Design & Permitting (P0.5)

The phase between acquisition (P0) and construction (P1). Plans are produced by the In-House Architect (IHA) team, approved by Shlomo, reviewed by Garfinkel, and filed to Dropbox before permits are submitted.

Status note (2026-04-29): This process was previously undocumented. Facts below were extracted from the prior GDG working plan template and updated with current team information. Gaps marked below.

Overview

Workflow

1. Shlomo provides design intent (major reconfiguration, addition, cosmetic only, bedroom/bathroom goals)
2. IHA (Jao + Kim) builds initial plan set
3. Shlomo reviews → requests changes → IHA iterates
4. Shlomo approves final version
5. Garfinkel performs structural review and permit sign-off
6. Permit application submitted
7. Plans filed to Dropbox property folder (each deliverable as it's completed)

Note: The IHA team now builds all plans internally first, then sends to Garfinkel for final approval. Garfinkel no longer leads the process.

Change Order (CO) Loop

• CO request by Shlomo = CO approved (request and approval are the same act)
• IHA updates the affected plan drawings
• Shlomo approves updated plans
• [GAP: Does Garfinkel re-review for material changes? Or only at initial sign-off?]

IHA Plan Deliverables

All filed to Dropbox → property folder as they are completed. IHA tracks all plans in a single numbered list (#0–#21) covering both IHA-drawn plans and vendor-plan extractions. MEP Engineering and Low-Voltage/Security are vendor plans coordinated separately and do not appear in the IHA weekly tracker.

Which plans produce a Materials List

Plans #5–8 and #11 (Jao's millwork plans) each produce both a drawing and a materials list. The drawing must reach "Approved for Printing" before the materials list is finalized. Statuses like "Drawing and Mat List Pending Review" and "Drawing Approved, Mat List Pending Review" reflect this two-step deliverable.

Plan Status Vocabulary

Used in the IHA weekly tracker and in Dropbox filenames:

Post-Drywall Closet Loop

After drywall, the Field Manager (Hector, Herson, or JJ) takes physical measurements of all closet/storage areas and provides them to IHA. IHA revises the closet plans to reflect as-built conditions before millwork/shelving is ordered.

Drawings & Plans Folder Structure

All IHA plans land in Management & Rehab/SOW [Address]/1. Drawings & Plans/. The folder is organized by plan type, with numbered subfolders:

1. Drawings & Plans/
├── 1. Site, Architectural & Surveys/
│   ├── 0. Archive/
│   ├── [YYYY.MM.DD_Property Survey.pdf]
│   ├── [YYYY.MM.DD_Architectural Plans_Final.pdf]
│   ├── [YYYY.MM.DD_Floor Plan & Elevations.pdf]
│   ├── [YYYY.MM.DD_Window & Door Schedule_FINAL.pdf]
│   └── [YYYY.MM.DD_Utility Plan.pdf]
├── 3a–3d. [Plan Type] Plans/   ← MEP + specialty plans; numbering varies per deal
│   ├── 0. Archive/
│   ├── 1. In-Progress-Archive/    ← versions pending Shlomo's review
│   │   └── 0. Archive/
│   └── 2. Approved-FINAL/        ← approved, ready to send to trade for execution
├── 5. Cabinet, Trim, & Closet Plans/
│   ├── 1. Measurements & Drawings/
│   │   ├── 0. Archive/
│   │   ├── 1. In-Progress-Archive/
│   │   │   └── 0. Archive/
│   │   ├── 2. Approved-Final/     ← "Approved for Printing" designation
│   │   └── [YYYY.MM.DD_FM Measurements/]  ← FM field measurement photos
│   └── 2. Material Lists_Ready to Submit Order/
│       ├── 0. Archive/
│       └── [YYYY.MM.DD_[Room]_Materials List.pdf/docx]
└── 6. Tile Plans/
    └── 1. In-Progress-Archive/

Folder 1 (Site, Architectural & Surveys) is always the main architectural plan set. Folders 5 and 6 are consistent across deals. Folders 3a–3d hold MEP and specialty plans — numbering varies:

• Beverly: 3a=Framing, 3b=HVAC, 3c=Plumbing Elevations, 3d=Electrical
• Dogwood: 3a=HVAC Plans, 3b=Plumbing Elevations, 3c=Electrical Plans

Plan versioning workflow

For plans that go through multiple review cycles (MEP, plumbing elevations, cabinet/closet plans, tile plans):

IHA creates plan → [YYYY.MM.DD_Name_V1_Pending Review.pdf]
  → lands in 1. In-Progress-Archive/
  → Shlomo reviews
  → if revisions needed: IHA updates → V2_Pending Review → same folder
  → older versions move to 0. Archive/ inside In-Progress-Archive
  → when approved: renamed to [YYYY.MM.DD_Name_Approved for Printing.pdf]
  → moves to 2. Approved-FINAL/

"Approved for Printing" is the status label used in filenames for final approved drawings (e.g., 2025.08.11_120 Beverly_Kitchen_Approved for Printing.pdf). This signals the plan is locked and ready to send to cabinet/millwork fabricator.

Cabinet/Closet plan → Material List flow

Once a cabinet or closet plan is Approved for Printing, IHA also produces a Material List — a separate document listing all materials needed for that room/area. These land in 5. Cabinet, Trim, & Closet Plans/2. Material Lists_Ready to Submit Order/.

Material lists are the ordering documents sent to suppliers. They are separate from the drawings even though they're produced together.

FM field measurements feed this loop: After drywall, the FM (JJ, Hector, or Herson) takes physical measurements of each space and sends photos. IHA uses these to finalize the drawings before producing the material list.

Closet Type Vocabulary

Used by IHA when labeling plans — standard labels for all closet/storage areas:

Inputs Required Before IHA Can Start

Legal & Zoning Data

These fields are required for zoning compliance verification and permit application. Typically gathered during due diligence (under contract).

Property Geometry

Zoning Compliance (NJ / Montclair-focused)

At permit application, the plans must include a zoning compliance table showing each code requirement vs. existing vs. proposed. The architect onboarding form used by Garfinkel includes fields for:

• Minimum lot area, width
• Maximum height (building + garage)
• Maximum number of stories
• Front, side, and rear yard setbacks
• Maximum building coverage %
• Maximum lot coverage %

Montclair-specific rules documented in the original GDG template (parking minimums by bedroom count, dormer limits, attic habitable space calculation) remain valid reference even though we've internalized the process.

Parking Requirements by Bedroom Count (NJ standard)

Referenced by IHA when drawing site plans to confirm driveway capacity.

Open Questions

• [GAP Q-NEW-17] Plan types are assigned by domain, not by property. Kim owns dimensional/structural/exterior plans (#0–4, #10, #13–21); Jao owns interior millwork/cabinetry plans (#5–9, #11–12). Pipeline is tracked in the IHA Weekly Task Planner spreadsheet (columns = active properties, rows = plan types #0–21). Status vocabulary documented in "Plan Status Vocabulary" section above.
• [GAP] Does Garfinkel re-review for material CO changes, or only at initial sign-off?
• [GAP] What is the naming convention for plan files within Dropbox property folders? → YYYY.MM.DD_Document Name.pdf confirmed. Status files use _V1_Pending Review, _Approved for Printing suffixes.
• [GAP Q-NEW-18] P0/P1 Handoff Checklist — to be created as a system output (see gaps.md#q-new-18)

Cross-References

• Full Dropbox folder structure: reference/operations/property-dropbox-folder-structure.md
• Deal lifecycle overview: workspaces/workflow/20-other-processes/deal-lifecycle/deal-lifecycle.md