Building permits can be such a drag. Well, before you start building, be sure to check your local municipality's website. Some municipalities have excellent websites that detail what you need a building permit for, and what you don't need one for. For instance, I was looking at Seattle.gov and found out that you don't need a permit to build a fence in Seattle under 8 feet high. All of this information is at your fingertips, and you can save a lot of frustration by utilizing the Web.