Don't Buy Useless Structures - The Permitting Issue Nobody Talks About

Today’s dispatch is on a subject I’ve never seen anyone talk about in depth.

It’s an important subject too. Covering it could stop you blowing millions on units that guests can’t legally stay in.

It’s a minefield of rules, regulations and gray areas. But I’m going to help you navigate it.

Today, we’re talking about building code.

The Glamping Insider, reporting for duty.

What Is Building Code?

Okay, these first few sections will be a little general, but we’ll get into the glamping aspects soon enough.

Building code can be thought of as the rulebook for construction. Whenever you build a permanent structure, like a house, it will probably need to comply with some kind of building code. The code is full of requirements on items like insulation values, electrical hookups and snow loads.

Codes are generally enforced by a local authority, like your county building department. 

The authority will choose a code that every applicable structure needs to meet. A common example is the International Building Code (IBC).

What’s the Point of Building Code?

Because people like staying alive!

Seriously, building code is important. It might be a pain in the ass for glamping developments, but it exists for a reason. Just like zoning.

Properly enforced building code is what prevents roofs from collapsing and houses going down in blazing infernos.

What’s In A Building Code?

Building codes are overly long and boring to read. They contain a lot of ‘fluff’.

Generally, your county building department can tell you the key things to be aware of.

If your units need to meet code, here are some values you’ll probably need to watch for:

• Insulation (r-values)

• Wind loads

• Snow loads

• Fire safety

• Plumbing and electrical

To avoid wasting a time, get a handle on the values you need to hit early. Then, speak with your preferred manufacturer to see if their units are capable of complying. If they’re not, find another manufacturer.

Does Building Code Apply to My Project?

Glamping is a real gray area for building code. 

For one, geography is important. If you’re in rural Texas, you can probably discard this whole email. If you’re in California, you may be in for a permitting nightmare.

But, with geography, it’s easy to know where you stand. Your jurisdiction will either apply a building code or it won’t.

The true gray area is structure types. It can be a pain in the ass figuring out whether the code applies to your units or not. Often, the counties themselves won’t know at first.

Some counties may only require hard-wall structures to meet code. For others, it will depend on the kind of foundation your units are placed on, as ‘temporary vs permanent’ is the differentiating factor. 

The real hard-ass counties will insist on applying the code to structures that will never meet it, like bell tents. If you get one of those, you’re really unlucky.

The easiest way of finding out is by presenting your plans to your county. If the county offers a pre-application review meeting, use it. They’ll pass your application around the various departments, including the building department, and you’ll know whether you’ll need to re-think your units or not.

Top Tips

Here’s some actionable advice for figuring out building code.

• Speak to your county, specifically the building department, early. Knowing how the code is applied makes every other decision easier

• Choose a manufacturer that is used to complying with code. Ask them specific questions about r-values and the like. Don’t let them bluff you. I’ve heard horror stories of manufacturers downright lying to clients about their ability to hit code, only for the units to be completely unusable.

• Be flexible. Strict application of code may stop you using your dream units, but it shouldn’t stop you building your dream site. The magic is in the experience, so pivot if needed.

• If in doubt, lean towards hard-wall, modular units built with residential building codes in mind. Like these mirror cabins we’re using at Posh Outdoors. If you’re interested in buying some, just reply to this email!

📰 The Posh Report

Last week, I mentioned we’d started testing ads for Skyridge Glamping, the first Posh Outdoors location.

This week, we have the initial results. And they’re bloody great.

As a reminder, for this first project, we’re sending 5 mirror cabins to a beautiful property in the Canadian Rockies. First guests are due to arrive in May. 

Here are the stats from two weeks of Facebook and Instagram ads:

• Amount spent: $753

• Email sign-ups: 1,995

• Deposit holders: 138 (these are people who have paid a $1 deposit to gain first access to the booking calendar)

That’s a cost of just over $5 per deposit holder. Bear in mind the final price will be a minimum of $420 per night. The agency we’re working with, who have done a ton of these glamping launches, described the results as “insane” and up there with the best they’ve ever seen.

We’ll be increasing the deposit size to $25 and scaling up the ads for the next 2 months. The idea is to unleash a large audience of superfans onto the booking calendar a few weeks before opening.

More updates to come.

The Skyridge project is the first of many planned for Posh Outdoors. To learn more about investing in Posh, download our investor deck.

🎧️ On the Pod

Want a deep dive on recruitment in the glamping/unique stay space? You’re in luck. We did an 80-minute breakdown on The Unique Hospitality Podcast this week.

Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube.