What is the Field Issuance Remodel (FIR) Program in Portland, OR?
What is the FIR Program?
You may have heard about the Field Issuance Remodel program, also known as the FIR program, and wonder what it is all about. FIR is a specialized program that streamlines the permit and oversight inspection for your residential remodeling project. FIR has some important differences from the regular residential building permit process, also commonly referred to as BDR.
The FIR program pairs your residential remodeling contractor with a senior combination inspector who is certified to do plan reviews along with inspections. Doing a remodel under the FIR program will make your home remodeling project a much easier journey.
Two Advantages of FIR: Speed and Ease.
Normally, the process to get building permits for a residential remodel is a lengthy one. You will often meet with multiple people to look at drawings, try to communicate the issues you are facing on-site, and work towards finding the best solutions possible. But, at best, it is a long, drawn-out affair.
With the FIR program, you are able to meet with one person for the inspection, plan examination, and project planning. FIR is a one-stop-shop for almost all home remodel projects. You are able to walk through all of the potential construction issues and get recommended solutions that will meet code and gain a full understanding of what is and is not allowed.
When it comes to ease, you are meeting with the same inspector every time which delivers consistent communication about your project. For specific issues, he will come out to the site, inspect and sign off, which streamlines workflows for your builder and contractor. The best part? As the homeowner, it is easier for you to get your project completed on time.
Are the Portland Inspectors in the FIR Program Well Trained?
Absolutely, the Portland inspectors that are part of the FIR program are typically senior-level inspectors having significant experience inspecting residential buildings in Portland, OR and/or in other jurisdictions. These inspectors are well versed with the full range of remodeling projects, including remodeling older homes, which is plentiful in Portland. As an added bonus, they are also experts in improving the safety and quality of the home, not just the cosmetic appearance.
FIR inspectors keep your budget in mind. Additionally, they focus on solutions that make sense for your home. These inspectors understand first-hand what it is like to go through the process of planning and executing a remodel. They empathize with you as a client, and partner with you to improve both the aesthetics and safety of your home.
What Types of Projects Does the FIR Program Allow?
The FIR program includes nearly all residential remodeling projects. The exception is accessory dwelling units.
Examples of projects the FIR program can facilitate in Portland, Oregon, includes:
Here are some examples of ADUs:
How to Find a FIR Certified Contractor
At this point you realize the importance of making sure your home remodeling contractor is a part of the FIR program, and to use FIR for any residential remodeling inside the city limits of Portland, Oregon.
To find a certified FIR contractor, visit the City of Portland’s website and search for a list of FIR contractors. You can use the list to also verify the contractor you currently work with now.
At Lamont Bros., we were on the waiting list for over one year to become part of the FIR program. Without a doubt, we believe it was 100% worth it.
Looking to Remodel?
If you are planning a residential remodeling project soon and want advice from a FIR certified home remodeling contractor in Portland, you can schedule an appointment with us. We look forward to connecting with you soon! Schedule a call with us
My Notes: After watching the video and taking detailed notes, my thought process started with doing more research into the subject. First, I went to the City of Portland’s website to read the official information about the FIR program. I then constructed the structure and outline of the article. What are the main points I want to address? What questions need to be answered? Then, I did research on main SEO keywords that needed to be highlighted within the verbiage to optimize for search engine ranking results. The big question is what are people entering into a search engine that want to find this article? With Google’s latest algorithm, the focus is on the intent of the user. What are they intending to find, learn, or receive? I always include long-tail keywords since they tend to boost rankings higher opposed to only using the most popular keywords. I then strategically calculated the daily volume, keyword difficulty (how hard to rank on 1st page of Google), and results (how many other search results am I up against).
The results were the following list:
You may have heard about the Field Issuance Remodel program, also known as the FIR program, and wonder what it is all about. FIR is a specialized program that streamlines the permit and oversight inspection for your residential remodeling project. FIR has some important differences from the regular residential building permit process, also commonly referred to as BDR.
The FIR program pairs your residential remodeling contractor with a senior combination inspector who is certified to do plan reviews along with inspections. Doing a remodel under the FIR program will make your home remodeling project a much easier journey.
Two Advantages of FIR: Speed and Ease.
Normally, the process to get building permits for a residential remodel is a lengthy one. You will often meet with multiple people to look at drawings, try to communicate the issues you are facing on-site, and work towards finding the best solutions possible. But, at best, it is a long, drawn-out affair.
With the FIR program, you are able to meet with one person for the inspection, plan examination, and project planning. FIR is a one-stop-shop for almost all home remodel projects. You are able to walk through all of the potential construction issues and get recommended solutions that will meet code and gain a full understanding of what is and is not allowed.
When it comes to ease, you are meeting with the same inspector every time which delivers consistent communication about your project. For specific issues, he will come out to the site, inspect and sign off, which streamlines workflows for your builder and contractor. The best part? As the homeowner, it is easier for you to get your project completed on time.
Are the Portland Inspectors in the FIR Program Well Trained?
Absolutely, the Portland inspectors that are part of the FIR program are typically senior-level inspectors having significant experience inspecting residential buildings in Portland, OR and/or in other jurisdictions. These inspectors are well versed with the full range of remodeling projects, including remodeling older homes, which is plentiful in Portland. As an added bonus, they are also experts in improving the safety and quality of the home, not just the cosmetic appearance.
FIR inspectors keep your budget in mind. Additionally, they focus on solutions that make sense for your home. These inspectors understand first-hand what it is like to go through the process of planning and executing a remodel. They empathize with you as a client, and partner with you to improve both the aesthetics and safety of your home.
What Types of Projects Does the FIR Program Allow?
The FIR program includes nearly all residential remodeling projects. The exception is accessory dwelling units.
Examples of projects the FIR program can facilitate in Portland, Oregon, includes:
- Kitchen Remodel
- Bathroom Remodel
- Basement Remodel
- Bedroom Remodel
- Living Room Remodel
- Whole Home Remodeling
Here are some examples of ADUs:
- Detached new construction - these are sometimes referred to as a backyard cottage, granny flat, laneway house, or DADU.
- Garage conversion ADUs.
- ADUs above a garage or workshop – these are sometimes referred to as a garage apartment or a carriage house.
- Additions to the existing home.
- Basement apartment conversions.
- Internal ADU - where a part of the primary house is converted to a separate dwelling unit.
How to Find a FIR Certified Contractor
At this point you realize the importance of making sure your home remodeling contractor is a part of the FIR program, and to use FIR for any residential remodeling inside the city limits of Portland, Oregon.
To find a certified FIR contractor, visit the City of Portland’s website and search for a list of FIR contractors. You can use the list to also verify the contractor you currently work with now.
At Lamont Bros., we were on the waiting list for over one year to become part of the FIR program. Without a doubt, we believe it was 100% worth it.
Looking to Remodel?
If you are planning a residential remodeling project soon and want advice from a FIR certified home remodeling contractor in Portland, you can schedule an appointment with us. We look forward to connecting with you soon! Schedule a call with us
My Notes: After watching the video and taking detailed notes, my thought process started with doing more research into the subject. First, I went to the City of Portland’s website to read the official information about the FIR program. I then constructed the structure and outline of the article. What are the main points I want to address? What questions need to be answered? Then, I did research on main SEO keywords that needed to be highlighted within the verbiage to optimize for search engine ranking results. The big question is what are people entering into a search engine that want to find this article? With Google’s latest algorithm, the focus is on the intent of the user. What are they intending to find, learn, or receive? I always include long-tail keywords since they tend to boost rankings higher opposed to only using the most popular keywords. I then strategically calculated the daily volume, keyword difficulty (how hard to rank on 1st page of Google), and results (how many other search results am I up against).
The results were the following list:
- Portland inspectors
- Kitchen remodel
- Home remodeling
- Bathroom remodel
- Portland remodeling contractors
- Basement remodel
- Home remodeling contractor in Portland
- Residential Remodeling
- What is the FIR program
- Field Issuance Remodel program
- List of FIR contractors
- FIR certified contractor