Obtaining a building permit is a necessary step in the process of constructing a new home in Toronto. Building permits help the municipality to ensure that zoning restrictions are respected and important construction standards are met. The Ontario Building Code Act mandates that homeowners obtain a permit before beginning any demolition or construction project. Anyone who fails to do so is essentially breaking the law and subject to penalties including fines, construction delays and legal action.

Obtaining a Building Permit

The first step in acquiring a building permit involves visiting the Toronto municipality office or the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s Building Code website. You must fill out an application, pay a fee and provide drawings or plans for your construction project. Once an application is submitted, the Toronto municipality staff will review your plans to determine that they meet local zoning ordinances and construction standards. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 20 days depending on the class and size of your project.

The Advantages of Applying In Advance

Building permits issued in Toronto are valid for one year, and many experts recommend obtaining your permit well in advance of beginning your project. Applying in advance gives you time to address any concerns that may need to be remedied before the permit can be issued. It also gives you ample time to work through the appeals process if that becomes necessary. Applying at the last minute can leave you or your contractor waiting to begin construction on your new home. Delays such as this are typically unnecessary, and they can have a negative impact on your budget before construction even begins.

Display Your Permit

Once obtained, it is important for the homeowners to display the building permit in a window on their property and keep copies of plans on site at all times. The Toronto municipality office does, at times, conduct random inspections of new construction sites, and if permits are not displayed in plain sight, the owner can face legal consequences.

The Inspections Process

The Toronto Building Code sets the stages of construction, and it mandates when various inspections need to be completed. In the process of building a new home, inspections can be extensive, and it is important to stay on top of them. During each stage of construction, it is the responsibility of the permit holder to contact the municipality office and request the appropriate inspections. The inspector visits the job site and determines if the work is identical to the plans originally approved and up to code. If work is not up to code or it differs from the approved plans, the inspector can halt construction until corrections are made. Delays such as these are inconvenient and costly, so it is important to try and avoid them whenever possible.

Changing The Original Design

In the process of building a custom home, changes are often made to the original architectural details and plans. This can cause various steps in the construction process to differ from the approved designs. It is important to handle these changes correctly so that the project continues to pass inspections and meet the Toronto Building Code. If changes are made, the permit holder must file them with the municipality office and wait for approval before continuing with the home building process.

Alair Homes Takes Care of All the Permits

Alair Homes has extensive experience in custom home building in Toronto, and we understand the important role that building permits play. Our team of professionals handles obtaining permits and requesting inspections for our customers, and we help them to understand the intricacies of any zoning laws or building codes that might impact their projects. We also set our customers’ minds at ease by providing them with real time access to the building permits process and inspections timeline through the use of our innovative project management software. This simplifies the building process for the Toronto homeowners we serve, and it helps to make the custom home building process a more enjoyable one. At Alair Homes, we pride ourselves in doing things better, and effectively handling the permit and inspections process while keeping homeowners informed is one of the many ways in which we set ourselves apart from the competition.