Why do you need a permit when you renovate a home? Aside from it being legally required, there is a great risk involved in non-compliance. The greatest of which is harm or injury to the occupant of the house.
For example, there may be previous installations that is dangerous to the occupant, such as a misplaced wire that can cause electrocution. Having a permit in the first place will prevent accidents from occurring and it frees you from liability should something unfortunate occur.
There are other consequences that can happen as a result of non- compliance. If you plan to resell your home, lack of permit or having wrong information in the permit can pose problems. If the floor area indicated in the permit does not match the actual square footage of the house, it could cost you the sale. You will also be required to process the permit all over again, resulting in more costs and sometimes revision or demolition of what has been built.
Lastly, working on a construction or renovation project without a permit could lead to penalties and even lawsuits.
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What type of permit is required?
Any renovation would require a building permit. If it involves rewiring and re piping work, you will also need an electrical and plumbing permit. These three permits will have to be applied separately and they also have separate forms and requirements. They can be processed by the licensed contractor or by the homeowner. Also note that some cities have different requirements for building permits. Some may be stringent while others may waive permits for minor works.
When Does Kitchen Renovation Require a Permit?
Here are examples of four types of kitchen renovations that may require a Renovation Permit:
We often hear others say that if it is a dry wall and not structural, meaning it doesn’t support any load above, there’s no need to get a permit.
However, it’s a good practice to stop believing in hearsay and ask the local authorities. The kitchen renovation permit is important because the building official will check if the wall is safe to remove.
It is therefore safer to get a permit before doing any kind of renovation. If for some reason you were able to start the renovation without a permit, you can still get approval as long as you meet the local codes. However, some fines may be incurred. It is better to process the permit at the beginning.
When is a permit not required?
A renovation permit usually isn’t required for replacement of interior decorations like new carpet, flooring, repainting and paneling, as well as the installation of mouldings, baseboard and casings.
