Every project I run has two schedules: the construction schedule and the permit schedule. As a builder, only one of them is in my control.
PermitBox exists to manage the second one. We work with general contractors, architects and builders from the day the application goes in to the day the permit is issued. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Who we work with
General contractors. You want to build, not sit in city portals. We keep your permits moving so start dates hold and crews aren't waiting.
Architects and designers. You own the drawings. We handle what surrounds them: city submittal requirements, tracking, and organizing plan check comments, so your revisions stay focused on what the reviewer actually asked for.
Builders, developers and investors. You have several projects in different cities, each on its own review clock. We give you one view of where every permit stands.
How we support a project from application to approval
Before submittal. We start with a checklist built for your city and project type, so the application goes in complete. Incomplete packages are one of the most common reasons a project loses weeks before review even starts.
During review. We track the permit in the city system and send you a short weekly update: where it stands, what changed and what's next.
When comments come back. We review every comment and give you a response plan: what each one needs, who handles it and in what order. Then we coordinate with your architect or engineer so the resubmittal answers what the reviewer meant, not just what they wrote.
Through approval. We stay on it until the permit is issued. If you'd rather we handle the city work directly, full permit expediting can be added.
Matching the support to your workload
Our Permit Desk packages are built around how many projects you have in review. Single Project covers one long-running job, like a tenant improvement or an addition stuck in multiple plan check rounds. Project Package covers 2–3 active projects. Multi-Project covers 4 or more, with a monthly review of your full pipeline.
The support is the same at every level. What changes is how many projects we're watching for you.
Why I built it this way
I still run construction projects through Toolbox Construction, my design-build firm in San Francisco. I deal with the same permit queues, comment letters and resubmittals my clients do.
[ADD YOUR EXAMPLE: a recent job where a permit stalled between steps, such as comments sitting unanswered or a resubmittal that missed what the reviewer wanted. What did it cost the schedule, and what fixed it?]
That experience is why Permit Desk is built around ownership. One person watches every permit and tells you each week exactly what needs to happen next.
FAQ
Do I need to be a contractor to work with you? No. We work with architects, designers, builders, developers and investors, as well as owners with a long-running project.
Do you replace my architect or engineer? No. Your design team still prepares and revises the drawings. We keep the process around them organized and moving.
Can you make the city review faster? Cities set their own review times. What we cut is the time lost between steps: incomplete submittals, slow comment responses and missed follow-ups.
Let's talk about your projects
If you have projects heading into permitting or already in plan check, book a free consultation. We'll look at where each one stands and which level of support fits.
Image: Yuhan Chang