Municipal permitting is often blamed for commercial construction delays, but a registered architect and licensed general contractor in Phoenix argues the most damaging setbacks occur before a single document is filed. Mike Marden, founder of WDS Architecture and WDS Commercial, says clients and professionals alike create their own timeline problems through flawed approaches to the permitting process.
One common issue is the 'scripted answer' problem. Clients frequently call a city office, describe a project in general terms, and receive generic responses about timelines and required documents. Marden warns these conversations are not official and often misleading. 'We already spoke with someone at the city. They said we just turn in this form and this is roughly the time,' he quotes clients as saying. 'First of all, that’s not a documented conversation. There is no log number or record. None of that’s official. And everything on the checklist might not even apply.'
City employees work from scripts, not project-specific assessments, so checklists can include irrelevant requirements or omit necessary ones. Clients who base their schedules on such conversations face unexpected discoveries during review, potentially costing months. This is compounded by a lack of knowledge—clients research in good faith but often miss jurisdiction-specific and project-specific nuances.
Beyond information gaps, Marden highlights a structural flaw in the conventional sequential model: complete design, submit for permits, wait for approval, then build. This treats permitting as a gate that halts all progress. While review is pending, the lease clock runs, contractors stand by, and trade partners are idle. Additionally, the gap between design completion and construction start is often extended by contractor selection and mobilization. 'Did you think about the gap where you’re bidding and trying to find a contractor, meanwhile, permits are ready and you’ve signed the lease?' Marden asks.
Firms that consistently meet timelines do so by compressing the process. They engage the city early with preliminary questions, understand what specific inspectors require, and start non-permitted construction activities during review. Marden says, 'We can start building the project as we’re turning in for a permit. We’re the contractor, already contracted with the Owner, and have spent months participating in the design. If we are questioned or told to turn in drawings, well, we have already done that because we are also the Architect! We can go right up to first inspection with our work, gaining a month versus waiting on bid results, contracts, permits, and mobilization, losing a month or two.'
This parallel approach is possible only when architect and contractor are integrated from the start. WDS Architecture, with dual credentials, applies this by mobilizing for staging, layout, scoping, testing, demo, subcontracting, and material ordering while permit review is underway. The firm also uses ongoing relationships with local jurisdictions to provide realistic timelines. 'Over here, where we do this every day, we know what really needs to go in, how long it’s really going to take,' Marden says.
Marden also advises clients to consider permitting strategy during site selection. A location that seems cheap may carry hidden complexities. 'It’s like building a project twice, when dealing with existing conditions, removing what is there so that new material can be installed to meet code,' he says. A former restaurant space may require extensive code updates, erasing apparent savings—something a self-researching client would likely miss.
For business owners planning commercial build-outs in Phoenix, the takeaway is clear: the expected permitting timeline likely understates reality, and the gap often stems from pre-filing decisions, not city processing speed. Engaging professionals who understand the local process can help mitigate these delays.
