All planning and zoning, fire, building and environmental health inspections are designed to make sure that your space or building is safe for you, your employees, and the public.

If you've found the perfect building for your business, and you're ready to sign the lease or purchase the building, the Catawba County Building Inspections Division has some suggestions that may make the process easier for you:

1. We highly recommend that, before you lease or purchase a building or space, you arrange to have a safety inspection of the building or space.  This will let you know what, if anything, must be done to the building or space to meet the requirements of the existing building codes.
   
   
2. Then you'll need to obtain the proper permits and inspections, through the following steps:

• First, you'll need to determine whose zoning jurisdiction the building or space is located in and contact them directly to make sure you can operate the type of business you have in mind.
• If the answer is yes, the Planning and Zoning official will let you know which other departments will need to be involved in inspecting your building or space to make sure it is safe.
  
• Your inspectors will note all items you'll need to address
  before approval to occupy the building or space is granted.
  
• Once that initial inspection is complete you will know the items that will need to be addressed, have received information in order to determine the costs of addressing those items, and be able to calculate the overall expense required to open your business.
  
• When all items are approved by the inspection departments involved, you may go to your Planning and Zoning office to receive a Certificate of Occupancy.

Have we answered your question or addressed your concern? If not, let us know.