Martin Fabrication Inc.

The business is registered in Idaho only, so its work stays on the Idaho side of the state line. It's based in Post Falls and travels roughly 25 miles from there, which takes in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Rathdrum and the communities between them. Martin Fabrication has held its Idaho registration since 2007. A Post Falls homeowner can ask directly about the kind of job at hand, whether that's fabrication or general building work, before setting up a visit. Around Coeur d'Alene, most work that changes a house's structure needs a building permit from the city or from Kootenai County, depending on where the property sits. That covers additions, new decks, garages and shops, removing or moving walls, and structural repairs. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work usually needs permits of its own. On a general contracting job, expect the contractor to pull the permit and schedule the inspections. That puts the contractor's name on the work and means an inspector checks framing and other stages before they're covered up. A permitted, inspected job also leaves a clean record when the house is sold. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit on structural work is a reason to keep looking.