A building permit is an authorization from your municipality to undertake certain renovation projects. Through this guide, we will cover what types of projects require a building permit, the process to obtain a building permit, the costs and processing times of a building permit.
If you are planning renovations that change the function of a room, or modify the structure of the property, or even modify the exterior envelope visible from the street, you will need to apply for a building permit from your municipality.
Thus, for the following types of renovations you will need a building permit:
1. Home / Building extension
2. Reinforcement of the foundations
3. Replacement of external doors and windows
4. Installation of new stairs and / or a new balcony
5. Installation of a pool
6. Renovation of more than 50% of the brick cladding of the external facades of your property
7. Transformation of an uninhabited basement into an apartment
For a residential property the cost of a building permit varies according to the size of the project. The building permit costs $ 9.80 per $ 1,000 of project cost, with a minimum cost of $ 146. Thus, for a $ 100,000 project you will have to pay $ 980 in fees to obtain a building permit.