Building Commissioner
Telephone: (219) 922-3091
FAX: (219) 924-3840
Donche Andonov is the Town of Griffith Building Commissioner.
He is the initial point of contact for new construction and is available to answer questions on repairs, remodeling, Building Codes, etc., as well as allowable uses under the Town's Zoning Ordinance. Donche is also the primary contact for Building Permits, inspections, and Occupancy Permits, as well as matters before the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.
A Permit (followed by inspections and approval of the work) is required for new construction as well as major repairs and remodeling --- included is demolition, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, concrete, and heating and air conditioning (HVAC).
The cost for a Permit begins at $30.00. The cost is variable, and is based on the approximate value of the work to be done.
The turnaround time for issuing the permit is also variable depending on the complexity. Please allow 5-6 business days minimum for permit review and processing. Complex requests --- or if information is missing from the application --- will increase the review time.
Occasionally, there may be an emergency or high priority need, such as a furnace replacement in the middle of Winter. For that type of situation, please call our Building Commissioner with the details.
The Building Permit application form is available to download (the download link is at the bottom of this webpage).
A Building Permit serves several purposes:
- It provides the "paper trail" necessary for property tax records to be updated with the new construction and major repairs and remodeling.
- It ensures that new work and repair/remodeling is appropriate under the Zoning Ordinance, and also meets the applicable Building Codes, Fire Codes, et al.
- The ongoing inspections and Occupancy Permit provide some assurance that the work has been done properly and meets the applicable codes. (Note that our Building Commissioner and our inspection process is NOT the same as your contracted "home inspection" or "building inspection" which you may opt to utilize either pre- or post-construction.)
When hiring a contractor, you should verify they are properly insured and bonded, their employees are covered by Workman's Compensation, and the contractor is currently licensed/registered with the Town. You also need to determine if you or the contractor will apply and obtain the Building Permit.
Our Building Commissioner can NOT recommend a specific contractor to you. But we do maintain a list of contractors that are licensed/registered with the Town. If you'd like a listing of the registered contractors --- or would like to verify that your contractor is listed --- please call or stop by the Town Hall. If you would like specific information on contractors, we recommend contacting any neighbors or friends who have had work done by them. The Better Business Bureau of NW Indiana may also be able to provide information --- click HERE for the Better Business Bureau of NW Indiana website.
Contractors who wish to do business within the Town of Griffith, Indiana must be licensed, and the Contractor License application and annual License renewal form is available to download (the download link is at the bottom of this webpage).
We realize that some homeowners and property owners may be able to do some work themselves. However, this does not preclude them from applying for a Building Permit, meeting the required codes and ordinances, et al.
If you have questions regarding a specific ordinance or code, that information is available for you to view. Please stop by the Town Hall during normal business hours.What information do you or your contractor need to provide in order to obtain a Building Permit? We suggest:
- For work such as window replacement, roof replacement, furnace or air conditioning replacement, etc., please provide a copy of your sales contract (and that should include copies of the contractor's insurance, bonding and Workman's Compensation documentation).
- Homeowners who are "handy" can do some work themselves --- for example, installing a deck on the rear of the house. At minimum, please provide us with a drawing of your plan and idea, and include dimensions. (If a survey was done when you purchased your property, make a copy of that document, and draw your plans to scale on the survey copy.)
- For major construction changes to the interior and/or exterior, a blue print may be required in order to evaluate all the changes and ensure the plans meet the applicable codes and ordinances. For new buildings, detached garages, sheds, pools, decks and other accessory structures, be sure to have a plat of survey for your property with the new structure shown and dimensions of new structure. Make sure that distances to property lines and other existing structures are clearly marked.
Inspections can be scheduled by calling 922-3091, and making arrangements with our Building Commissioner. Inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Our normal inspection schedule is:
Monday thru Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Not all work requires a Building Permit. We've included some examples below. If you have questions, please call our Building Commissioner.
| Examples of work where a Building Permit IS REQUIRED | Examples of work where a Building Permit IS NOT REQUIRED |
| Upgrade and replace your central air conditioning and/or furnace with a new, high efficiency HVAC system. | Your furnace or air conditioning is not working properly, and you arrange for repairs. Repair does not require the replacement of the furnace and/or AC units. |
| Replace some/all of the windows in your home with new, high efficiency windows. | You (or a contractor) replace your existing screen/storm door with a new door. |
| Install a new deck, or a swimming pool, or a car port, or a garage, or a front or rear porch. | Simple home repairs such as: changing an overhead light to a combined fan/light unit; building wood shelving in your garage; replacing a garage door opener. |
| Exterior remodeling and repair such as new vinyl siding or a new roof. | You (or a contractor) repair a small section of aluminum or vinyl siding that was damaged by wind, hail, etc. |
| Upgrade your electrical to 100 amp service; replace your existing fuse box with a circuit breaker box. | You (or a contractor) replace a non-working electrical outlet or a wall switch; replace an electrical outlet in a bathroom or kitchen with a ground fault outlet. |
| Install a new fence in your back yard. | You (or a contractor) replace your water heater, or toilet, or kitchen sink faucet, or bathroom sink faucet, or basement sump pump. |
The Building Permit application and the Contractor License application and renewal form are available for download in Adobe Acrobat® pdf file format. The Adobe Acrobat® pdf format has become a standard for documents and forms which can be downloaded from websites, and you should have the free Adobe Acrobat® reader already installed on your PC. If not, click the link below to download the free reader software.
Click HERE to go to the Adobe website to download the free Adobe Acrobat® reader. Please mail or drop off the Building Permit application or the Contractor License application to:
Building Commissioner
Town of Griffith, Indiana
111 North Broad Street
Griffith, Indiana 46319
Building Permit application form:We recommend that you save this form, print a copy on your personal computer, and write in the various information. Use a blank sheet(s) of paper to provide additional details on your permit request and attach with other supporting information such as drawings, a copy of your plat of survey, etc.
Click HERE to download/open/save the Building Permit application in Adobe Acrobat® pdf format (filename is: permit.pdf).
Contractor License application and annual License renewal form:Click HERE to download/open/save the Contractor License application and renewal in Adobe Acrobat® pdf format (filename is: license.pdf).
