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errs -------- - 22 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, April 12, 1988 So what, exactly, do you need a permit for, hmm? You might be surpriscd what you need a permit for in the Township of Scugog. Well, some people might be surprised. Others just naturally as- sume that you need a permit for blowing your nose in public. That, of course, isn't true, but the range of building and renova- tion permits is extensive, and you can't do to much to that house of yours without having to pay a sometimes hefty fee to the Town- ship. Since spring is finally upon us, home fixer-uppers are starting to get that familiar bug to improve their homes. And they might as well know now, they need per- mits for just about everything they set out to do. Without a per- mit, they could eventually be looking at a person in a long black gown in a court of law. So what, exactly, do you need a permit for? The Star asked two Township of Scugog building inspectors re- cently and Ken Middleton and Dale Broom had plenty of an- Swers. First off, they said, there are nine classes of permits and fees, according to a by-law recently re- vised and approved by Council. 1)Commercial, Industrial, Insti- tutional, Residential New Build- ing, and Additions. This class covers major con- struction projects, not usually taken on by the average do-it- yourselfer. A permit in this cate- gory cost .26 cents a square foot times the gross area of the pro- ject. (Example: a 2,000 sq. ft. home, without garage, would cost $520 for a permit) 2)Residential, detached or at- tached garage or carport. If you've been thinking of building yourself a spiffy new * home for your automobiles, better be prepared to pay .15 cents a square foot times the gross area of the structure.(Average two-car ga- rage would cost about $70) 3)New agricultural buildings and additions. This category applies mainly to farmers considering building new barns or making old barns bigger. The cost of a permit in this cate- gory is also .15 cents a square oot times the gross area of the structure, with a maximum fee of $150. Before April 1st, the maxi- mum fee was only $110.These permits are cheaper because less inspections are needed than in pre- vious categories mentioned above. 4)Demolition. 5)Swimming Pools. Both demolition and pool per- mits have doubled in cost since April 1st, from $15 to $30. 6)Signs. Permits for signs have tripled since April Fool's Day, from $10 to $30. 7)Others. A miscellaneous category, $30. 8)Minimum Fee, $30. 9)Alterations and Renovations. This is the category that really affects the handyman (a generic term) who wants to fix up his or her house. Cost-wise, these permits will set back home renovators .5% of the construction value. Before April 1st, this fee had a maximum charge of $110, but now the max- imum doesn't exist. Therefore, a Nobody provides -- N CATER oa (TF Tl [2 For the MEI Mobile Cellular Telephone ® 3 year warranty ® 2 number capability ® call timer ® 16 digit display ® call-in absence indicator ® 100 number memory Add even more flexibility with these CPTIONS ® hands free ® radio mute - shuts off car radio when making or taking a call ® second vehicle kit ® transportable kit -- use it on the job site. Leasing available PORT PERRY AUTO GLASS & TRIM ica. 139 Water St., Port Perry 985-8507 $40,000 renovation permit would cost about $200. And it's a little surprising just how broad this category is. In a nutshell, not too much can be done to change a home without acquiring a permit first. According to the building in- spectors, any addition to a house is subject to a permit and inspec- tion. Whether it is a structural change, or a material change. A structural change, they point out, is any change in the roof (excluding shingling) such as ad- ding a gable, or in load-bearing - walls, ceilings and floors. For example, a homeowner thinking of putting in a sunken living room must obtain a permit. Changing a load-bearing wall (that holds up the roof) requires a per- mit, but simply adding or sub- tracting a partition wall does not. Replacing the glass in your windows does not require a per- mit, but changing the size of the window does. So if you change your single pane glass window to double pane, you're okay. If you're thinking of putting in a bay window where a little win- dow exists, you've got to obtain a permit. And if you're sick and tired of having a brick exterior on your house, and want to change it to board and batten, you've got to get a material change permit. One of the most common home renovation projects is deck build- ing. There's nothing quite like a sunny day, a comfy lawn chair and a deck, and seeing decks under con- struction in the springtime is pret- ty common, The question is, do you need a permit for building a deck? Yes and no. No, if the deck is under 100 square feet. Yes, if that deck has a roof. Any kind of roof. And yes, if the deck is more than 100 square feet, roof or not. There's a multitude of rules and regulations regarding permits and the building code. The key is, if you're not sure about something, ask. The building inspection depart- ment at the municipal office (Perry St., Port Perry) is there specifical- ly to help. Staff like Mr. Middleton and Mr. Broom are there to answer ques- tions. Of course, they're also there to approve permits and to inspect projects in the works. Inspections are done at the fol- lowing stages: a)When excavated. b)When basement is up, parged, waterproofed, and drain tile is in- stalled. c)When framing is completed. d)When insulation is completed. e)When house (building) is com- pleted, before occupancy. f)To obtain occupancy permit before occupancy at such time con- struction deposit will be returned. Of course, not all those inspec- tions are necessary for a project where a guy is just building a deck. The whole thing is, ask to find out what permits, what in- spections, what rules, apply to you. And like they say, disobeying the building code, or refusing to obtain a permit where necessary, can lead to a stop-work order and eventually the courtroom. So even though the permit might cost a little, it's still infi- nitely cheaper than demolition, fines, or lawyers' fees. E--........ Dale Broom and Ken Middleton are two guys who want to help you complete your do-it-yourself pro- ject. Not that they actually want to pick up a hammer, but as building Inspectors for the Township of Scu- gog, they do want to ensure you have a permit--if it's necessary. Is it? See story. Yes, Virginia, you need a site plan The following are a list of requirements for a building permit. Not all, of course, are necessary for every single project. A guy putting in a bay window, for example, probably doesn't need to worry about culvert application or the Conservation Authority. However, the best bet is to phone the municipal office building department (985-7346) just to make sure. Nothing could be more appropriate in the building business than better safe than sorry. 1) Two sets of drawings--all floor plans, cross section. 2)Site Plan--Proposed building on the lot showing all dimensions of the lot, buildings, distance of all yards from buildings to property lines. 3)Health Unit Approval--Approval from the Durham Re- gion Health Department for septic system (301 Golf St., shawa, 723-8521). 4)Water Hook-up--Approval from the Durham Region Works Department for water and sewer hook-up (105 Consumers Dr., Whitby, 668-7721). 5)Lot Grading Plan--May be required. Must be certified by engineer. 6)Approval of Plans by Subdivider. 7)Culvert Application--Must apply to proper authorit for entrance culvert depending on road. Township road-- 985-7346; Regional road--985-7170 or 668-7721; M.T.C.--985-7467. 8)Conservation Authority--If the property falls in an En- vironmental Protected area, contact conservation au- thority at 1-705-887-3112, Fenelon Falls. 9)Water Well Report--To be obtained from well driller for quality and quantity of water. Aaa