Having a luxury bathroom with modern tiles, faucets, and bathtubs is what every old house needs. If you live in Canada and want to change the way your bathroom looks, you should know a few things about its laws and regulations. In this article, we take a deep look at the permits required for bathroom renovation in Canada and introduce the best renovation company in BC with years of experience in redesigning houses, stores, cafes, etc.
Do I Need a Permit for Bathroom Renovation in Canada?
The answer to this question depends on the level of upgrade you have in mind. Renovating an old-fashioned bathroom is an exciting project, but you should be aware of the laws, or expect the officers at your door. As a homeowner, you probably know that even the tiniest modifications to electrical, plumbing, or HVAC systems require a permit from the government, while replacing tiles, sinks, and other internal parts of the bathroom do not need an official permit.
When You Need a Permit
Let’s look at when you need a permit and when you don’t.
1. Making structural changes
If you want to remove or change load-bearing walls in your bathroom, you need a permit. Load-bearing walls support the weight of the house, so changing them requires careful planning and official approval from the government. In some cases, you need a license to alter, add, or remove non-load-bearing walls too, especially if it involves changing the plumbing system and electrical wiring.
Modifying the bathroom’s ceiling and floor is also considered a structural change. Moreover, widening the existing windows or installing new ones may affect the structure of the house (or office), so they need a permit.
2. Changing the plumbing system
Any bathroom modification that affects the plumbing system requires permission from the government. Moving a sink, toilet, shower, or bathtub to a new location in the bathroom needs the pipes being relocated. Installing new bathtubs and toilets also needs a permit, as you have to add new plumbing connections. The following modifications also need to be permitted officially:
Rerouting the hot and cold water pipes,
Changing the position of drainage pipes,
Replacing the galvanized steel or lead pipes by copper or PEX ones,
Upgrading or changing the hot water systems
Adding hot water piper under the bathroom’s floor (in-floor heating),
Installing backflow devices to prevent wastewater from backing up into your bathroom, and
Adding a water recycling system to reuse water from sinks and showers.
3. Electrical work
In Canada, most electrical work must adhere to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC). The government urges all Canadians to get a permit before starting the electrical installation in their bathroom for safety reasons. In detail, you will need a permit for the following electrical works:
Adding new wiring and circuits for lights, heating systems, and fans,
Upgrading or replacing outdated electrical panels,
Improving circuit breakers to prevent electrical overloads,
Installing or moving lights,
installing a new fan or upgrading an old one,
Installing motion sensors, and
Adding towel warmers that work with electricity.
When You Don’t Need a Permit
You can change the appearance of your bathroom without any permit if:
You’d like to replace the sink, bathtubs, and faucets without rerouting the plumbing system or changing the wiring and circuits.
You want to change the paint, flooring, or shelves of your bathroom without making any changes in the structure of the house (or office).
How to Obtain a Permit for Bathroom Renovation in Canada
In Canada, getting a permit for bathroom renovation is done in 8 steps. Depending on your project, you may need to apply for multiple permits. For example, if your bathroom needs both plumbing and electrical work, you need to apply for separate permits for each.
Check the website of your local municipality to see if you need a permit or not. In general, you will need a permit if your bathroom renovation involves structural changes, plumbing, or electrical work.
Hire a licensed plumber, electrician, or contractor to get the permit for you. In some provinces, like Ontario and British Columbia, only licensed professionals are allowed to submit permit applications.
Prepare necessary documents, such as the current structure of the bathroom, the renovation plan, and the details about the new plumbing and electrical layout.
Submit the application form online or in person. Don't forget to pay the necessary permit fees at the time of submission.
Wait until your application is reviewed. Your local municipality will review your application to make sure it is in accordance with the local building codes and safety standards.
Once the plans are approved, you must display them in a front window or near the main entrance. This makes it visible to inspectors and ensures that everyone working on the project knows the work has been permitted.
Book an inspection appointment before closing the walls. Usually, Canadians should book 2 appointments, one after the initial installation of wires or pipes and one after all the work has been completed.
Get the final approval. After the final inspection, if the officer determines that the bathroom meets all the regulations, you’ll receive final approval. This letter is known as a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion Certificate.
What Happens If You Don’t Get a Permit?
If you don’t get a permit before renovating your bathroom, you will face at least one of the following issues.
Fines: Any unpermitted renovation in a house leads to fines and penalties. Fines can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, depending on how much change you have made and how long it was done without a permit.
Stop-work orders: If an inspector finds that you’re working without a permit, they may stop your renovation project until you get one.
Insurance problems: If you make changes without a permit and something goes wrong (e.g., a fire or water damage), your home insurance may not cover the damage.
The Last Words
In Canada, you need an official permit for bathroom renovation. In some counties, like British Columbia, only a contractor or professional engineer can submit a permit. Therefore, if you are planning to have your bathroom renovated, you should find a reliable contractor that has expertise in this field. Vansa Renovation has years of experience in renovating houses, cafes, offices, and stores in Canada. This team ensures that everything is done according to the laws and regulations of your county and nothing is missed. You can see Vansa Portolio and book an appointment with the team for assessments and evaluations.
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