Home Additions Across Davis County

Where we work

Bountiful is our home market, and we also work in the cities along the corridor to the north and south: North Salt Lake, Woods Cross, Centerville, Farmington, Kaysville and Layton. Staying in this part of the county lets us know the building departments, the forms and the kinds of lots and houses homeowners here are working with.

• Bountiful
• North Salt Lake
• Woods Cross
• Centerville
• Farmington
• Kaysville
• Layton

City permit or county permit?

In Davis County, cities handle their own building permits. The county's Community and Economic Development office issues permits only for properties in unincorporated areas, and it publishes a map showing which jurisdiction covers each property. The county lists home additions and remodels among the work that requires a permit.

How the cities compare

The building code behind every permit is the statewide residential code, but each city's process has its own details. From their published materials:

Details change, so we confirm the current requirements for your address at the start of every project.

What is similar everywhere

• Zoning firstSetbacks, height and coverage limits decide where an addition can go.
• EngineeringSeismic design is significant along the Wasatch Front, and many additions need an engineer.
• Complete drawingsSite plan, floor plans, elevations and structural details reduce correction rounds.
• InspectionsFootings, framing and systems, insulation and final, scheduled in advance.
• Third-party inspectionsUtah law allows approved third-party firms when a city cannot inspect within three business days.

For the statewide picture, see home addition permits in Utah.

Hillsides, foothills and slopes

Much of eastern Davis County climbs toward the Wasatch foothills, and several cities apply extra rules on steeper or sensitive ground: Bountiful's foothill subzone and Local Wildland Urban Interface Area, North Salt Lake's Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone, and Farmington's higher foothill snow load. Retaining walls over four feet commonly need engineering and their own permit review. If your lot slopes, that is one of the first things we check.

Additions we plan across the county

Most projects fall into a few types: room additions and family rooms off the back of the house, main-floor primary suites, second stories on tight lots, garage additions and rooms above garages, and in-law suites for families bringing parents home. See all addition types.

Questions to ask before designing

1. Which city, or the county, issues permits for your property?
2. What zone is the lot in, and what are its setbacks, height and coverage limits?
3. Is the lot in a hillside, sensitive lands or wildfire overlay?
4. Are there easements, an HOA or recorded covenants?
5. What does the city ask for in an addition submittal?

Davis County questions