ccording to tradingeconomics.com, a website that tracks economic indicators, building permits in the U.S. are at the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic, but Mt. Lebanon homeowners are bucking that trend. 

The Mt. Lebanon Inspection Office issued 474 building permits in 2022, 90 more than the previous year. The office issued more permits of all types in 2022, except for fence permits, which saw a slight decline, from 111 to 103. Mechanical permits, required for heating and air conditioning, saw the sharpest rise, from 95 in 2021 to 151 in 2022. Permits for demolition and grading also increased significantly. 

The total number of permits the office issued in 2022 was an all time high of 1,054, compared to 818 in 2021. Chief inspector Rodney Sarver is pleased with the increase. 

“It’s a good sign for us,” he said. “People are reinvesting in their homes, keeping the property values high.”

Building permit fees are calculated based on the size and estimated cost of a project. The 474 permits issued in 2022 brought in a total of $224,569, an increase of $79,960 over the previous year’s total. The municipality collected a total of $317,758 in permit fees in 2022, up $126,096 over 2021’s total. 

Before you begin any home project, contact the inspection office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 412-343-3408, to determine whether you need a building permit. Permits are available for pickup at the Mt. Lebanon Customer Service Center, 710 Washington Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also download an application from the inspection office’s section of Mt. Lebanon’s municipal website. 

Along with the application, you must include two copies of building plans and two copies of your property survey, indicating where on the property the work will be done. All applications must be signed by the property owner.

Generally residential permits are issued within 15 business days and commercial permits within 30 business days, if the application is complete. If additional information is needed, the applicant will be contacted to supply said information. After it has been approved you will receive a phone call or an email from the inspection office.