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A Homeowners Guide to Building Permits
A Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits
For more information, please contact the Building Division at 905-953-5300 ext 2400; or
e-mail buildings@newmarket.ca
- The Ontario Building Code
- When do I need a Permit?
- Before you start
- How do I get a Permit?
- When will I get the Permit?
- What do I have to do after I get the Permit?
- Stages of Inspection
- Permit Submission
- What is a Site Plan?
- What is a Floor Plan?
- What are Elevations?
- Sections & Details
- Mechanical Drawings
The Ontario Building Code requires that you obtain a building permit before you start work on a new house or an addition or any significant alterations to an existing house. The Building Code sets out the minimum requirements for such work and is particularly concerned with your health and saftey and that of other homeowners, building occupants, future owners and the community.
The Ontario Building CodeThe Ontario Building Code is a regulation made under the Building Code Act. The Code is essentially a set of minimum provisions respecting the safety of buildings with reference to public health, fire protection and structural sufficiency. It is not intended to be a textbook on building design, advice on which should be sought from professional sources. Its primary purpose is the promotion of public safety through the application of appropriate uniform building standards. The provisions in this Code are intended to provide a minimum acceptable level of public safety and building integrity. They are not intended to be applied to voluntary installations unless specified in the Code.
Definitions
"building" means
- a structure occupying an area greater than ten square metres consisting of a wall, roof and floor or any of them or a structural system serving the function thereof including all plumbing, works, fixtures and service systems appurtenant thereto;
- a structure occupying an area of ten square metres or less that contains plumbing, including the plumbing appurtenant thereto,
- plumbing not located in a structure,
- a sewage system; or
- structures designated in the building code;
"construct" means to do anything in the erection, installation, extension or material alteration or repair of a building and includes the installation of a building unit fabricated or moved from elsewhere and "construction" has a corresponding meaning; ("construire", "construction", "travaux de construction")
When do I need a permit?Contact the Town of Newmarket Municipal Offices at 905-895-5193 or email us at buildings@newmarket.ca for specific permit requirements for any particular project.
Permits are normally required for:
- Building any detached structure larger than 108 sq.ft.
- Building any addition to your home
- Raised porches or decks
- Carports or garages
- Structural alterations
- Moving or lifting your house
- Installing a wood stove or fireplace
- Partitioning a basement or adding a basement entrance
- Creating an apartment in your house
- Altering or adding any plumbing
- Demolishing a house
Permits are not normally required for:
- Detached structures 108 sq.ft. or less in area
- Replacement of windows, doors, roofing or siding
- New interior wall, floor or ceiling finishes
- Repairs to chimneys, porches, decks or roofs
- Waterproofing repairs to a basement
- Replacement of a furnace
- Prepare drawings which accurately and to scale describe the construction you propose. The drawings submitted with the permit application need to be detailed enough so that anyone using them would be able to construct your project. If questions remain regarding how construction will occur, the drawings are not detailed enough. Standard technical details are available at the Municipal Offices to assist in the preparation of your plans. Where an owner engages the services of another person to perform design activities, that person may be required to comply with the qualification requirements established by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. It is advisable to verify with the Municipal offices that your proposed site plan will meet local zoning standards before you prepare the complete construction plans.
- Visit the Municipal Offices at 395 Mulock Drive and complete a building permit application. The application is also available on line at www.newmarket.ca in the Building and Bylaws section of the Town of Newmarket website.
- Provide the required number of copies (usually 2 or 3) of the construction drawings, including a site plan.
- Pay the permit fee.
NOTE: The maximum total credit card payment accepted for any invoice, permit, charge etc. is $500.00.
Amounts greater then $500.00 may be paid by cash, cheque or Interac direct debit.
When will I get the permit?Your Building Permit will be issued or refused within the prescribed period which may range between 10-20 business days if your drawings are complete and the proposed construction meets all legal requirements such as zoning regulations, the Ontario Building Code and the requirements of other agencies such as the Conservation Authority, the Region of York and the Town's Public Works Department.
What do I have to do after I get the permit?Review your approved permit drawings before you start work and keep them on the project site. The permit must be posted in a conspicuous place on your property prior to starting work. You can commence construction any time after obtaining the permit and your permit will remain valid for a minimum of six months. Local utilities such as hydro, gas and telephone operate independently from the municipality and should be contacted regarding their specific approval and inspection requirements. All utilities must be contacted prior to commencing any excavation to determine the location of any nearby underground services.
Inspection requirements will be discussed with a building inspector at the time the building permit is issued, depending on the type of project, and must be arranged by calling the municipal building inspection offices prior to covering the work. For a house addition, an inspection is required for footings and foundations, structural framing, plumbing, insulation and vapour barriers and a final inspection before using the new space. Smaller projects such as decks and garages will involve fewer inspections. You will be informed if your project is a "smaller project" for inspection purposes. Please note that we require 48hrs notice for requesting inspections.
Stages of inspectionContact your building inspector directly to book an inspection
Excavation/footings
At this stage, the inspector checks visually for soil bearing capacity and footing sizes. Foundations are intended to safely carry their own weight and the loads transferred to them.
Exterior Sewers/Inside/Outside Drains
The inspector looks for appropriate installation of exterior storm and sanitary drains including material type, slope, colour (green for sanitary and white for storm), fittings, etc.
Foundation Walls- Before Backfilling
The inspector looks for size of foundation wall and that all water and damproofing measures have been installed including weepers, stone, bituminous material, etc.
Structural Framing Completed (incl. all rough-ins)
At this point, the inspector examines the structural integrity of wall systems, floor systems, roof systems, means of egress, fire and sound control, mechanical systems, windows and fireplaces.
Insulation
The inspector looks for compliance with thermal resistance and air barrier requirements in addition to all deficiencies regardless of past approvals, as this is the last inspection before covering.
Final inspection
At this point, all systems are complete and operational and the construction is complete.
If changes to the approved work are anticipated, speak with the inspector to determine if a revision to your permit is required.
Please remember to work safely!
Permit submission All drawings submitted with your application must be accurately drawn to scale, in ink.
The provisions of the Ontario Building Code are intended to provide a minimum acceptable level of public safety and building integrity. They are not intended to be applied to voluntary installations unless specified in the Code. Voluntary installations should not detrimentally affect features required by the Code.
A Site Plan is a drawing showing the complete property and identifying all structures in relation to the property boundaries. It should include:
- Scale
- North arrow
- Lot lines and dimensions
- Existing and proposed construction and dimensions
- Setbacks and lot lines
- Proposed changes to existing grade
A Floor Plan is a drawing of the structure as seen as if it is cut horizontally a few feet above the floor lines. One floor plan is required for every floor of the house which is affected by the new construction. Each plan shows the interior layout in question as well as providing the structural framing information for the floor or roof above. Floor plans should include:
- Scale
- Use of rooms and spaces
- Dimensions
- Extent of new construction including new work within existing building
- Size, type and location of exterior and interior walls and partitions
- Widths, locations and lintel sizes of all openings
- Location, dimensions and direction of stairs
- Sectional arrows
- References to detailed drawings
- Material specifications or notes
- Heating details and calculations
Elevations show the exterior view of each side of the house. Each elevation is identified by the direction it is facing and should include:
- Scale
- Extent of new and existing construction
- Vertical dimensions of walls, windows and doors
- Grade level
- Exterior wall cladding, finishes and flashing
- Overhang dimensions
- Roof shape, slope and finish
- Rainwater leader and eavestrough
A section represents a view of the house along an imaginary line at a particular location and illustrates construction details. The extent of the sections should correspond with the sectional arrows shown on the plans. Sections should indicate the following:
- Scale
- Details of footings, foundations, walls, floors and the roof
- Distance from grade to floor and underside of footing
- Attic and crawl space ventilation
At times, a specific aspect of the project may require specific details. An inventory of standard construction details is available from the local municipal offices, which can be used to augment your plans.
Mechanical Drawings Mechanical drawings are required to ensure the furnace selected has the capacity to heat or cool your house. This requires heat loss and heat gain calculations to determine the capacity of the furnace required and drawings of the duct design and layout (by a qualified designer). This information is generally available from the mechanical/heating contractor.
