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City Departments

Building Department

Picture of Building Dept. StaffWelcome to the website of the City of Southfield Building Department.  The Building Department serves residents and businesses by supporting new construction projects, renovation of existing properties, and building expansion within the City of Southfield. 

Our staff is dedicated to providing user-friendly, professional customer service in order to make it easier for individuals and companies to achieve their building objectives and comply with building codes, zoning requirements, and City ordinances.

The Building Department, in cooperation with other City divisions such as the Planning Department and the Business Development Team, actively encourages investment and reinvestment so that the City remains an attractive and vibrant community in which to live and work.

The City adopts codes and zoning policies to protect the health, safety and quality of life of Southfield residents.  Enforcement of these regulations results in a number of benefits:  a more beautiful community, stable neighborhoods, and a safe, secure and balanced environment.  Anyone planning to build or improve his or her property should thoroughly review the information in this site.

The Building Department’s goal is to provide comprehensive, consistent, and clear information on the codes and ordinances that need to be followed, so please call us at (248) 796-4100 if you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed on this site.

 

Did You Know?

  • The Building Department makes approximately 14,267 inspections per year.

 

  • Residential plans are required to be kept by the Building Department for 10 years. As a courtesy, the plans are returned to the property owner after that time period.

 

  • The required width of an exit door in a residential home is 3 feet. This dimension was based on the ability to get a coffin through the door.

 

  • The common spacing of studs and joists is 16 inches on center. Contrary to technical belief, it came about from the result of the length of a hammer.

 

  • The weight of one cubic foot of concrete weighs 150 pounds.

 

  • The weight of the average house is 40 pounds per square foot.

 

  • The Building Code of Hammurabi, King of the Babylonian Empire, is the earliest known written Building Code of Law, written in 2200 B.C. It is noted that exact requirements for construction are not given; rather, the code assesses penalties if the building is not properly constructed. An example: In Hammurabi’s kingdom the ultimate penalty for unsafe construction was death.