE: Inspections marked with an asterisk can be completed in any order provided the electrical rough-in, plumbing top out and mechanical rough-in inspections are completed before the framing inspection and the plumbing final, electrical final and mechanical final inspections are completed before the building final inspection.

The following documentation is required to be uploaded in the attachments section of the permit in Cloudpermit by the final inspection of the project

Engineered Foundation Certificate
Post Tension Materials and Stress Certificate - If the Building Foundation Slab uses Post Tension Cables the City of Caldwell requires a Post-Tension Materials and Stress Certificate from the contractor stating the cables were stressed to the appropriate levels for that foundation slab.

Once the structure is complete and final approval has been given by the Building Department, a Certificate of Occupancy will be issued and the additional or remodeled portion of the structure can be occupied.

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Residential Accessory Structures

A Building Permit for the construction of an accessory structure includes sheds, barns, detached garages, carports, decks, patio covers, pool houses, pavilions, cabanas, gazebos, or any other structure that is subordinate to the main structure on a property. One detached accessory structure is allowed per residential lot without necessitating a permit, provided the structure complies with all of the following:

The accessory structure is not located in a surface drainage easement.
The floor area of the accessory structure does not exceed 120 square feet.
The accessory structure is not permanently affixed to the ground.
The accessory structure is located in the rear yard.
The accessory structure is not provided with utilities (sewer, water, gas or electricity).

If the proposed accessory structure does not meet one or more of these requirements, a building permit will be required. A homeowner can perform this work at their homestead and does not need to register as a contractor with the City, but must apply for a building permit prior to beginning any construction. If a contractor is used, the contractor must be registered with the City of Caldwell, unless the accessory structure is a prefabricated kit and is installed by contractors that work for the company that are the sellers of the prefabricated kit. Any plumbing, mechanical (HVAC) or electrical work must be performed by a contractor licensed by the State of Texas and must be registered as a contractor with the City of Caldwell.

Property Lines and Building Setback Lines

Building setback lines are the mandatory minimum distances that structures must maintain from property boundaries, streets, or public rights-of-way. These invisible lines define the outer limits of the buildable area on a piece of land where construction is legally permitted for a property inside the city limits. Setback lines are crucial for ensuring fire safety (for structures that are too close to one another), accommodating public utilities, and preserving neighborhood privacy, and aesthetic consistency.
Zoning districts define what setback lines are applicable to a property.
Accessory structures must be within the building setback lines for that property. To find the zoning district and building setback lines applicable for your property please visit our zoning webpage

In order to obtain a building permit for a residential accessory structure, the Building Department must receive a completed application for a building permit and a set of plans. The application is available to fill out and submit through our online permitting software, Cloudpermit. The set of plans are also uploaded and submitted along with your application through Cloudpermit. A permit fee is required to be paid prior to the review of the submitted application and plans. Fees for residential accessory structures are based on the total monetary valuation of the project.

A copy of a site plan or property survey with dimensions indicating the location of the accessory structure on the property.

Plans with dimensions indicating how the structure will be constructed and anchored. These plans should include foundation plans, electrical plans, plumbing plans, materials used, and spacing of framing members.

Additional documentation may be required depending on the project.

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

Residential accessory structures come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so the required inspections for each accessory structure varies depending on the scope of the project. Below is a list of inspections that could be required.

Plumbing Rough-In
Building Foundation
Exterior Sheathing Fastener
Moisture Barrier
Plumbing Top Out *
Electrical Rough-In *
Mechanical Rough-In *
Building Framing
Building Insulation
Electrical New Service
Plumbing Final *
Electrical Final *
Mechanical Final *
Building Final
Other Inspections that may be required depending on the project:
1. Framing Garage Portal APA
2. Brick Tie
3. Interior Shear Wall Sheathing Fastener
4. Shower Liner

*NOTE: Inspections marked with an asterisk can be completed in any order provided the electrical rough-in, plumbing top out and mechanical rough-in inspections are completed before the framing inspection and the plumbing final, electrical final and mechanical final inspections are completed before the building final inspection.

X

Once the structure is complete and final approval has been given by the Building Department, a certificate of occupancy will be issued and the structure can be occupied.

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Residential Demolition

A permit is required to demolish a residential structure in the City of Caldwell. To demolish a residential structure the city requires:

Property owner details and contact information
Contractor details and contact information
Proof of ownership or written and signed authorization from the owner to demolish the property
Containment of debris during demolition
Confirmation that utilities have been disconnected – Contact Utilities Department at 979-567-3271 ext 100 or 101
- Sewer must be disconnected and capped back at the property line. Sewer must be brought up above grade and capped or capped below grade with a stake at the surface indicating its location.
- Atmos is the Natural Gas supplier in the City of Caldwell – Please contact them to disconnect gas services previous to any structure being demolished.
  - Atmos Customer Service Line (8:00 am – 5:00 pm) – 888-286-6700
  - Atmos 24 Hour Line – 866-322-8667

Additional Information

Refrigerant containing equipment such as central heating and cooling equipment or self-contained appliances with refrigerants such as window units, refrigerators, freezers, etc. must be disposed of per TDLR and EPA requirements. These appliances CANNOT be placed at the curb for city pick up and disposal. Twin Oaks Landfill in Bryan does accept refrigerant containing appliances (referred to as Freon Units on their website) for a special hazard fee. Prior authorization is required by Twin Oaks Landfill for special waste. Please view Twin Oaks Landfill website for further information and pricing. https://twinoakslandfill.com/

Applications, permit fee payment, and permit issuance is all performed through our online permitting software, Cloudpermit.
Residential demolition permits are based on valuation.

There are typically no plans required to apply for a residential demolition permit. If it is a partial demolition, we may ask for plans indicating which portion of the structure is being demolished, a site plan, and new construction plans for what is to be built in the demolished parts place (see Residential Additions and Remodels section).

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

Plumbing Sewer Line Capped
Building Final – to fully confirm all portions of the building have been demolished.

Once the structure is fully demolished and final approval has been given by the Building Department, a Certificate of Completion will be issued for the structure.

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Commercial New Construction

Coming Soon!

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Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

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Commercial Additions and/or Remodels

Coming Soon!

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Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

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Commercial Accessory Structures (Sheds, Carports, etc)

Coming Soon!

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Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

x

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x

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Commercial Demolition

Coming Soon!

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Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

x

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Manufactured Homes

A permit is required to install a manufactured home in the City of Caldwell. The manufactured home being installed must be five (5) years old or newer. Manufactured homes older than 5 years old are not allowed for new installations in the City of Caldwell.

Manufactured homes are allowed by right to be placed on properties inside the Alternative Housing Overlay Zoning District provided they meet all requirements of the City of Caldwell Code of Ordinances, Zoning Ordinances, and Adopted Building Codes. Typical concerns may include platting, lot size, and setback requirements.

Existing manufactured homes outside the Alternative Housing Overlay Zoning District are grandfathered in and may be replaced provided they meet all requirements of the City of Caldwell Code of Ordinances, Zoning Ordinances, and Adopted Building Codes. Typical concerns may include platting, lot size, and setback requirements.

Click here to check the zoning for your property

A manufactured home permit covers the structure itself, and any decks or stairs that need to be added or built, but it does not include any hvac, electrical, or plumbing work that needs to be performed to complete the installation of the manufactured home. Typically, water and sewer need to be connected, a meter loop pole needs to be set, or an existing one needs to be modified to connect the electric, wiring ran from the meter loop pole to the manufactured home, and a hvac condenser needs to be installed. All of this work requires permits and inspections for each respective trade.

Applications, permit fee payment, and permit issuance is all performed through our online permitting software, Cloudpermit.
Manufactured home permits are $100.00.
Trade permits associated with manufactured homes are $80.00 and are applied for by the trade contractors themselves.

Manufactured home specs
Site Plan or Survey (property lines must be based on an accurate boundary survey)
- The site plan must indicate the size and location of the manufactured home and existing structures on the site with distances from the manufactured home to property lines, easements, existing and proposed grades, and existing and proposed utilities to include water, wastewater, electric, and gas.
Number and location of concrete block footings and anchors.
A map of the route showing which streets will be driven down to deliver the manufactured home. This is for our electric department to review to determine if overhead electric lines need to or can be raised to provide enough vertical space for the manufactured home to be delivered to its site.

Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

Plumbing Yard Line(s)
Electric New Service
Plumbing Final
Electric Final
HVAC Final
Building Final

NOTE – Inspections are specific to the trade and building items necessary to complete the installation of the manufactured home. They do not include the existing installation of trade and building systems that come pre-installed for the manufactured home, unless those trade or building systems have been altered, modified, added to, or extended in a way that requires a permit according to our currently adopted building codes and ordinances.

Once the structure is complete and final approval has been given by the Building Department, a Certificate of Occupancy will be issued and the manufactured home can be occupied.

Right of Way Permits

Coming Soon!

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Once the permit has been issued, construction must begin on the project within 180 days. Failure to start construction or to have the appropriate inspections completed could result in the expiration of the permit and delay in construction.

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Once all required work has been completed and passed inspection, the permit will be deemed as complete and closed out.

Multi-Scope Projects

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