Permits,
approved.

It runs in a few clear stages:

• Professional help & consultation. Contact us for a consultation. We gather your property information, often check the property on Google Maps, and tell you how we can legalize the basement and whether the zoning bylaw permits a legal basement in your area.
• Can your property have a 2nd unit? If you comply with the zoning and second-unit requirements, we discuss our fee and the city fees. If you don't comply, we check whether it's feasible to comply. If it still isn't, you can only do a Finished Basement permit (principal unit, not for renting).
• Requirements for a 2nd unit vary widely between cities. We give you the specific city information, or you can confirm with your city office.
• Site visit. If the first steps look good, we book an appointment to measure the basement and house. Expect 1 to 2 hours, and we'll need the builder's drawing and the property survey plan.
• Design & drawings. We draw the basement in full detail: living, dining, kitchen, bedrooms, washrooms, window sizes, fire separations and egress per the building code. Site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections as required.
• Submission & processing. Drawings take about a week. Most cities then take at least 15 business days. If they ask for changes, we revise and resubmit at no extra charge.
• After the permit. Construction can begin. You cannot start while the application is in process or without a permit.

If you bought a house with a finished basement, you can ask the city whether it was finished with a permit (some cities show this online). If it was finished without a permit, you must apply for a building permit.

Construction without a permit is called "as-built" and contravenes the zoning bylaw and building code. If damage, fire or injury results, the owner is held responsible, and these violations can void your insurance coverage.

There are two kinds of basement permit:

• Finished Basement permit is only for using the space as part of the principal (original) unit. You can't have a kitchen (stove). It can't be rented, but it can have bedroom(s), a wet bar (sink) and a washroom. A bedroom needs an egress window.
• Legal Basement permit (also called a 2nd Unit, Accessory Apartment or 2nd Suite) allows the basement to be used as a rental. It involves more design and construction cost, and city requirements and processing times differ. The design must consider zoning bylaws, fire separations and egress requirements.

Read the issue stated in the Notice or Compliance Letter. If it's about running an illegal basement, contact us for a consultation, the permit procedure is the same for finished and unfinished basements, and some cities have exemptions for as-built basements.

If you don't respond to the officer in charge, they may forward your case to court, with fines in the thousands if you're convicted. If you communicate properly and indicate you'll pursue a permit, they often give you more time. If you don't want a permit, you'll typically need to remove the stove and hood fan from the kitchen as soon as possible.

It depends on the inspector. If you received a Compliance Letter or Notice, contact the officer who issued it, their business card or contact information is usually included in the letter.

Light construction work can be carried out by the homeowner. However, plumbing and some structural work must be done by an experienced contractor. You'll book inspections with the city to pass all work: building, plumbing, HVAC and electrical. Electrical inspection is done by the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority), not the city inspector.

Based on reports from our previous clients, each may increase by around $10 to $20 per month, which is modest. It depends on the insurance company and the city, so please confirm exact figures with your insurer and municipality.

If the city inspects and finds it, you'll need a building permit, and you must adjust the stairs to the drawings. This is often difficult, you may end up removing the existing stairs and rebuilding to the permit drawings, because the inspector needs to see the steel bars in the concrete and the insulation shown in the drawings, so most of the stairs must be uncovered. This can be costly, especially if the original stairs weren't built to code.

No. It's illegal to start construction without a permit. You must wait for city-approved drawings. If you've already started, hold off until you consult a professional and obtain a permit. Unpermitted work can contradict the zoning bylaw and building code and results in an unsafe living space.

A building permit is an official approval from the local government that lets you or your contractor proceed with a construction or remodelling project. It ensures the plans comply with local land-use, zoning and construction standards, protecting current and future owners and occupants.

A permit has two stages: a zoning application and a building application, usually submitted together. The application may include architectural, structural, HVAC, plumbing and electrical drawings, the architect or engineer determines what's required.

Permits ensure zoning requirements (in municipal by-laws) and building safety standards (in the Ontario Building Code) are met, to maintain health, fire and structural safety for the public. The Ontario Building Code is a provincial regulation, and under the Building Code Act local governments enforce it within their jurisdiction.

For existing commercial or residential buildings with small renovations, roughly 2 to 3 weeks. Timing varies a lot by city and project type, and some cities offer a fast-track process for small renovations. Check your city's website for details on your application.

It depends on city regulations. Most cities calculate fees per square metre of renovated area; some base fees on the hours the examiner spends on the application.

Usually 6 months. Within that time you need to start the work and book an inspection. If you can't start in that period, you may need to extend the permit, which carries a fee.

A building permit has two steps, the first is zoning approval. Here the proposed project is checked for compliance with the zoning bylaw (each city and area has its own). Once zoning is approved, the building examiners check the project for building-code compliance.

It's very hard for a non-professional to produce permit drawings, and usually not worth the time, a drawing that takes an architect or designer a week can take a non-professional more than a month. We provide full support and professional design for all building-permit needs. Contact us for a professional consultation.

The Committee of Adjustment / Consent Approval Authority is authorized by the Ontario Planning Act to:

• Grant minor variances from the zoning and sign by-laws
• Grant consents to sell, convey or transfer an interest in part of an owner's land
• Grant consents when an agreement commits the land to a use beyond 21 years (lease, easement or mortgage)
• Issue a Certificate of Validation
• Approve a foreclosure or exercise of power of sale in a mortgage or charge

Before you sign, confirm the space is zoned for your intended use and that the occupancy you're planning is permitted. A change of use often triggers a building permit. Send us the address and your plans and we'll flag any zoning or code issues before you commit.

Usually yes if you're doing interior alterations, adding or moving partitions, changing the use or occupancy, or touching plumbing, HVAC, electrical or fire-separation elements. A simple move-in with no changes may not, but a change of use typically does. We can confirm for your specific space.

Unpermitted commercial work can lead to orders to comply, fines, forced removal of the work, and problems with insurance and occupancy, and it can stall your opening. It's far cheaper to permit it properly up front.

It depends on the work, but commercial applications commonly need a site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections, plus barrier-free (accessibility) details, and often structural, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and fire-protection drawings. We coordinate the full set the city needs.

If your project adds or alters washrooms, kitchens, mechanical ventilation or heating and cooling, then yes, the city will want plumbing and HVAC drawings. We prepare or coordinate them as part of your package.