PermitZIP

Mechanical and electrical engineers designing exclusively for small projects.

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[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

The robots find the data; the engineers use the data.

[Kenny Shultz @PermitZIPhvac]

Two weeks ago, we were dinosaurs. Now our projects are AI-integrated.

The tech leap is unreal.

Don't miss out on what AI can do for your business right now.

@PermitZIP @PermitZIPelec @PermitZIPplumb

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Ever wondered what an electrical single line diagram looks like in real life?

Check out this example from a recent PermitZIP project in Norfolk, Virginia. We have a tap box where the electric utility (Dominion Energy) will terminate their conductors. From there, the conductors land on two main breaker meter stacks, that provide power and metering for the multifamily apartment units.

Awesome coordinated work like this is only possible with a great team backing the MEP engineering design!

Owner: Tim Foley
Architect: GARC LLC
General Contractor: Ringenberg Construction, LLC
MEP Engineer: PermitZIP

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Some site photos from a PermitZIP project in Newport News, VA for a multifamily renovation. 🏗️

It’s always great when some demolition has already been completed and we get a chance to see the inner workings of the building systems.

So much of what we do is hidden behind walls and above ceilings. That’s why we love partnering with trade contractors early in the design process: getting their input, collaborating on the best path forward, and creating designs that are safe, code-compliant, and cost-effective.

Looking for help on your next MEP engineering project? Let us know how we can help! 👷‍♂️

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Our team on site for a recent survey in Short Pump, VA. This is a tenant improvement project: a former restaurant converting to a retail store.

Life is a lot easier when everything at a building is clearly labeled, like this RTU was for this project.

Need help with MEP engineering drawings for your next project? Give us a shout!

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Recent survey for an upcoming PermitZIP project. Existing electrical meter stack for a multifamily project. Most important things to check is the main breaker size and the size of the breaker feeding each unit.

Need help with MEP engineering for your project? Let us know how we can help!

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Grabbing lunch at one of our completed projects, Wood & Iron! Great food (and an even better MEP system). It's always great to see the projects we design on paper come to life. #PermitZIP #MEPengineering

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Retail shells without planned fresh air = future façade damage.

Every tenant needs outside air.
If you don’t design intake locations at shell stage, someone will cut them in later.

And it will look like this.

Ventilation is not optional. Planning is.

#ShellAndCore #CommercialVentilation #MEPDesign #MixedUseDevelopment #ConstructionIndustry #CommercialRealEstate

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

@pathfinder17m Depends on distance. But around 2” we start to have the conversation.

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Most oversized gas systems aren’t caused by bad calculations.
They’re caused by bad assumptions.

Existing gas service at 6–8 inches WC is common.
But restaurants' stack load fast: cooking, HVAC, and hot water.

Stay low-pressure, and pipe sizes explode.
Switch to 2 PSI, and routing suddenly works.

This isn’t about “always use high pressure.”
It’s about deciding pressure intentionally.

Gas pressure should be a design decision, not an inherited condition.

#GasSystemDesign #MEPEngineering #CommercialConstruction #RestaurantDesign #ConstructionIndustry #Engineering

[Kenny Shultz @PermitZIPhvac]

Most building issues don’t start with drawings. They start in the field.

In this video, we’re down at the lowest level of the building.
Understanding how everything actually connects.

🔻 Grinder pumps
🔻 Pipe size changes
🔻 Make-and-model details
🔻 Where the system finally exits the building

Field walks like this shape the questions that matter later.
And they often reveal details you won’t catch any other way.

Watch the full video to see how existing sanitary systems are evaluated on site, and why these early observations matter more than they seem.

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Grease interceptors are one of those systems everyone approves, until they have to live with them.

Inside the kitchen?
Every cleanout disrupts operations.

Outside the building?
Service happens without touching the restaurant.

Most interior interceptors aren’t design mistakes.
They’re budget decisions.

Code cares if it works.
Operations care how it works.

This is a conversation that should happen before slabs are poured, not after the first pump-out.

Contractors, engineers, owners: interceptor location is not a minor detail.

#GreaseInterceptor #CommercialPlumbing #MEPDesign #RestaurantOperations #ConstructionIndustry #Engineering

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Grateful for the feedback.

A recent client shared their experience working with PermitZIP on MEP drawings for a new building build-out. We’ve attached the full review in the image.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to leave thoughtful, specific feedback. It helps us understand what’s working and where we can keep improving.

#MEPEngineering #BuildingDesign #ClientFeedback #ProjectDelivery #5StarReview #Construction #Engineering

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Most service failures don’t come from bad engineering.
They come from uncoordinated field decisions.

Electric and gas services are almost always co-located.
Utilities often require 3 ft of separation.
NEC requires clear working space around electrical equipment.

Route gas under a meter?
Too close to a disconnect?
You just violated two rule sets at once.

On paper, everything looks fine.
In the field, one pipe ends the project.

This isn’t a “plumber problem” or an “electrician problem.”
It’s a coordination problem.

If nobody owns the utility layout, everyone owns the rework.

#MEPCoordination #ConstructionEngineering #CodeCompliance #FieldToPlan #ConstructionIndustry #Engineering

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

This is what engineers actually see on a site, before a single line is drawn.

A real engineer’s POV from a site walk at 3600 W Broad St, captured entirely through smart glasses. Raw, first-person visuals that show how engineers observe spaces, systems, and constraints in real time.

#EngineerPOV #MEPEngineering #SiteWalk #SmartGlasses #ConstructionSite #AECIndustry #BehindTheScenes #RayBanMeta

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Door undercuts are often seen as a finish detail.
In ventilation design, they serve a functional role.

In many residential layouts, some rooms receive supply air without a dedicated return.
Air still needs a path to move out of the room.
That path is often the door undercut.

Mechanical drawings and ventilation calculations assume this transfer air path exists.
Floor finishes, thresholds, and door sweeps determine whether it actually does.

When the undercut is reduced or closed, airflow patterns change.
The equipment stays the same.
The air path does not.

This is where architectural details, mechanical intent, and construction execution intersect.
Small clearances can influence system behavior.

#MEPCoordination #VentilationDesign #ConstructionDetails #ResidentialConstruction

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Merry Christmas from all of us at PermitZIP.

Wishing our clients, partners, and colleagues a relaxing holiday and a great finish to the year.

Thank you for your trust and collaboration.

#MerryChristmas #EngineeringServices #ConstructionIndustry #MEP

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Ceiling space always looks generous, until it isn’t.

At this stage, it feels open.
Plenty of room.
Nothing in the way.

But the space is already spoken for.

Structure sets the rules.
Plumbing finds its path.
Ductwork needs continuous runs.
Lighting wants symmetry.
Fire protection needs coverage and clearance.

Before long, everyone is competing for inches.

This is where coordination problems really start, not in the field, but in early assumptions.
If it looks tight on paper, it will be tighter in real life.
And if it looks empty in the field, it’s probably already full.

Good coordination happens early, before the ceiling disappears.

#Construction #MEPCoordination #BuildingDesign #ConstructionLife #Engineering #CommercialConstruction

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Simplicity in process,
Excellence in engineering

that’s where meaningful progress begins.

#MEPEngineering #CommercialConstruction #RealEstateDevelopment

[Carter Huddleston @PermitZIPelec]

Kicked off our first site survey using the Insta360.

A quick 360 walk-through video like this makes it much easier for our engineers to understand existing conditions without multiple trips on-site.

Fast to capture. Easy to review.
Simple upgrade. Big impact on clarity and coordination.

More to come as we refine how we capture field data.

#MEPEngineering #SiteSurvey #360Video #Engineering #Construction

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

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📩 Contact [email protected]

[PermitZIP @PermitZIP]

Streamline your permit process with fast, affordable MEP engineering from PermitZIP.

Get mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings tailored to your project needs, from retail and office to multifamily and light industrial, without the hassle.

Generate real-time pricing and proposals in seconds with the Instant Quote tool.

Plans delivered in two weeks or it’s free 🚀. Contact the team to find out if your project qualifies!

#MEPEngineering #ConstructionProfessionals #ArchitecturalDesign #GeneralContractors #BuildingPermits #PropertyDevelopment