Why Permits Matter — And Where to Get Them in Lamorinda

It's tempting to skip the paperwork. Permits cost money, they take time, and when you're excited to start a remodel, a trip to the building department feels like the least fun part of the whole project. But pulling the right permits is one of the most important things you can do to protect your home, your budget, and your ability to sell down the road.

Here's why it matters — and exactly where to go if you're building in Lafayette, Moraga, or Orinda.

What a permit actually protects

A building permit isn't just bureaucratic box-checking. It triggers independent inspections at key stages of construction, which means a qualified inspector confirms that your framing, electrical, plumbing, and structural work meet current California Building Code. That's your safety net. Unpermitted work — even beautiful work — can hide problems you won't discover until they become expensive or dangerous.

Permits also follow your home. When you sell, unpermitted additions and remodels routinely surface during appraisal or inspection, and they can derail a deal, lower your value, or force you to retroactively bring work up to code (often by opening up finished walls). In hillside communities like ours, unpermitted grading or structural changes can create even bigger headaches. Doing it right the first time is almost always cheaper than fixing it later.

The Lamorinda quirk: planning is local, building is county

Here's the thing that confuses a lot of homeowners. In all three Lamorinda towns, your planning and zoning review happens locally, but the building permit plan-check and inspections are handled through Contra Costa County. Knowing that split saves you a lot of back-and-forth.

Lafayette — Start with the City's Planning & Building Department at 3675 Mount Diablo Blvd., Suite 210, (925) 284-1968. The City contracts with the Contra Costa County Building Inspection Division for plan-check and inspections, and applications are submitted online. Depending on your project, you may also need sign-off from the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

Moraga — The Town Planning Department at 329 Rheem Boulevard, (925) 888-7040, handles zoning and local review. Building plan-check and inspections run through the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development in Martinez, (925) 655-2700. In Moraga, you'll need a permit for most interior and exterior alterations and additions — plus things people often forget, like fences over six feet, retaining walls over three feet, and accessory buildings over 120 square feet.

Orinda — Orinda doesn't operate its own building department; it contracts with Contra Costa County for building services. Begin with the City Planning Department at (925) 253-4210 for zoning questions, then submit your building application online through the County's portal. Inspections are scheduled with the County at (925) 646-4108.

How we handle it for you

For most of our clients, the best news is this: you don't have to navigate any of it alone. As your contractor, we can manage the process for you — preparing the plans, submitting to the right department, responding to plan-check comments, and scheduling inspections so your project keeps moving. You stay focused on the fun decisions; we handle the paperwork.

Thinking about a project in Lamorinda? Schedule a free in-home consultation →