Building Permit Process

Your Home | Your Design | Your Way

Step One

Ontario BCIN stamped construction house drawings

Take (2) complete sets of scaled house plans with a signed Schedule 1 BCIN & EEDS forms by a licensed designer, and submit them with a fully completed Building application form.  Sometimes a PDF and/or DVD copy of the final permit house plans are also required at submission.

A house plans package is to be to scale and include a noted & fully dimensioned:

  • Foundation Plan (i.e. footings, foundation walls, structure)
  • Floor Plan (s) (i.e. wall thickness, roof construction, openings, structure)
  • Elevations (i.e. grade heights, exterior finishes, pitches, openings)
  • Cross Section & Detail (s) (i.e. all floor, roof, and wall assemblies, structural components, insulation values)

Step Two

Additional Information / Plans that may be required

  • If pre-engineered truss system, floor system, or beams are being specified, you will need to submit shop drawings supplied from the manufacturer / lumber yard.
  • If a cistern is being constructed in the foundation of a garage, you will need to submit a set of plans completed and signed by a structural engineer. (We can provide this)
  • HVAC Design & Calculation – for all new construction & occasionally additions, you will be required to submit Heating, Ventilation & Air conditioning, Heat Loss & Gain calculations completed by a licensed mechanical designer, signed with their respective BCIN. (We can provide this)
  • Site plan & lot grading plan (topo) may also be required, depending on your specific lot and local building authority (i.e. shows lot size, location of proposed building and proposed finished grades, site services, setbacks, road entrance etc.)
  • Septic Tank & Tile Bed Design.  For new home construction in rural country you will need to submit a tank size and tile bed size by a qualified septic designer/installer to meet the requirement of the size of your new home.
    • For additions/renovations in the country, you will need to verify that the existing septic tank/tile bed will be able to handle the increase due to the addition.  If not sufficient – it will need to be extended or replaced.
  • If any portion of the house design falls out of Part 9 Residential Ontario Building code which requires a Part 4 (Engineering) to satisfy the inspector those particular details will be required.  Contact to discuss.

Step Three

Building Permit Submission

With all the approvals and proper documents for the items listed above, and cheque to pay for your fees, you can now apply for your building permit.

Building permit fees vary between regions, counties & cities – but is based on the construction value of the project.

Other fees that may be required are:

  • Septic permit fee
  • Demolition fee (if you are tearing down an existing house to make room for a new one)
  • Plumbing Permit Fee
  • On-Site Temporary Living Accommodation
  • Water & Sewer connection Fee
  • Road damage deposit.
  • Development fees (large fee for all new houses being built on virgin property – never been built on before)

Always inquire with the building department prior to applying to have a list of all pertinent fees.

Step Four

House Plan Review & Permit Approval

Local authorities/examiners will check all house plans, permits, application for compliance with all codes, bylaws, and regulations. If everything is good, your building permit will be issued within 10 days.

At key stages during construction work on the building must be inspected to ensure that all construction is being done properly.
To be granted permission from the building department to move on with the next phase of construction – everything must comply with the Ontario Building Code (i.e. foundation, framing, plumbing, HVAC, insulation etc.)

All building permits and house plans must be ready for presentation on-site for during inspection.

These inspections must be arranged by the owner – the building department will not contact you.  As a rule you must notify the local building inspectors for an inspection times 24-48 hours in advance.

Our house plans & house designs are good for permit anywhere in Ontario.  If you have any questions of concerns about this process, or wondering how to go about obtaining certain approvals, plans etc, feel free to contact us at (905)701-1110.