Building Plan Requirements

Beaver County Building Department

Residential Plan and Permit Acceptance Policy

A PDF and Two complete sets of plans are required to be submitted with your building permit application. Plans must include the following:

  • A basement plan (future layout if unfinished) with window sizes and locations for egress along with any other current code addressed issues for basement area.
  • A footing and foundation plan including rebar and size, specs and location, with all footings stepped and continuous, include venting requirements, damp proofing, etc.
  • A plot plan showing proposed and existing structure(s) location on lot with dimensions, including property lines, roads, creeks, power lines, sewer, gas, water lines, well location, and any other pertinent features.
  • Insulation of walls, ceilings and floors, drawing of the thermal envelope.
  • Detailed floor framing plan with joist and beam sizes and types including dimensions.
  • Electrical plan with detail. Service panel and sub-panel locations indicated on plan. Show smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, GFCI and ARC fault receptacles, and all other devices on drawing.
  • Elevation drawings with porches, steps and dimensions.
  • Handrail and guardrail locations with details and dimensions.
  • Main floor plan with current code requirements addressed.
  • Plans must be a current set of construction documents that accurately depict the proposed building project and drawn to the current version of the IRC. Changes to drawings that do not affect the structural features of the building may be approved by the building official, but must be drawn neatly and correctly on the plan prior to submission. At the discretion of the building official, changes made to structural or exterior dimensions or design may require corrected drawings and/or approval from a licensed structural engineer or architect.
  • Plans must be designed to Beaver County's design criteria which is: 30# roof snow load, 30" frost depth, seismic zone D, 3 second gust of 90 mph wind load, exposure C.
  • Plumbing fixtures and system to be drawn and detailed with dimensions.
  • Residential structures that have 2500 square feet or more on the main floor and are more than one story in height, will be required to have construction documents stamped by a licensed structural engineer and/or architect. At the discretion of the building official, residential structures of any size or number of stories that have unique design features may also be required to have their plans or portions of plans stamped by a professional.
  • Roof / truss framing plan with details and dimensions. Truss design and layout package from truss manufacturer with bracing and all engineering specs. (Building official may allow this to be submitted after plan review.)
  • Show heating and air conditioning appliances with detail, sizes, and types. Show combustion air, venting, and pipe size information.
  • Show water heater location, size, and type.
  • Stairway section drawing with detail and dimensions.
  • Story floor plan with current code requirements addressed.
  • Structure wall section drawings with details and dimensions.
  • Window and door schedule with code required information included in schedule.

The above information may not be conclusive of all information necessary to process your application for a building permit.