diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index fb9d6eb..dc32560 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ mod config;
 mod dirs;
 mod error;
 mod files;
+mod perms;
 mod skel;
 
 use std::path::PathBuf;
diff --git a/src/perms.rs b/src/perms.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cd864f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/perms.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+use std::fs::{set_permissions, metadata, Permissions};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use crate::error::*;
+
+pub fn get_perms(path: &PathBuf) -> MkrootResult<Permissions> {
+	match metadata(path) {
+		Ok(meta) => Ok(meta.permissions()),
+		Err(e) => Err(MkrootError::from(format!(
+			"Error retrieving metadata {}: {}",
+			path.display(),
+			e
+		))),
+	}
+}
+
+pub fn set_perms(path: &PathBuf, perms: Permissions) -> MkrootResult<()> {
+	if let Err(e) = set_permissions(path, perms) {
+		return Err(MkrootError::from(format!(
+			"Error setting permissions {}: {}",
+			path.display(),
+			e
+		)));
+	}
+
+	Ok(())
+}