Before beginning any home or land renovations, you should visit the local city hall in order to be fully informed of all municipal bylaws regarding your renovations before submitting your plans and specifications.
This will save you precious time and money. Municipalities (rules differ from one city to another) sometimes require certain regulations that can have serious repercussions on the cost of your renovations. You will probably need a construction permit for the following works: adding a wing, garage, pool, shed, solarium, exterior siding, as well as removing an interior wall.
Concerning replacing kitchen cabinets, sinks, and sanitary fixtures, often no permit is required. It could be very costly and illegal if you do not have your plans and specifications for your renovations pre-approved by the municipal building inspector. In order to reduce to a minimum any delays in receiving your renovation permit, the contractor should ensure that all required documentation is complete and accurate. If in doubt, do not hesitate to verify with the contractor if he has met this compliance.
The contractor must then submit a complete set of plans and specifications to the municipal authorities in order to obtain the necessary permit. You should count on a delay of 2 to 3 weeks before receiving the permit, assuming all the documentation respects municipal laws in force. You should also ensure all plans and specifications, whether yours or the contractor’s, respect the National Building Code.
Occupational health and safety laws apply whenever workers are hired to work on your renovation projects. It is the responsibility of the person who is supervising the construction work to ensure that the rules are fully respected. The homeowner who acts as the “contractor,” depending on the case, may also be responsible for occupational health and safety even if he is not the actual contractor executing the work.
