Any type of home construction or remodeling (if it implies significant changes in the living space) is impossible without acquiring certain building permits. If you do not obtain them and try to perform the building or remodel work, a penalty for violation of the established regulations can amount to up to some dozens of US dollars. That is why the issue of getting permits is one of the most important when planning the construction of any building structure. The whole process of obtaining the building permits in case of the new house construction requires 4-6 months in the state of California as well as in Sacramento County, depending on the type of project and its complexity. The good news is that you can entrust settling these legal issues to one of the general contractors.