# Archipartners Design

> Phoenix-based architectural drafting firm operating in all 50 U.S. states. We draw permit-ready architectural sets for tenant improvements, restaurants, retail, multifamily, custom homes, and ADUs. Trilingual EN / ES / 中文.

Founded 2018. 8-person Phoenix studio, drafting performed remotely; partner with locally-licensed engineers and architects to seal plans where required. Code references: IBC / IRC / IECC 2024 plus state and local amendments. Most new business comes from general-contractor referrals.

## Core pages
- [Home](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/): firm overview, recent work, what we do
- [Services](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services): full list of architectural drafting services
- [Pricing](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/pricing): fixed-fee ranges, hourly rates, deposit terms, FAQs
- [Process](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/process): kickoff → code memo → schematic → permit-ready → AHJ → permit issuance
- [Portfolio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/portfolio): completed and in-progress projects with permit status
- [About](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/about): team, credentials, languages, jurisdictions
- [Contact](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/contact): start a fixed-fee quote conversation

## Services
- [custom-homes](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/custom-homes): Custom homes — permit-ready architectural drawings for ground-up single-family.
- [tenant-improvements](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/tenant-improvements): Commercial tenant improvements — restaurants, retail, office, medical TI.
- [adus-casitas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/adus-casitas): ADUs and casitas — accessory-dwelling-unit drawings nationwide.
- [multifamily](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/multifamily): Multifamily — duplexes through Type V mid-rise drawing sets.
- [permit-expediting](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/permit-expediting): Permit expediting — plan-check liaison and AHJ correspondence.
- [mep-coordination](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/services/mep-coordination): MEP coordination — sub-consultant management for full permit sets.

## Locations (per-state landing pages)
- [Arizona](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/arizona): code adoption IBC 2024 (City of Phoenix); state allows individual jurisdictions to adopt / IRC 2024 (most major AHJs) / IECC 2024 with state amendments; Phoenix DSD, City of Mesa, City of Tempe and other AHJs.
- [California](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/california): code adoption 2022 California Building Code (CBC) — based on IBC 2021 with extensive state amendments / 2022 California Residential Code (CRC) — based on IRC 2021 / Title 24 Part 6 — California-specific energy code, more stringent than IECC; City of Los Angeles LADBS, City of San Francisco DBI, City of San Diego and other AHJs.
- [Nevada](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/nevada): code adoption IBC 2021 (Clark County / Las Vegas), IBC 2018 (Washoe County) / IRC 2021 (Clark County) / IECC 2018 with Nevada amendments — less stringent than CA, similar to AZ; Clark County Building & Fire, City of Las Vegas, City of Henderson and other AHJs.
- [Texas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/texas): code adoption IBC 2021 (most major cities) / IRC 2021 (most major cities) / IECC 2021 with state amendments; City of Houston, City of Dallas, City of Austin and other AHJs.
- [Ohio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/ohio): code adoption Ohio Building Code 2024 (based on IBC 2024 with state amendments) / Residential Code of Ohio 2024 (based on IRC 2024) / IECC 2021 / OBC chapter 13; City of Cleveland Building & Housing, City of Columbus Department of Building & Zoning, City of Cincinnati DOTE and other AHJs.

## Restaurant conversion guides (20 cuisines, EN + ES)
- [Library index](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion): bilingual restaurant-conversion field-guide library; 20 cuisine-specific inspection manuals for pre-lease walkthroughs.
- [Chinese / Wok](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/chinese-wok): High-BTU wok ranges need real make-up air and a Type I hood with proven capture.
- [Mexican / Tex-Mex](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/mexican-tex-mex): Comal + plancha lines and tortilla warmers are usually under-vented in inherited TI shells.
- [American Diner / Burger / Breakfast](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/american-diner): Flat-top + fryer + bacon = heavy grease load; old grease interceptors rarely keep up.
- [Bar / Lounge / Sports Bar](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/bar-lounge): Walk-in cooler placement, glycol lines, and occupant load dictate the entire floor plan.
- [Coffee Shop / Cafe](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/coffee-shop): Espresso machine amperage and water hardness routinely surprise first-time operators.
- [Pizza / Italian](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/pizza-italian): Deck/wood-fired oven weight and venting are show-stoppers in mid-floor TI spaces.
- [BBQ / Smokehouse](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/bbq-smokehouse): Wood-burning smokers need solid-fuel hood + ember collector + spark arrestor — not optional.
- [Indian / South Asian](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/indian-south-asian): Tandoor ovens have unique clearance + venting rules most inherited hoods don’t satisfy.
- [Thai / Vietnamese / Southeast Asian](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/thai-vietnamese-southeast-asian): Pho stock pots run 18+ hours — gas load and exhaust capacity get under-spec’d.
- [Sushi / Poke / Ramen](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/sushi-poke-ramen): Cold-side sanitation + dedicated rice & seafood prep zones drive a different floor plan than hot lines.
- [Seafood / Cajun Boil](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/seafood-cajun-boil): Live tanks, salt-water plumbing, and giant boil pots reshape both the kitchen and the dining-room layout.
- [Bakery / Dessert / Ice Cream](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/bakery-dessert): Mixer amperage, proofer + retarder humidity loads, and freezer-condenser placement are the budget killers.
- [Boba / Juice / Smoothie](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/boba-juice-smoothie): Tapioca starch in floor drains + ice-maker condensate routinely overwhelm legacy plumbing.
- [Deli / Sandwich / Salad / Fast Casual](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/deli-sandwich-fast-casual): POS + line speed force a specific cold-table + display-case + heat-lamp geometry from day one.
- [Buffet / Hot Pot / Large Dining](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/buffet-hot-pot): Per-table induction or gas runs change the entire MEP and finish package.
- [Commissary / Ghost Kitchen / Catering](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/commissary-ghost-kitchen): Pickup-door logistics + loading layout + per-tenant separation drive a wholly different code path.
- [Mediterranean / Middle Eastern / Kabob](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/mediterranean-kabob): Vertical broiler + charbroiler combinations stack BTUs in ways inherited hoods rarely handle.
- [Fried Chicken / Wings / Quick-Service Fry](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/fried-chicken-wings): Multi-fryer banks generate grease loads most existing interceptors will fail under within six months.
- [Fine Dining / Full-Service](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/fine-dining): Multi-station cookline + plating pass + open-kitchen sightlines reshape the entire MEP plan.
- [Other / Custom Cuisine](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/guides/restaurant-conversion/custom-cuisine): When concepts mix or don’t fit a category, this manual maps your menu against universal MEP checks.

## State × restaurant conversion (state-specific permit context)
- [Arizona](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/arizona/restaurant-conversion): Convert a space into a restaurant in Arizona — Phoenix DSD, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tucson permit rhythm, hood + MUA realities under IBC 2024 + AZ amendments.
  - [Mexican / Tex-Mex in Arizona](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/arizona/restaurant-conversion/mexican-tex-mex): Largest cuisine cluster in the state — Sonoran-style and Tex-Mex both, with plancha + tortilla-warmer load tuning.
  - [Chinese / Wok in Arizona](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/arizona/restaurant-conversion/chinese-wok): Phoenix Chinatown (north of downtown) + East Valley clusters with high-BTU wok lines that stress inherited hoods.
  - [Pizza / Italian in Arizona](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/arizona/restaurant-conversion/pizza-italian): Wood-fired pizza grew aggressively 2022–2025 — Phoenix structural review picks apart oven floor loads on upper-floor TI.
- [California](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/california/restaurant-conversion): Convert a space into a restaurant in California — Title 24 energy, CalGreen, LA DBS, SF DBI, San Diego DSD permit rhythm, ADA + Prop 65 realities.
  - [Sushi / Poke / Ramen in California](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/california/restaurant-conversion/sushi-poke-ramen): Highest density of poke + ramen conversions on the West Coast — FDA parasite-destruction documentation is reviewed line-by-line.
  - [Mexican / Tex-Mex in California](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/california/restaurant-conversion/mexican-tex-mex): Statewide; Tijuana-style + Cal-Mex have different equipment profiles that the conversion drawings need to call out.
  - [Coffee Shop / Cafe in California](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/california/restaurant-conversion/coffee-shop): Bay Area third-wave coffee conversions stress espresso amperage + 3-phase rough-in in older retail shells.
- [Nevada](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/nevada/restaurant-conversion): Convert a space into a restaurant in Nevada — Clark County DSD, Henderson, Las Vegas, Reno permit rhythm under IBC 2018/2021 with state amendments.
  - [Buffet / Hot Pot / Large Dining in Nevada](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/nevada/restaurant-conversion/buffet-hot-pot): Las Vegas is the buffet capital of the country — induction-load + per-table extraction questions get asked at every plan check.
  - [Chinese / Wok in Nevada](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/nevada/restaurant-conversion/chinese-wok): Strip + Spring Mountain Road clusters with high-BTU wok lines under hoods built for Western menus.
  - [Fine Dining / Full-Service in Nevada](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/nevada/restaurant-conversion/fine-dining): High-end concepts on the Strip + Summerlin need multi-station brigades + sommelier flow plans that fit Vegas dining-room scales.
- [Texas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/texas/restaurant-conversion): Convert a space into a restaurant in Texas — Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth permit rhythm under IBC 2021 + city amendments.
  - [BBQ / Smokehouse in Texas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/texas/restaurant-conversion/bbq-smokehouse): Texas BBQ is the canonical solid-fuel cook profile; Austin + Lockhart + Houston smokehouses get scrutinized for ember-collector + spark-arrestor compliance.
  - [Mexican / Tex-Mex in Texas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/texas/restaurant-conversion/mexican-tex-mex): San Antonio + Austin + Houston each have distinct Tex-Mex / Mexican / interior-Mexican equipment profiles.
  - [Fried Chicken / Wings / Quick-Service Fry in Texas](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/texas/restaurant-conversion/fried-chicken-wings): Fried-chicken + wings concepts proliferated 2022–2025; multi-fryer banks stress Houston + Dallas interceptor sizing.
- [Ohio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/ohio/restaurant-conversion): Convert a space into a restaurant in Ohio — Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati permit rhythm under IBC 2017 + OBBS amendments. Historic district nuances.
  - [Pizza / Italian in Ohio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/ohio/restaurant-conversion/pizza-italian): Cleveland + Cincinnati pizza scenes are dense; wood-fired oven structural reviews are common.
  - [American Diner / Burger / Breakfast in Ohio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/ohio/restaurant-conversion/american-diner): Columbus + Cleveland diner conversions are the most-permitted concept in the state — flat-top + char-broiler hood splits get scrutinized.
  - [Bar / Lounge / Sports Bar in Ohio](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/locations/ohio/restaurant-conversion/bar-lounge): Cincinnati + Cleveland brewery + bar conversions add Ohio Department of Liquor Control review parallel to building plan-check.

## Glossary (defined vocabulary)
- [Glossary](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary): plain-English definitions of the technical vocabulary in restaurant conversions and permit sets — BTU, MUA, NFPA 96, Type I hood, AHJ, IECC, plan check, more.
  - [BTU (British Thermal Unit) (BTU)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#btu): The unit of energy a gas-fired cooking appliance consumes per hour. A standard residential burner is ~12,000 BTU; a commercial wok burner is 100,000–150,000 BTU per ring.
  - [CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) (CFM)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#cfm): The volumetric flow rate of an exhaust hood or make-up air unit. A typical commercial pizza hood pulls 1,500–2,500 CFM; a high-BTU wok hood can pull 4,000+ CFM.
  - [Make-Up Air (MUA)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#mua): Conditioned outside air drawn into the kitchen to replace what the hood exhausts. Sized at 80–85% of exhaust CFM as a tempered, dedicated unit.
  - [Type I Hood](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#type-i-hood): A grease-rated commercial exhaust hood with stainless construction, filter banks, and fire-suppression integration. Required over all grease-producing appliances per NFPA 96.
  - [Type II Hood](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#type-ii-hood): A low-velocity hood rated for steam, heat, and odor — but NOT grease. Used over dishwashers, steam tables, ovens that vent steam only.
  - [Capture Velocity](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#capture-velocity): The face-velocity at the hood opening required to actually capture rising cooking effluent. NFPA 96 specifies 150 FPM minimum for most Type I applications.
  - [Ember Collector](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#ember-collector): A baffle / pan assembly inside a Type I hood that catches embers and sparks rising from solid-fuel appliances (wood ovens, charcoal smokers, charcoal grills).
  - [Spark Arrestor](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#spark-arrestor): A wire-mesh device at the rooftop termination of a solid-fuel exhaust duct that prevents burning embers from escaping into the atmosphere.
  - [Grease Interceptor](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#grease-interceptor): An in-ground or in-line tank that separates fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from kitchen wastewater before it enters the sewer. Sized per IPC §1003 fixture-unit math.
  - [Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#fog): The grease load a kitchen sends to its interceptor. Wok cooking generates 2–3× the FOG of a sauté line; fried-chicken 4-vat lines generate more again.
  - [Floor Drain](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#floor-drain): A floor-level drain typically required under hood, sink, and ice-machine areas. Min 2" pipe diameter for most commercial uses; 3" for high-volume.
  - [Indirect Waste](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#indirect-waste): A drain that discharges to a floor sink with an air gap (not a direct connection to the sewer). Required for ice machines, food-prep sinks, and most refrigeration condensate lines.
  - [Three-Phase Power (3-phase)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#three-phase): A 208V or 480V power service that delivers three alternating-current phases — required for most large commercial equipment (mixers, batch freezers, induction tables, large dish machines).
  - [Amperage](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#amperage): The current draw of a circuit, measured in amperes (A). A 3-group espresso machine pulls 30–40A at 208V; a pressure fryer pulls 30–50A.
  - [Sub-Panel](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#sub-panel): A secondary electrical panel fed from the main service, used to localize circuits in a specific zone (kitchen, basement, rooftop).
  - [Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#ahj): The local government body that issues building permits and enforces code in a specific jurisdiction — typically the city building department.
  - [International Building Code (IBC)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#ibc): The model commercial building code published by the International Code Council and adopted (with state amendments) by most U.S. jurisdictions. Current edition: IBC 2024.
  - [International Residential Code (IRC)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#irc): The model residential code (1- and 2-family dwellings). Applies to custom homes and most ADUs; not to commercial restaurant TI.
  - [International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#iecc): The model energy code governing building envelope, HVAC efficiency, lighting power density, and commissioning. Current edition: IECC 2024.
  - [NFPA 96](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#nfpa-96): The National Fire Protection Association standard for the ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations. The default rulebook for hoods, ducts, and suppression.
  - [International Plumbing Code (IPC)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#ipc): The model plumbing code. Section 1003 sets grease-interceptor sizing; Section 802 covers indirect waste; numerous others govern fixture-unit math and drain venting.
  - [Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#ada): Federal civil-rights law requiring accessible design in public-accommodation spaces. Implemented through the 2010 ADA Standards (federal) and Chapter 11 of the IBC (state-adopted).
  - [Occupancy Classification](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#occupancy-classification): The IBC category that controls a building's required egress, sprinkler load, fire separation, and bathroom count. Restaurants are typically A-2 (Assembly, dining) or B (Business, ≤50 occupants).
  - [Occupant Load](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#occupant-load): The IBC-prescribed maximum number of people permitted in a space. Calculated by dividing net floor area by an occupancy-specific factor (15 sq ft / person for dining; 7 for standing assembly).
  - [Plan Check](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#plan-check): The AHJ's formal review of a submitted permit set against code. Reviewers issue corrections; the design team responds; the cycle repeats until the set clears.
  - [Permit-Ready Set](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#permit-ready): A complete architectural drawing set sufficient for plan-check submission — code analysis, site, floor plan, RCP, elevations, schedules, MEP coordination notes.
  - [Code Memo](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#code-memo): A pre-drafting deliverable identifying applicable codes, occupant load, IBC section analysis, and flagged compliance risks BEFORE any sheets are drawn.
  - [Request for Information (RFI)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#rfi): A formal question from the contractor or AHJ during construction asking the designer to clarify intent, dimension, or specification of the drawings.
  - [Certificate of Occupancy (CO)](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#co): The final AHJ document permitting the building to be occupied — issued after final inspection passes building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and fire-marshal sign-offs.
  - [Climate Zone](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/glossary#climate-zone): The ASHRAE / IECC classification of a project's climate (1A – 8) used to set envelope, HVAC, and energy compliance paths. Phoenix is 2B (hot-dry); Houston is 2A (hot-humid).

## Blog (notes on permits, code, and craft)
- [Virginia SB 74 Opens Strip Malls and Restaurants to By-Right Multifamily Conversion](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/virginia-sb-74-commercial-to-residential-duplex-triplex-conversion): Virginia's 2026 SB 74 lets developers convert retail and restaurant space to multifamily housing by right, eliminating months of conditional-use hearings.
- [Massachusetts Just Killed the ADU Variance Hearing in All 352 Towns](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/massachusetts-affordable-homes-act-adu-by-right-special-permit): All 352 Massachusetts jurisdictions must now allow ADUs by right in single-family zones. No special permits, no variance hearings—the biggest Northeast ADU reform ever.
- [San Diego County Jumps From 2 to 8 Detached ADUs on Existing Multifamily—What Changed April 4](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/san-diego-county-eight-detached-adus-multifamily-april-2026): San Diego County now allows up to 8 detached ADUs on existing multifamily lots—up from 2. That 4× jump changes scope, subs, and sales strategy overnight.
- [Denver's 180-Day Restaurant Permit Clock Is Actually Working](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/denver-180-day-restaurant-permit-one-and-done-concept-review): Denver backs its 180-day restaurant permit promise with fee refunds for delays. Here's what one year of data shows—and why the one-and-done concept review matters.
- [California's New ADA Dining Rule: Clear Floor Space Can't Overlap Routes Anymore](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/california-2026-accessible-dining-floor-space-overlap-ban): California now prohibits accessible dining table clear floor space from overlapping accessible routes, tightening layouts for QSR and casual-dining plans.
- [LA Al Fresco Operators Face April 2027 Permit Deadline—What You Need Before Code Enforcement Starts](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/los-angeles-al-fresco-certificate-of-occupancy-deadline-april-2027): LA's Al Fresco program transitions from temporary authorization to full permits—here's the timeline, fees, and inspection requirements restaurants must meet.
- [Kansas S.B. 418 Just Killed the Zoning-Hearing Wait for Four Project Types](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/kansas-sb-418-home-act-by-right): Kansas passed the HOME Act (S.B. 418), allowing single-family, duplexes, townhomes, and ADUs by right statewide — here's what that does to permit timelines.
- [North Carolina's 2024 Code Delay Just Opened a Permit Window Worth $20k Per Unit](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/north-carolina-2024-code-july-2026-permit-window): North Carolina's 2024 building code won't take effect until July 2026. Permits submitted before that lock in cheaper 2018 standards and avoid steep upgrades.
- [Hawaii's December 31 ADU Mandate: Two Units Per Lot, Every County](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/hawaii-adu-two-per-lot-december-31-backstop): Hawaii counties have until December 31, 2026 to adopt zoning for two ADUs per lot. SB 3202 also overrides land-sale covenants blocking ADUs.
- [San Francisco Waives Business Taxes for 88% of Restaurants—Building Permits Still Slow](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/san-francisco-prop-m-business-license-fee-waiver-2026): Starting 2026, SF restaurants and retailers skip 49 license fees and most gross-receipts taxes. The savings are real; the permit wait isn't shorter.
- [New Mexico's $500 Reinspection Fee Is Already Hitting Restaurant TI Budgets—Here's What Changed](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/new-mexico-restaurant-permit-fee-spike-oct-2025): New Mexico restaurant operators now pay 5× more for reinspection and 7× more for late renewals. The fee structure, QC checklist, and budget-line advice for tenant improvements statewide.
- [California AB 1308 Puts a 10-Day Clock on Final Inspections](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/california-ab-1308-final-inspection-10-day-deadline): Building departments now have 10 business days to inspect 1-10 unit projects after notice of completion—or face HAA enforcement. Here's what changed.
- [Indiana HB 1001: The First State to Refund Your Permit Fees When the City Misses the Clock](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/indiana-hb-1001-permit-deadline-penalties-private-inspectors): Indiana's new permit law penalizes cities that miss review deadlines, allows private inspectors after 7 days, and refunds fees—the first real enforcement stick behind timelines.
- [Arizona Now Fines Cities $5,000 for Malicious Permit Delays](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/arizona-sb-1566-permit-delay-penalty): Arizona's SB 1566 took effect this month, imposing a $5,000 penalty on municipalities that intentionally delay single-family permits. Here's what builders need to know.
- [Washington just overtook California in ADU permits. HB 1345 is about to widen the gap.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/washington-rural-adu-permit-growth): California has led national ADU permit growth for five years. In 2026 it lost the lead to Washington. The drivers are HB 1337 (urban ADUs, already in effect), HB 1345 (rural ADUs, effective June 11), and a permit-streamlining culture at the county level that California cities can't match.
- [California restaurants can now get TI permits in 20 business days. Most operators don't know it yet.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/california-ab-671-restaurant-permit-20-day-rule): AB 671 went into effect on January 1, 2026 and quietly rewrote how restaurant TI permits clear California building departments. Two changes: a hard 20-business-day review deadline (with auto-approval if blown), and an optional private-certification pathway. Operators we've talked to in May have heard of neither.
- [How long does a restaurant TI permit actually take? We tracked 18 across 5 AHJs.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/how-long-does-restaurant-ti-permit-actually-take): We tracked 18 restaurant TI permits across 5 AHJs in 2025. The fastest cleared in 11 business days. The slowest took 88. The "12-week average" trade press cites is the wrong frame — what actually predicts your timeline is the AHJ + the cuisine + the lease state, not an industry-wide number.
- [The restaurant lease clause that saved an operator $40K — and the one every operator forgets.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/restaurant-lease-permit-contingency-clause): A Phoenix wok operator walked into a North Phoenix retail shell and signed a lease. The previous tenant's pizza hood was wrong for his cuisine — $40K of work to convert. He could have made the landlord pay for $30K of it. He didn't, because his lease was missing two paragraphs every restaurant operator should know cold.
- [Henderson, Nevada has the fastest commercial TI permits in the West. Here's how it actually works.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/henderson-nevada-fastest-commercial-ti-permits): A 2,800-square-foot dental office TI in Henderson, Nevada cleared in 24 hours last March. Same scope, same permitting timeline in Phoenix DSD: 47 days. The difference is a Henderson program most West Coast developers have never heard of.
- [Phoenix's 'expedited permit' is usually slower. We pulled the data.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/phoenix-expedited-permit-myth): A general contractor told me last March that paying for the expedited permit at Phoenix DSD was the only way to clear plan-check fast. We pulled 14 months of public records to check. The data says the opposite.
- [Cleveland's three historic districts where permits actually move fast](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/cleveland-historic-districts-fast-permits): Cleveland has 26 historic districts. Most add a 4-6-week certificate-of-appropriateness review before the building permit. Three districts don't — they actually permit faster than non-historic Cleveland. The reason is in how the design-review committee meets.
- [Austin tree preservation cost a developer $94,000. The fix is one survey, done in week one.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/austin-tree-preservation-94000-survey-fix): A South Austin infill developer planned a 14-unit subdivision around a buildable lot — only to discover, after the schematic and entitlement work were already complete, that two heritage pecans on the property triggered Austin's tree-preservation ordinance. The survey that would have caught it costs $1,800.
- [Why your neighbor's Tempe ADU cleared in four weeks and yours might take twelve](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/tempe-adu-four-weeks-vs-twelve): Two clients filed ADU permits with the City of Tempe within a month of each other. One cleared in 28 days. One cleared in 84. Same drafter, same building department, same code edition. Here's what was different.
- [California's pre-approved ADU plans look like a shortcut. They're slower in 6 of 8 cities.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/california-pre-approved-adu-plans-slower): Pre-approved ADU plans were supposed to slash permit timelines. The reality from 18 months of California ADU work: in six of the eight cities offering them, the pre-approved path was slower than custom plans. The reason is administrative, not technical.
- [California's 60-day ADU rule doesn't mean what you think it means](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/california-60-day-adu-rule-loophole): California Government Code 65852.2 says cities have to issue an ADU permit within 60 days of a complete application. That sentence is doing a lot of heavy lifting. After 14 California ADU permits, here's what we've learned about how cities use the loopholes.
- [What is a permit set, and what does it actually include?](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/what-is-a-permit-set): A permit set is the package of architectural drawings a building department needs to issue a permit. Here is what is in one, what is not, and why getting the format right is the difference between a 14-day permit and a 90-day permit.
- [I read 200 r/Phoenix permit posts. The same five mistakes come up every week.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/i-read-200-r-phoenix-permit-posts): I scrolled 200 Reddit posts about Phoenix-area building permits, looking for what actually goes wrong. Five recurring mistakes show up in over 80% of the posts. Here they are, in order of frequency.
- [I called every Phoenix-area building department. Here's what they told me about your remodel.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/i-called-every-phoenix-area-building-department): Last month I asked twelve Phoenix-area building departments the same question, posing as a homeowner planning a 600-square-foot kitchen-and-bath remodel. The answers ranged from "two weeks, walk in any morning" to "we're booked through July." Here's the rundown.
- [Florida's 2026 hurricane wind zone update changed which Miami neighborhoods can build cheaply](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/florida-2026-hurricane-wind-zone-update): February 2026 brought updates to Florida Building Code 8th Edition that redrew Miami-Dade County's wind-borne-debris (WBD) zones. The changes are subtle on paper but they shifted impact-window requirements for several neighborhoods. Here's the new map and what it means for project costs.
- [Houston has no zoning. So why does it take longer to permit than Dallas?](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/houston-no-zoning-but-slower-than-dallas): Houston is the only major U.S. city without traditional zoning. You'd expect that to make permits faster than Dallas, where zoning enforcement adds friction. Our 2025 data shows the opposite. Here's what Houston has that Dallas doesn't.
- [ADU vs. addition: which permits faster, and why?](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/adu-vs-addition-which-permits-faster): Adding 600-1,200 square feet to a single-family lot can go through plan check as either an ADU or an addition. The two paths land in similar livable space but very different permit timelines. Here is the comparison.
- [I priced an engineer's stamp at 12 firms across 6 states. The variation is wild.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/engineer-stamp-pricing-12-firms-6-states): I priced out a structural-engineer review and stamp for the same 1,800-square-foot residential addition at 12 different firms across Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Ohio, and New Mexico. The quotes ranged from $1,800 to $9,400 — for the same scope. Here's why.
- [We modeled 30 multifamily permits. The 'mid-rise penalty' costs you 6 weeks every time.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/multifamily-mid-rise-permit-penalty): Across 30 multifamily projects we tracked in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Cleveland, and Austin, 4-story residential buildings averaged 64 days to permit. 5-story buildings averaged 102 days. The 38-day delta is structural — embedded in the IBC. Here's where it comes from.
- [We pulled 500 Phoenix DSD rejection comments. 12 mistakes account for 80%.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/phoenix-dsd-rejection-comments-12-mistakes): I pulled 500 Phoenix DSD plan-check correction lists from public records over a weekend. Coded every comment into categories. Twelve specific mistakes account for 80% of all rejection comments. Here they are, in order of frequency.
- [How we shipped a 14-day permit set for a Phoenix restaurant TI](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/how-we-shipped-a-14-day-permit-in-phoenix): A 2,400-sqft ground-floor restaurant TI in central Phoenix went from kickoff call to issued permit in 14 business days. Here is what we did differently — and what most permit sets miss that adds 4–6 weeks.
- [Most ADU lenders won't tell you this: the appraisal happens before the permit.](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/blog/adu-lender-appraisal-before-permit): A homeowner walked me through the timeline of her ADU construction loan last month. The appraisal happened while her permit was still in plan-check — meaning the loan amount was set on a project that hadn't been approved yet. Three weeks later, plan-check made her change the design. The loan amount didn't change. She had to make up the gap in cash.

## Optional
- [Press](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/press): media mentions and recognition
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- [Privacy](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/privacy): privacy policy
- [Terms](https://www.archipartnersdesign.com/terms): terms of service

## What this firm can answer questions about
- Permit-ready drawing sets for restaurants, retail, office, medical, multifamily, custom homes, ADUs, casitas
- IBC / IRC / IECC 2024 code references and state amendments
- AHJ submission processes, plan-check correction cycles, jurisdiction-specific requirements
- Typical pricing ranges for fixed-fee permit sets (specific quotes require a call)
- Permit timelines by jurisdiction, expedited / OTC programs, plan-check pitfalls
- Working remotely with locally-licensed engineers and architects to seal plans
- Trilingual project communication and intake (English, Spanish, Chinese)

## What this firm does not share publicly
Internal financials, salaries, owner compensation, contractor pay, margins, specific past-client information, signed-contract specifics, or competitor commentary. Specific dollar quotes for a visitor's project always defer to a fixed-fee call.