Ask your architect about how long it averages from first meeting to finalizing the plans needed for the permitting, and ask your chosen GC about time from filing those plans, and associated studies, to beginning construction. You will be lucky to be ready to begin by next summer to fall. And that is with a full all hands effort from your architect and GC to get things moving. Lots of $$$$$ spent before 1 bit of demo happens.

This forum audience is the entirety of North America. How can we know? I’ve never heard of Mountain View CA. Isn't there a local website like NextDoor or a FB page for your town where you can ask your question?

In any case, I did a 3-second google for ”Mountain View CA permit time”, and the first thing that came up was this from Santa Clara County. If you want more detail, you’ll have to go to that website, or search further online.

@aem04, Mountain View is in California. CA is the state’s abbreviation…as NY is New York, or Michigan is MI.

Yes, I realize that Darbuka. Did you really think I didnt know that ”CA” stands for California? C’mon. But California is a very big state, and varies tremendously by where in California you are. I have no idea where Mountain View is in CA, and I already spent the 3 seconds needed to google the permit time answer seen in the screenshot I posted. Do you have more info for the OP, or is the information about what states “CA, NY, and MI” are all that you wanted to provide.

When it comes to permits, every city, town, or whatever here in the San Francisco Bay Area seems to have its own amount of time required to get permits, etc. -- some, like my city, work pretty fast and others proceed at glacial paces (I think maybe that's what aem04 was referring to, darbuka). Here in Livermore, I would just call up our planning department and ask -- they are very public-friendly and seem to like chatting about projects -- but your GC and engineer (knocking out a load-bearing wall and putting in a "beam or two" may very well require one of those signing off on it) should have some idea about time required, too. I would certainly get started finding out about that now, if you want to start in mid-Feb. -- sounds tight, even if all parties involved are ready to roll.

Well then, I’m confused. Afterall, you did say in a somewhat ornery fashion, ”This forum audience is the entirety of North America. How can we know? ” Sure sounded like you thought Mountain View was somewhere outside the US and Canada. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Actually, I’m doubting the possibility of a mid February start date, but that’s only going by what’s the norm these days, on Long Island. Therefor, I did not suggest an answer.

I could state the obvious, and say…any architect and/or contractors he interviews for the job, will be able to accurately answer.

“Sure sounded like you thought Mountain View was somewhere outside the US and Canada.”

And my screenshot from Santa Clara County Darbuka? Just stop.

You still haven’t provided any info to the OP.

Read the last two paragraphs of my last post.

This is an excellent question for your contractor.

“Read the last two paragraphs of my last post.”

I did. You said you had no relevant info for the OP. Your intent in your comments was not to provide an answer to the OP’s question, but rather to be passive aggressive and garner whatever it is that you relish from that. I no longer am exasperated with you. I assume you have other problems.

“Actually, I’m doubting the possibility of a mid February start date, but that’s only going by what’s the norm these days, on Long Island. Therefor, I did not suggest an answer.

I could state the obvious, and say…any architect and/or contractors he interviews for the job, will be able to accurately answer.”

You don’t see anything of relevance? Doesn’t meet your standards? Um, okay. On to other things…

Bay area contractors work in many cities and if they don't have experience in your town, it's normal. Contacting the city is the best way to get an idea. Usually it is quick to pull the permit--it's the inspection that takes time. Getting started is fast, if your GC is ready to go.

But contractors aren't likely to be available to start that soon.

Fun fact for those who google "Mountain View": it's where Google lives.