Before any person may erect or cause to be erected or constructed a building or structure within the city or causes any alterations to any existing building or structure within the city, which alteration costs more than $300, he or she must first obtain a building permit from the Building Inspector. An alteration of a building or structure shall for the purpose of this chapter mean any alteration, addition, or removal of any one, part of one, or more than one partition, wall, ceiling, windows, structural member of roof system, or floor.