How do I know if my DIY reno projects are allowed by laws?

Question

This is probably a silly question and I'm new to real estate in general. My question is, let's say now I have a project that I'd like to divide a large living room into two bedrooms (and might even create a separate bathroom for each) by myself, is this generally allowed? or is there anything I need to verify?

(This unit is in Ontario Canada)

Account Closed · Answer

@Elaine Lee

Call your city and ask if you need a permit to _____.

Dwayne Poster · Answer

It would be a local bylaw infraction to not have a permit. Most areas offer a homeowners permit, allowing you to do the work, for anything but gas. City inspection required as part of the permit process. If you go that route, do it now to keep any rework to a minimum.

Chris Baxter · Answer

@Elaine Lee  stop all work now. Go to the City, explain what happened, and ask for their advice on getting back up and running.  Work likely doesn't need to be done by a licensed contractor, but the building inspector will need to check electrical and plumbing at every step.  You may need to tear down the drywall to expose the work done to date, so be prepared for that.  Ultimately, inspectors are there to make sure you follow code, which gives you the piece of mind that the job is done right.  Good luck

Leon Doucette · Answer

@Elaine Lee I wish I had something good to tell you but starting this project without permits or inspections is not a good beginning.  I'm a certified electrician and have been doing construction for 20 years.  Any situation I've ever heard about like yours has not ended well.  What is your exit strategy? I'm not a lawyer but if you are flipping, or renting that puts alot of liability on you if something should happen to the property after sale or it has been rented.  In most cases the building inspector will have you remove drywall to the studs. Then they will inspect framing, insulation/Vapor barrier , amp final inspection.  New walls need to have  wiring and plumbing installed up to code, these also require inspections. Rough in inspection, and final.  Good luck

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

Oooops....When you pull the permit and the inspector shows up, he will absolutely notice the work that is already done. He can/will actually make you tear it out and do it over and this is not uncommon (my experience is in California FYI)

It doesn't matter how skilled your Dad is (and bless his heart for helping you out).....but he is either licensed to perform the trade or he is not.

Dave E. · Answer

@Elaine Lee if you are moving or adding new plumbing or electrical, then you will need permits.

You can generally skip permits if you are just doing cosmetic repairs, like paint and tile.

Elaine Lee · Answer

Thank you guys for the suggestions! I think I could call the city and ask what kind of permit I need and have a licensed contractor to work on it. But I got another question, we have actually already started the project (dividing the living room into two bedrooms), and my dad even almost finished one of the two including plumbing/shower and drywalls (he is not licensed but he gathered a lot of skills/experiences as his hobby over the years, if that makes sense...), so at this point, I assume we should still ask the city for the unfinished second bedroom, but how about the first one? do we need to have some inspector (real estate/safety inspector? or just a licensed contractor?) to check the finished bedroom? or we can just rent it out in the future?

Leon Doucette · Answer

@Elaine Lee building code and regulations vary depending on the province.  In most cases if you're removing or adding new walls you are required to have a permit. Especially if you're changing the interior structure you are also required to have a floor plan. In saying that there is also other aspects of removing  walls that you must consider as well. Are any of the walls load-bearing? Is there Plumbing or electrical inside the walls that will have to be reworked or relocated?  Also if you're adding new walls those walls need to be brought up to code and inspected by an electrical inspector. If you're not knowledgeable  with construction I would advise bringing in a general contractor to give you some ideas of what you can and can't do. Most times you just have to pay for an hour of their time or a flat rate to give you some ideas.  Feel free to reach out to me if you require any more information.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

It is most likely 'allowed'. But you will need to jump through the hoops - get a permit, use licensed contractors, etc....

How do I know if my DIY reno projects are allowed by laws?

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