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Building a Custom Home in Akron, Ohio

The permitting arrangement that surprises everyone, plus what else to know about an Akron build.

If you're building in Akron, your building permit comes from Summit County, not the City of Akron. This catches almost everyone, and it's the most important thing to know before starting an Akron project.

How permitting actually works

The City of Akron states that in 2009 its building department was combined with the Summit County Department of Building Standards. Summit County now issues building permits for the City of Akron and cannot issue them without City of Akron approval. All projects within the city must be submitted to Summit County as well as the City of Akron.

The split:

  • Summit County Division of Building Standards: Ohio Building Code and Ohio Residential Code review, permit issuance, and building, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and structural inspections.
  • City of Akron: fire prevention, grading and paving, right-of-way work, utility conflicts, sewer, stormwater pollution prevention, traffic code, water and zoning.

Full detail in who issues permits in Akron and Summit County.

Contractor registration

Akron requires all contractors, regardless of trade, to register with the city when the work requires a permit, with a city tax registration number, liability insurance and workers' compensation. Contractors working in the right-of-way face additional insurance minimums.

Site considerations

  • Frost depth. Set locally rather than statewide, and not identical across the region. It affects excavation and foundation cost. See footing depth.
  • Terrain. Much of the Akron area is genuinely hilly, which is good news for walkout basements and a real factor in site cost. See sloped lots.
  • Infill lots. Building in an established Akron neighborhood means tight setbacks, existing infrastructure and careful construction access.
  • Utilities. City water and sewer inside city limits. Confirm tap fees. See utilities.

Worth asking about

The City of Akron operates a residential tax abatement program that has applied to new residential construction. Terms and eligibility change, so confirm current details directly with the city's planning department before counting on it. See property taxes on new construction.

Related

Building in Summit County · Where we build

Verify current requirements with Summit County Building Standards and the City of Akron.