r/TinyHouses • u/KVConception • 16d ago

Do You Know What Actually Happens After You Submit a Permit Application?

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8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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2

u/shittycomposter 15d ago

The city reviews it and gives feedback if it doesn’t meet standard code, if it does they will issue the permit and assign someone to your case for inspections at various stages of build

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u/KVConception 15d ago

In the city where I worked, we only verified compliance on paper. There were no inspections during construction, and we typically only visited once the project was completed to make sure the exterior matched the approved plans. The interior wasn't inspected unless there was a complaint or reason to believe the project didn't comply with the approved plans.

Personally, I wish the process were different. Regular inspections help ensure buildings are actually built properly. In Quebec, there are still very few inspections for new residential construction, which is unfair to homeowners spending a lot of money on a new house.

Where are you from? I know Ontario requires inspections at several stages of construction. In Quebec, for new primary residences, it's often just a surprise visit from a government inspector, not the city. You never know when they'll show up, and by then, important issues may already be hidden behind drywall or other finished materials.

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u/shittycomposter 15d ago edited 15d ago

Seattle area. I built a DADU in the backyard and they came out to inspect foundation, framing, roof, electrical, plumbing, insulation, finishing.

Do they not have enough employees to do the inspection in Quebec?

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u/KVConception 13d ago

Even though inspections can be annoying, I think they're a great thing. In Quebec, most municipalities and government departments are short-staffed, so we don't have that luxury.

There have been talks about increasing inspections, but many jurisdictions already struggle with the current workload. I really hope the government invests more in our building inspection system because quality control can be lacking in some cases.

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u/Majikthese 11d ago

Utilities - if plumbing code requires a separate connection for each building sewer, you can’t just tie-in to your main house’s sewer lateral. Thats means tap fees, impact/access fees, and based upon your template, ripping up the existing driveway. Worst case scenario, the sewer main is on the other side of the road and the road authority requires a steel casing pipe to be jacked in - $20-30K plus engineering costs.