Permits and Engineering for Foundation Work
Whether your project needs a permit or an engineer depends on the work and on your municipality. Ask before work starts, not after.
Who is responsible for the permit
The Canadian Home Builders' Association notes that the property owner is responsible for meeting permit requirements, and that the contract should say whether the contractor will get the permits and arrange inspections (Contracts: Get it in Writing).
Rules are set locally, so the same repair can be treated differently in two cities. Your municipal building department is the place to ask.
Two examples from city websites
The City of Toronto says underpinning needs a building permit, and that a professional engineer must design and review it in certain soil and depth conditions (Residential underpinning).
The City of Winnipeg says structural foundation repairs need a building permit and must be sealed by a structural engineer (Foundation repairs).
These are examples for those two cities only. Check the rules where your property is.
What to ask
Your contractor
- Do you expect this work to need a permit here? Who applies for it?
- Will an engineer design or review the work? Who hires and pays them?
- Which inspections are needed, and who books them?
- Is the permit fee in your price?
Your building department
- Does this kind of foundation work need a permit at my address?
- Do you need drawings sealed by an engineer?
- Is there anything about my lot, such as soil, setbacks or a shared wall, that changes the rules?
Checking an engineer
Engineers are licensed by a regulator in each province. The regulator can confirm whether someone is licensed.
For other provinces, search for the provincial engineering regulator by name.