Permit Project Management / Permit Expediting / Permit Running

Houston Permitting, Platting & Plan Review Services

Before anyone draws a line, someone needs to answer a simpler question: what can actually be built here? UnicornSS is the first call for Houston property owners, developers, and tenants at that stage. We review what zoning and land use rules allow, what Chapter 42 platting will require, and which permits and approvals the project will need, so your architect starts with clear constraints instead of discovering them in review.

From there, our project and program management covers the entire job end to end: planning, design coordination, and permitting. We provide project management for single jobs and program management when you have several related projects or sites. When you already have a design firm, we coordinate with them rather than replace them. When you need a full team, we bring trusted partners and manage the process for you. Even a question that sounds simple, like whether a tenant’s use will qualify for a Certificate of Occupancy at a property, is a planning question we answer before a lease is signed or a plan is drawn.

We work with developers, builders, architects, business owners, and property owners on commercial and residential projects in the City of Houston and surrounding municipalities, from lot splits to multi-site plans.

Commercial Permit Management

As part of our project management, we prepare, submit, and follow your commercial permit application through the City of Houston permit office or other local municipality until it’s approved. When review comments come back, we help you address them and resubmit.

• City of Houston Commercial Building Permits
• Office Tenant Build Out
• Multi Family Building Permits
• Commercial Structural Permits
• Certificate of Occupancy Permits

Residential, Production & Pool Permits

From project management on a single custom home to program management across a production builder’s multi-lot schedule, we manage residential permits so construction can start when planned.

• Residential Building Permits
• Production Building Permits
• Houston Pool Permits

Demolition Permits

Demolition in Houston needs its own permit before the site can be cleared. We prepare and submit the application so redevelopment isn’t held up at the first step.

• Demo Permits Houston

Planning, Platting & Development (Chapter 42)

Houston subdivision rules under Chapter 42 of the City Code govern how land can be divided, combined, and recorded. We prepare and submit plats and coordinate with your surveyor and engineer to keep submittals complete. For multi-phase or multi-site development, we provide program management across every plat and approval.

• Subdivision plats (Class I, II, and III, preliminary and final)
• Class II replats, including lot splits
• Amending plats and general plans
• Development site plans, master site plan reviews, and multifamily residential reviews
• Extensions of approval, street name changes, recordation, and addressing

Planning and Development Services

Subdivision and Development Services in Houston

Variances, Special Exceptions & Public Notice

When a site doesn’t fit standard requirements, a variance or special exception may be the path forward. We prepare the request and handle the notice requirements that often cause delays, including on-site signage, mailed letters, published notices, and representation at public hearings.

• Houston Variance Requests

Design Coordination & Partner-Managed Services

Design coordination is part of our project and program management. We coordinate with your preferred architect or design firm rather than replace them, and for clients who want one point of contact, we offer a partner-managed model with licensed partners:

• MEP design: our MEP design partner prepares the plans, and we manage and coordinate the work.
• Structural design: our structural design partner prepares the plans, which are sealed by a licensed professional engineer.
• Civil engineering: we contract with licensed civil engineering partners and manage that process from scope through approval.
• Permitting: we manage submittals, review comments, and approvals end to end.

All engineering work is performed and sealed by licensed professional engineers. UnicornSS manages and coordinates the process and does not provide engineering services itself.

Pre-Submission Plan Review

Many permit rejections come from missing documents or details that are easy to fix before submittal. Our permitting professionals review your package first, so problems are caught before the city sees them.

Learn how we handle Houston building permits

Related Services

• Drone Services: aerial site photos and video for planning and project records
• Real Estate Consulting: permitting and land use insight before you buy or develop
• Support services: plan setup, drafting and design, large-format printing (C, D, and E size sheets) and scanning, permit advocacy, and document delivery

How It Works

1. Tell us about your project. We’ll identify which permits, plats, or approvals it needs.
2. We prepare and review. We gather documents, set up plans, and check the package before submittal.
3. We submit and follow through. We track the review, respond to comments, and stay on it until approval, managing every step as one project, or as one program across several.

Start Your Houston Project

Call 713-369-0925 or contact us to talk through your project and find out what approvals it needs.

We provide additional services that are often required to move the permitting process along including:

• Plan Setup – Preparing plans for submission
• Permit Advocacy
• Printing: Building plans and architectural drawings
• Drafting and design services
• Delivery