Custom woodwork for Palm Beach Gardens homes

The remodel checklist, read by a carpenter

Palm Beach Gardens publishes a one-page guide for each permit type. Each line of the short residential remodel guide has a practical meaning for interior woodwork:

Item on the city’s guide	What it means on a trim or ceiling job
Universal municipal permit application	The single county-wide and municipal form, not a city-only one
Review by building, mechanical, plumbing, gas, electrical and development compliance	A ceiling with new lights or a fan gets electrical review
Trade plans	Drawings of what changes, not a photo of the room
Notice of Commencement over $5,000	Recorded before work starts on larger jobs
HOA approval letter, when the reviewer asks	Plan for it in gated communities

The guide calls itself a general reference, and more can be required on review.

Replacing an entry door

Doors and windows have their own guide, under opening protection. It asks for product specifications or NOAs, a window and door schedule, and a product layout showing where each unit goes. The review is structural, because an exterior door is part of the building’s protection against wind. Palm Beach County is not in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, but a door still needs an approval rated for its opening.

What that means for a custom door:

1. Settle the size, swing and glass before ordering, since the approval is tied to a tested assembly.
2. Keep the approval sheet with the job. Inspectors check the installation against it.
3. Leave the interior casing and jamb extensions to the end, after the frame is set and inspected.

A mahogany or iron entry door is the most visible woodwork on many houses, and late paperwork for it can stall a permit.

Getting the association letter early

Each association sets its own process, so read its architectural rules before the design is final. A good package holds drawings, a description of materials and a finish sample. Interior work such as a coffered ceiling or new crown molding may need less than a front door or a color change on the outside. Send the request once the design is fixed, so the letter is ready when the reviewer asks.

Paint-grade or stain-grade

In a newer house with drywall and tall ceilings, paint-grade trim and built-ins in poplar or MDF give crisp lines at a lower cost. Stain-grade work in walnut, oak or cypress costs more because every joint shows. Many owners mix the two, with painted crown and baseboard throughout and one stained library or ceiling.