Prashanth Mahakali is the owner of PMPC Architecture firm here in Chicago and an active contributor to Bigger Pockets. He is also an investor and has built his firm under the notion of smoothly handling all headache permits for his clients. In today’s episode, Prashanth talks in depth on handling building violations, expediting permits, and navigating the city's easy permit process. Prashanth provides insights to when you do and do not need an architect, and that when you do need one, get them involved before you close the deal. Lastly, Prashanth also weighs in on one of the more prevalent BP questions in the Chicago forum - how to address nonconforming and illegal units for investment purposes, and the new Chicago ADU guidelines which may be a huge win for property owners. If you find this episode useful, leave a comment and refer us to a friend!
Timeline:
Landlord tip 2:25
Guest Intro 5:15
How did your work take you to the south and west sides? 7:30
What does it take to get fast permits in Chicago? And explain an expedited permit. 10:15
How do you know if a job is qualified to be self certified? 12:40
In the city of Chicago, what is an easy permit? 14:45
How do we know when an architect would or would not be needed? 16:00
How do you interact with investors and contractors to be a value add? 17:45
Can you explain the legality of nonconforming units for house hacking and the like? 21:20
What are some things people should be aware of related to nonconforming units? 28:20
What is a permit expediter? 36:40
Wrap Up:
What has been your competitive advantage? 38:25
What is one piece of advice you’d tell a new investor? 40:09
What do you do for fun? 42:20
Can you recommend a self development tool? 45:00
Can you name a local network recommendation? 46:00
How can we learn more about you?
That's our show, thanks so much for listening!
