How to Write the Description of Work

Description of Work

New Construction – Direct Developer Services

 

To facilitate review of your application and inspections of your project, please make sure that the description of work that you provide at the beginning of the application process is accurate, concise, and complete.

Requirements

For this type of work the description must:

  • Begin with “DDS 2019 CBC:”
  • Describe the type of work, for example: “FULL BUILDING PERMIT FOR,” “INITIAL TENANT BUILDOUT OF,” “FOUNDATION FOR,” or “REVISION TO PERMIT 100234567”
  • Summarize key features of the project in everyday language (for example ”3 STORY 20 DWELLING UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING WITH 20 INDOOR PARKING SPACES AND ROOFTOP AMENITY DECK”) this should include:
    • Building height in stories above grade plane
    • The specific business type of a non-residential occupancy, such as “veterinary office,” “distillery with tasting room,” or “mattress factory”
    • Number of dwelling units or sleeping units, if applicable
    • Number of dwelling units subject to special requirements under the zoning ordinance, such as efficiency units or coach houses
    • Number of parking or loading spaces, and whether they are indoors or outside
    • Any special building features, such as occupiable rooftops, swimming pools, or regulated industrial equipment
    • Any accessory structures covered by the permit, such as fences, retaining walls, sheds, or private garages
  • End with a listing of all main occupancy classification(s) under the 2019 Chicago Construction Codes (for example, “OCCUPANCY GROUPS R-2, S-2”) and the construction type under the 2019 Chicago Construction Codes (for example: “TYPE IIIA CONSTRUCTION”).

Your project administrator may add additional information to your description of work, such as the external review firm that you select.

Examples

DDS 2019 CBC: FULL BUILDING PERMIT FOR 8 STORY + BASEMENT, 70 DWELLING UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING (INCL. 0 EFFICIENCY UNITS) WITH 20 INDOOR PARKING SPACES AND ROOFTOP SWIMMING POOL (OCC. R-2, S-2; TYPE IIA CONST.)

DDS 2019 CBC: FULL BUILDING PERMIT FOR 2 STORY INDOOR HOCKEY PRACTICE FACILITY WITH OFFICES AND CLINIC SPACE AND 100 OUTDOOR PARKING SPACES (OCCUPANCY GROUPS A-3, B; TYPE IB CONSTRUCTION)

DDS 2019 CBC: INITIAL TENANT BUILDOUT OF 70,000 SQ FT UNFINISHED TENANT SPACE FOR ADVERTISING AGENCY OFFICES ON 3 ADJACENT STORIES (8, 9, 10), INCLUDING CONNECTING STAIR, BASE BUILDING PERMIT 100555555 (OCCUPANCY GROUP B; TYPE IA CONSTRUCTION)

DDS 2019 CBC: CAISSONS ONLY PERMIT FOR 9 STORY MIXED-OCCUPANCY BUILDING (OCCUPANCY GROUPS TBD; TYPE IB CONSTRUCTION)

DDS 2019 CBC: REVISION TO PERMIT 100123456 TO RECONFIGURE CONFERENCE CENTER ON 17TH FLOOR AND ADD ROOFTOP AMENITY SPACE (OCCUPANCY GROUP B; TYPE IA CONSTRUCTION)

Describing Phased Permitting

When describing phased permitting, use the following terms:

Phase Description Floor Area Permitted in Earlier Phase Work Includes Work Excludes
SITEWORK n/a
  • Excavation and grading
  • Stormwater management infrastructure
  • At-grade paving
  • Landscaping
  • Exterior parking
  • Any element of a building
CAISSONS ONLY n/a
  • Caissons or other vertical deep foundation elements
  • Horizontal foundation elements, such as grade beams
  • Basement walls, basement slab, or slab on grade that will enclose occupiable floor area
FOUNDATION ONLY n/a
  • Caissons or other vertical deep foundation elements
  • Other below-grade foundation elements, such as grade beams
  • Basement walls, basement slab, or grade-level slab that will enclose occupiable floor area
BELOW-GRADE CONSTRUCTION No
  • Any type of foundation elements
  • Basement walls, basement slab, or grade-level slab that will enclose occupiable floor area
  • Construction that will be more than 12 inches above finished grade at completion of all phases of the project

SUPERSTRUCTURE

 No
  • Structural elements (beams, columns, load bearing walls)
  • Floors and roofs
  • Shaft enclosures
  • Exterior walls
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
SUPERSTRUCTURE AND ENCLOSURE or SHELL ONLY No
  • Structural elements (beams, columns, load bearing walls)
  • Floors and roofs
  • Shaft enclosures
  • Exterior walls
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
ENCLOSURE Yes
  • Exterior walls
  • Roofs
  • Structural elements (beams, columns, load bearing walls)
  • Interior floors
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
SHELL AND CORE No
  • Structural elements (beams, columns, load bearing walls)
  • Floors and roofs
  • Shaft enclosures
  • Means of egress
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
  • Demising walls
  • Build out of demised tenant spaces
FULL BUILDING No
  • Structural elements (beams, columns, load bearing walls)
  • Floors and roofs
  • Means of egress
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
  • Nothing
BELOW-GRADE BUILDOUT Yes
  • Interior walls
  • Means of egress
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
  • Construction that will be more than 12 inches above finished grade at completion of all phases of the project
CORE BUILDOUT Yes
  • Shaft enclosures
  • Means of egress
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
  • Demising walls
  • Build out of demised tenant spaces
FULL BUILDOUT Yes
  • Means of egress
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems
  • Interior finishes
  • Work permitted for same area in earlier phases

More than one phase may be combined on a single phased permit. For example: SITEWORK, BELOW-GRADE CONSTRUCTION AND SUPERSTRUCTURE THROUGH LEVEL 3 or BELOW-GRADE CONSTRUCTION, FULL SUPERSTRUCTURE (12 STORIES) AND FULL BUILDING THROUGH LEVEL 2.

Sitework alone may or may not require a building permit.

Where the base building is permitted as SHELL AND CORE, buildout of demised tenant spaces is typically permitted separately and not as a phase of the base building permit.

The phasing plan must be discussed and approved during your Direct Developer Services intake meeting.