FAQ

What format do you need the plans to be in?
A complete set, printed and delivered to our office. Plans should be 100% and to scale. Full size is best. Our favorite is a set of plans, with the paperwork and a check wrapped around them, and secured with a rubber band. Sending plans, forms, and fees all separately can cause confusion and delays.

Can you register the project for me? I’ll pay the plan review fee as soon as I can.
The registration fee should also be included with the plan review fee. This is to ensure the plan review gets completed in a timely manner.

I sent in a set of plans and forms already. Can you do the plan review now and invoice me after?
No, sorry. We require that all fees be paid in advance.

I can’t pay until I receive an invoice. Why haven’t I received one?
Our fee schedule is online for your convenience. If you require an invoice, we can certainly send you one when requested.

Is my project required to be registered? It’s a bit different.
We cannot make determinations on when a project falls into one of the exceptions. Please email TDLR at techinfo@tdlr.texas.gov and they will be able to make the determination as to whether the project is subject to the Act.

Where’s my plan review?
If we’ve received everything (plans, forms, and fees), we will send a letter of acknowledgement to our main point of contact. Then, reports are written in the order that they were received and sent out within 30 calendar days, addressed to the designer listed on the confirmation page and listed property owner (or designated agent). If it’s been longer than 30 days, please call us. If you require an expedited plan review, please contact us.

What’s the status on the inspection of my project?
If all paperwork and fees have been submitted, we try to do inspections within a 30 day window. If it’s been longer than 30 days since you’ve requested the inspection and sent in required documentation, please contact us.

What’s the status on the inspection report for my project?
If the project has been inspected, disapproved reports are written in the order of inspection and sent out within 30 days of the inspection. If it’s been longer, please call us. Approved reports are easy to do, so you should receive those quickly.

I’m the architect/project manager/contractor/tenant. Can’t I just sign the forms?
Probably not. TDLR stipulates that the Request For Inspection form (RFI) and Inspection Response Form (IRF) must be signed by the owner of the property. If we have an Owner Agent Designation form on file, you can sign as Owner’s Designated Agent. If we do not have this form on file, the RFI and IRF will be invalid, and they must be signed by the property owner. Sorry.

Hey, I have a question about that one project you reviewed last year. It’s that one, in that building. Remember?
If you have the EAB / TABS number handy when calling about a project, that helps us out a lot. We currently have 200 different design firms as clients, and 1500 active projects, and it’s hard to keep them all straight.

I got a notice from TDLR saying the inspection was overdue! Why didn’t you inspect it?
Projects must be inspected within one year of the completion date on file. Please make sure you send in the inspection fee and Request for Inspection form to us well before that deadline. If we don’t have both those things, we’re required to transfer the file to TDLR. If construction is delayed, just send us a quick email. We’ll print that out, put it in the file, and let TDLR know. When the construction is complete, and the project is ready to be inspected, please contact us and let us know. That way we can take care of it as soon as possible, and there’s no risk of it being forgotten about and becoming overdue.