The holiday season is here. The year is about to end and it’s that time of the year when you are thinking about new year’s resolution and planning on what needs improvements. Some people may want to look better, while some may want to feel better. But you are smarter.
You are planning on something that is more promising in terms of actually reaching completion and giving long-lasting results. You want to start a project to make your home to look better.
What a better way to give a whole new feel to your house except by renovating its central hub of activity! Yes, we are talking about kitchen renovations.
Kitchen renovation can indeed be an exciting venture. Whether you are all into doing it by yourself or prefer to hire a kitchen design studio, once the idea enters your mind, you can’t wait for work to begin on it already.
But amongst the selection of paints, materials, kitchenware and other tools, let us warn you of one seemingly ‘unimportant’ aspect that often gets sidetracked easily.
Building permit.
Why do you need it?
Almost every place, including the city of Toronto, has its own rules and regulations. When it comes to construction or renovations, the government needs to ensure your plans comply with its building laws. Owning a permit is an assurance that it does.
If you don’t have a permit, you can be asked to stop the work, or the work can be subjected to further inspections and in some cases, even ordered to be reverted back to the original.
When do you need a permit?
According to the Building Code Act for the City of Toronto, a building permit is necessary for the ‘construction and/or demolition of a new building, an addition, or material alteration of any building or structure.’
So, for instance, if you plan to remake your kitchen from scratch, alter its plumbing and/or electrical connections, extend the existing kitchen space or construct a detached kitchen (larger than 10 square meters) in your backyard, you must obtain a permit before you begin.
You must also possess a permit if you are adding a deck that is more than 60 centimeters above ground, enlarging the existing door and windows or adding more of them, and even if adding or removing the kitchen walls. Environmental improvements like the creation of a green roof above your kitchen or any other room and installing or reconstructing the chimney and/or fireplace, all require you to own a building permit as well.
When do you not need a permit?
Minor makeovers like painting or polishing your kitchen furnishings, plumbing or electrical fixations or repair work that will not lead to structural/ material changes or new installations altogether, do not require you to own a permit. Renewing or replacing insulations can be done without a permit too.
If you are trying to make your kitchen brighter by installing skylights, you can do so without a permit given that your building is three stories or less and will not require more than one rafter to be removed.
However, you must remember that even in cases where a permit is not required, the work must adhere to the law requirements nonetheless. And if you need help with any of these legal issues, you must feel free to contact the professionals serving in this field.
