Do I need a permit to lose my mind?

After our last report, you may have thought we were about to start on our renovation. Because after being approved by the planning commission, what could possibly stand in our way? Well, let's see. Did I mention the building permit? The planning permit and building permit are not the same, and they require separate applications. For real.

After the building permit application is submitted, the city reviews it for at least a couple of weeks, then returns it with dozens of nitpicky changes such as "Specify handrails with a circular cross section with an outside diameter of 1 1/4" to 2". If it is not circular, it shall have a perimeter dimension of at least 4" and not be more than 6 1/4"...." Then our awesome architecture team goes through and addresses each nitpicky change and resubmits to the city. If we cross our fingers, carry a rabbit's foot, and find a four-leaf clover, the city will approve the revised application and we'll have a building permit in two weeks. And then maybe, just maybe, we can get started. For real.