Frequently Asked Questions


Westwood

The owner, contractor or design professional may apply for the building permit.

Inspections may be requested from the Building Official in person at Westwood City Hall, by telephone or by email during office hours. Please allow 24 hours’ notice when requesting most inspections.

A permit expires if work is not started within 180 days of issuance or work is abandoned for a period of 180 days.

Although a business license is not required, contractors working in Westwood must be licensed with the Johnson County Contractor Licensing Program. The program exists to protect consumers by assuring that those undertaking the construction and alteration of structures are qualified to do so. The program does this by promoting code and construction uniformity and by providing required continuing education to contractors, inspection professionals, and licensed designers.

  • Roof Snow Load: 20 pounds per square foot
  • Wind Speed: 90 miles per hour
  • Topographic effects: No
  • Seismic Design Category: A
  • Weathering: Severe
  • Frost Line Depth: 36 inches
  • Termite: Moderate to Heavy
  • Decay: Slight to Moderate
  • Winter Design Temperature: Six degrees Fahrenheit
  • Ice Barrier Underlayment Required: Yes
  • Flood Hazards: Latest adopted FIRM and FBFM documents
  • Air Freezing Index: 1000
  • Mean Annual Temperature: 54.7 degrees Fahrenheit


Building permit fees are located here.

Setback requirements vary throughout the city depending on location and lot size, which determine a property’s zoning district. Contact the Building Official with the address of the property in question.

  • 2018 International Codes:
  • Building Code
  • Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings
  • Existing Building Code
  • Fire Code
  • Plumbing Code
  • Mechanical Code
  • Fuel Gas Code
  • Energy Conservation Code
  • 2017 National Electrical Code

A list of required inspections will be provided when the permit is issued.

A site or plot plan (drawn to scale) should show streets, property lines, lot dimensions, setbacks, a north arrow, and new and existing structures and drives.

Any owner or owner’s authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by adopted building codes, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit. Almost all construction work requires a building permit. Some exceptions are:

•   Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work.
•   Swings and other play equipment.
•   Simple repairs which do not involve framing, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems other than changing light fixtures and plumbing fixtures.


  Building permits are required for many reasons including:

•  To protect you, your family, friends, neighbors, neighborhood, and property values.
•  To ensure that the work performed on your property is safe, that it meets environmental standards, and complies with City zoning and construction codes.
•  To protect your property investment and to minimize liability or problems during a future sale of your property.