Home Digest... Your guide to home and life improvements
home
Winter 2011 Issue


Home Organization
Pen Point
Household Hints
Healthy Eating
Money Matters
Garden Gate
What's New
Home Decor
Reno File
Around the House
On the Road
 

The Reno File                  Early Spring 2011

 

The importance of building permits


Home renovations are taking place everwhere, but reality television shows may may leave homeowners with the impression that a kitchen can be gutted between commercial breaks, a wall insulated in moments and an exterior addition completed within the hour.

 

                                                                                 Download pdf ›

The lightning speed of those ‘reality’ renovations on TV can mislead the average homeowner in their own renovation plans and result in costs that exceed the home’s renovated value.

“Many Canadians consider renovations to increase the value of their property for a sale or immediately after a new home purchase,” says Ray Leclair, an experienced real estate lawyer and vice-president of the TitlePlus program at Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company (LawPro). “It may be tempting to immediately start tearing down or building up, however, homeowners need to tread carefully, and be sure that they are legally protected with building permits or the reality could be costly.”

While it likely comes as no shock to homeowners that the big jobs (for example, structural changes to a home) need building permits, it may be surprising for some to learn that many of the smaller jobs (such as finishing basements, updating plumbing or electrical equipment, or even adding a wood-burning stove) may require permits as well.

“A dream home purchase can turn into a nightmare if you do not acquire the proper permits or if renovations were done by a previous owner without a permit,” adds Leclair. “The first step any would-be renovator should take is to speak to their real estate lawyer to ensure that the work they have planned is compliant with municipal codes.”

Questions to ask include:

  • When do municipalities usually require permits?

  • What are the risks of doing work without a permit?

  • What are the legal options for buyers of homes where work
    has been done without a permit?

  • Can sellers be held responsible if a home has had work done
    without a permit?

  • How can homeowners and homebuyers protect themselves?

back to top

 

 

 

 

 
 
 


did you hear…?

• Home alarm systems use your telephone line to communicate to a
monitoring station. If your telephone line gets cut from the outside, your system will not be able to communicate, giving burglars the upper hand. Discuss with your alarm company alternative communication options, such as GSM Backup. Visit www.grandalarms.com for more details.