Why do builders demolish a house, leave one wall standing and build a new home around it?

Q:

I see builders demo a whole house and leave one wall up.  Then tear that wall down and build a whole new house.  However it is still considered a renovation rather than a new build.  Can you explain why and how this process works?

A:

When a builder demolishes a building in the manner that you described he is technically completing a renovation. That’s what the permit will read that they were granted.

In a lot of places there are restrictions on building and renovating homes and building’s because of certain criteria. Those criteria are as follows;
• Age of the building.
• Historical significance of the building.
• The design, shape and style of the building.
• They importance of the building as a potential land mark.
• The cultural significance of the building and what it can represent.

When you are working with a building that falls under any of the above criteria then you are working with special rules that you have to agree to follow before you can be granted a permit to do any kind of work on the structure.

A building that falls under the above criteria is not allowed to be completely demolished and removed leaving nothing of the old building behind.

Sometimes in an area that can cover several city blocks you can have homes that are deemed historical but have no historical value other than their age and their location. Some of these buildings might be in such disrepair that it would cost more to try and salvage the building then it would to demolish it and build a newer one. These are the buildings that you described seeing under construction.

The builder and the client will produce a plan that removes much of the above grade structure leaving one or two walls standing. They leave most or all of the existing foundation in place untouched. They then work with the building department to meet the requirements to call the project a renovation and not a new build. To qualify for this you have to leave a certain percentage of the building standing including at least one exterior wall. By leaving the entire basement intact you raise the percentage of the building that you are leaving to qualify it as a renovation.

After they have demolished most of the building, the foundation intact and one wall still standing you then add any additional footings and re-enforcements to the foundation that you might require to hold up the new building above it. You then proceed to frame the building while leaving the front wall standing. Once most of the building is framed you remove the wall you left standing. The reason that you can do this are several, actually you can select from several options from the wall is a safety issue, the wall is damaged beyond repair, there is rot in the wood or the wall can no way meet code.

At the end of the process you have basically a brand new, safe and properly build home. The only part of the existing building that is left is the concrete walls and footings in the basement.

Thanks for the question

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.

How much do permit requirements and codes vary from place to place?

Q:

 How much do permit requirements and codes vary from place to place?

A:

While all jurisdictions require a building permit for structural work, others require a permit for every job and still others set their requirements somewhere in the middle. All municipalities in Ontario use the same Ontario Building Code which gives the building inspectors the minimum building requirements. Every municipal building department interrupt the building code differently and demand that builders know and follow their guidelines.

The only way to know the local guidelines, rules and regulations is to have experience in that area. This is one of the main reasons why I always recommend hiring someone that is familiar with working in that municipality, a professional that knows what the local requirements are before you start the building process.

Depending on the municipality there are other permits that you could be required to apply for and receive before you can actually start your renovation or building your new home. There are some municipality that require you to have a road occupancy permit to do any heavy construction or demolition.

Your best bet is to hire a professional that has worked in that area before or call the building department yourself and ask the appropriate questions.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.

What is an OC or Occupancy permit?

Q:
What is an OC or Occupancy permit?

A:

OC stands for Occupancy Permit. The Occupancy Permit is issued by the local building department; it signifies that the house is safe for people to inhabit. It doesn’t mean that the house is finished; it means that if someone moved in to the new home then they would be able to use the home without the worry of injuring themselves, things such as railings or guardrails must be installed. The home must also be able to sustain human life at its normal level, things such as water hot and cold, light, toilets, showers, electrical systems and heating units all have to be properly functioning.

There are safety systems that must be in place before the OC permit will be issued, things such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are properly installed and working. The gas proofing layer between the attached garage and the rest of the home must be completely intact with no gaps or holes.

When talking about electrical, all plugs and switches have to be installed and if they are not installed then there must be cover plates to protect people from accidental electrical shock. All GFI’s in the bathrooms must be installed and functioning and there must be at minimum one working light per room that is functional.

There is one more inspection that must be completed after the occupancy permit and it is called the final inspection. To be given the final inspection your landscaping and grading must be properly completed.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.

I want to build a shed, do I need a permit?

Q:

I want to build a small outbuilding (shed), but my friends and neighbours are telling me that I will need a permit, is that true? Is there a size that doesn’t require a permit?

A:

You need a permit if your outbuilding is going to be larger than 100 sqft.  If you were to build a shed that was 10ft by 10ft you would not need a permit. If you built a shed that was 10ft by 12ft then you would need a permit.

If you get into a permit situation then you will end up having to summit drawings, a site plan and pay the township a fee for all of this.

Something that you should take into consideration when you are planning your outbuilding is 100 sqft big enough for your needs? You do not want to go through the whole process of getting a permit and paying all your fees and then have a half empty building. If you just looking to store some garden tools and fertilizer then 100 sqft should be plenty.

Make sure that you keep the proper distance from your neighbour’s property line when you position the outbuilding. To find out the regulations on this all you have to do is call your local building department and ask them. This will not cost you anything and as long as you keep the building under or at 100 sqft then the township will not give you a problem.

Thanks for the question, keep them coming.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.

Do you need help getting your building permit?

Are you trying to get a building permit? Hire a general contractor; they can help you with that.

In today’s world of home building, there are more and more rules to follow to try and build a new home. In some parts of the country you have to deal with other organizations other then the local municipal building department.

In the area that Village Builders Inc. does there business you almost never just deal with the local municipal building department. Usually when you are applying for a new building permit you have to deal with an Environmental commission, a conservation authority, a homeowners association, some time County officials, native bands, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and if you are building within a certain distance of a highway then you also need the Ministry of Transportations permission as well.

There are also other things that you have to consider, when you put the notice of project up on the vacant land you could end up having to deal with upset neighbours that don’t want you to build next to them. A lot of the times when it comes to neighbours it’s more that they want a say in where on your property you are going to build, are they going to have to look at it and what size and shape is it going to be.

Before you build your home you need to talk to the utility companies; some places it will cost you a lot of money to bring the electricity to you and other places you might not be able to get services such as municipal water, sewer and natural gas.

All of these things will dictate how and when you build your new dream home.

The easiest way to go about getting all these approvals is to hire your general contractor that you want to build your home before you even have the permit. What this will do is allow your contractor to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to dealing with all the parties involved.

Remember that you have a life and a job; there are other things that you could be doing then babysitting a permit application.

A general contractor will (once you have signed a contract for the construction of the home) usually help you with the permit applications for free, that’s right for free, it’s part of the service that a well respected general contractor will provide for you as part of the home building experience.

If you are looking for a general contractor to build your dream home then check out Village Builders at www.villagebuilders.ca we do more than just build you a home, we want you to enjoy the experience.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.