One of the primary reasons for delays in obtaining a building permit come from clients submitting insufficient or incomplete plans.
Here’s what our inspectors will require – in general – for various projects. Note that scale drawings of all projects are required by provincial law.
Decks, residential:
Pier footing sizes, pier spacing, post details, post sizes (6x6 mandatory), beam construction details, joist details (size, span, spacing); drawing may be required for complex decks/structures.
Garages:
A scaled and scale-able drawing showing floor layout is required.
Required information (by drawing or description)
- Footing/frost wall details (or engineered slab plan)
- wall system, including lintels over load-bearing openings, studs, stud spacing, sheathing and cladding.
- roof/truss system (rafters? trusses?), including sheathing and roofing material.
- Non-residential garages must show a standard access door.
- Non-residential garages, if in the earthquake area, must show braced wall panel details.
Simple additions, houses:
A scaled and scale-able drawing showing floor layout is required.
Required information:
- footing/foundation details,
- describe/detail any beams
- Flooring system joist (size, span, spacing), flooring system,
- Wall details (studs, sheathing, insulation, cladding), plus lintels,
- If in the earthquake area, braced wall panel details.
- Energy efficiency calculations. (See: 9.36 Submittal - Prescriptive - Zone 6)
- Roof system (truss/rafter, insulation, sheathing, roofing material)
- If a bedroom, please indicate egress window or door to the exterior
New houses:
Neat, scale/scalable drawing of all floors, plus:
- footing/foundation details,
- joist (size, span, spacing),
- wall details (studs, sheathing, insulation, cladding), lintels,
- roof system (truss/rafter, insulation, sheathing, roofing material),
- beam and post details (if applicable)
- egress window locations,
- soil gas pipe location,
- slab insulation (if applicable/required).
- If there are interior stairs, details on this are required to verify rise/run.
- If in the earthquake area, braced wall panel details.
- Energy efficiency details. 9.36 Submittal - Prescriptive - Zone 6
Duplexes:
All of the above, plus fire separation details (referenced to Part 9 assemblies, ULC-tested assemblies, or Appendix D), with requirement for STC 50 between units. Qualified designer recommended in many situations.
Change of occupancy, light commercial:
Detailed plan of all floors in existing building, including exits to the exterior, required.
Light commercial construction (Part 9 buildings):
Digital scale drawings (i.e. phone-captured images of plans NOT accepted), details on all structural elements (walls/floors/footings/foundations/roofing, including truss plan), and if in the earthquake area, braced wall panel details. Code matrix required for all but simple renovations/additions/builds, as is energy efficiency details (either Part 9: 9.36 Submittal - Prescriptive - Zone 6 or NECB: NECB Submittal Document). All required fire separations must be referenced to Part 9 or ULC-tested assemblies, or be referenced to Appendix D. Note requirement for STC for residential suites adjacent to other occupancies. Ventilation details required. Calculations of spatial separation strongly recommended. Qualified designer may be advisable.
New heavy commercial construction/restaurants/churches (Part 3):
Changes of occupancy and minor alterations may be permitted without a professional plan in some circumstances, otherwise professional designer and/or engineer required by law. Code matrix required. letters of assurance required prior to issuance of permit. Fire separations must be referenced to ULC-rated assemblies or Appendix D. Ventilation details required. NECB efficiency report is required. (NECB Submittal Document) Calculations of spatial separation required, noting that much of our area is not serviced with a 10-minute fire department response.