Building regulations, permits - Small Cabin Forum


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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Building regulations, permits

Author	Message
Rucan Member	# Posted: 6 Sep 2008 17:09 Reply Hi, everyone, I'm new to the forum. We've just bought a waterfront land in North-Eastern Ontario. Thinking about building bunkie on the property. Does anyone know, if I want to build something a little bigger than 108 sq ft, let's say 12X20, without any water supply. Any way I don't have water line, septic, hydro. I this case to get a building permit, will municipality make me to apply for a septic system? Do I need also to do a full survey of the property? Does anyone knows limits for docks and decks (ground level). I will appreciate any information.
CabinBuilder Admin	# Posted: 8 Sep 2008 10:08 Reply Here is my experience with this permit business: In Ontario it is a local municipality that sets the building permit requirements, so someone else's experience maybe different to yours and in fact may mislead you. In addition, there maybe additional restrictions if your property is located along some sort of environmentally protected water shore, etc. So you will have to talk directly to your local municipal permit office. I couldn't get a strait answer for similar details from my local permit officer (central Ontario), other than if you're building anything > 10 sq.M ~100sq.ft you need to apply for the building permit, and in that case the minimum (!) size of 800 sq/ft (or some other close figure). In other words, I couldn't build anything between ~100 and 800 sq.ft, with or without a building permit. My repeated requests to clarity this gap were not answered. In the end it worked for me anyway ~ 8x12 ft was all I really wanted to build at that time. I hope you will get a clearer answer from your local municipal permit office. Share your experiences.
Rucan Member	# Posted: 8 Sep 2008 15:23 Reply Thank you, CabinBuilder! I tried to squeeze some info from of municipality. But as you said, they did not give me straight answer. They want me to come up with drawings, and before that they want me to get permit for septic or chemical system, saying that outhouse is not permitted on the property. So, I guess, I have to stick with non-permit option.
Anonymous	# Posted: 11 Sep 2008 10:48 Reply this is my experience in northern michigan. I called the township my property is in and asked if it is permited to build a storage shed on the property that I have been camping on. I already knew camping was permitted. I was told that yes I could build a "storage shed" from 149 sq ft or less without a permit.I could build larger but would then need a permit. My plan is to build a simple little cabin,maybe10x14, on skids or cement blocks. One could then use a sawdust toilet(see the humanure handbook by josesph jenkins).Of course I am not close to any lakes or streams. When I called the county I got a whole different set of very terse answers to my questions, in other words it was out of the question. I don't know if this is helpful to those in Ontario.
hotwls13	# Posted: 10 Oct 2008 13:38 Reply What about building multiple 100SF cabins? I haven't looked locally (California) as I am still looking for a piece of property. But after reading through your cabin build (very good source of info by the way), I started thinking why not build multiple structures in close proximity. This way you could have the use of say 2-4 cabins (or sheds). I don't NEED tons of room, but this way the kids could have a cabin and me and my wife have a cabin. I was thinking VERY CLOSE proximity of maybe 3-4 feet with some sort of decking (if needed) connecting them. Just seems like an easy way to build a larger structure while avoiding the permit issue. Of course your building costs would be more than building one larger structure, but you could build at your own pace, one at a time.
BarrysBay	# Posted: 12 Oct 2008 15:16 Reply Regarding hotwls13's post about multiple 100SF cabins, I know that where my lot is (Southern Ontario), only one accessory building is permitted per lot without a permit, so any more I build have to accompany a permit and probably a main dwelling as well. But I'm thinking about building a second shed in the future on my own, hidden in the bush and held together with screws. This way I can just unscrew the shed apart in pieces if anyone ever complains and take the shed back to the city.
MDP2004 Member	# Posted: 19 Oct 2008 20:35 Reply I would assume that you have an engineered plan or good designed plan that comply by Building Code, and the plan doesn't include water access (kitchen/restroom) then you are not required to put down a septic tank. It was to my understanding that the Building Inspector doesn't handle septic tank and that it is referred to Environmental Health whom handles septic tank. Please do post follow up on your experience with Ontario and I am sure it will be handy for newcomers one day.
Rockwood Member	# Posted: 14 Nov 2008 16:45 Reply CabinBuilder, Thanks for the cool resource. Do things such as decks, roof overhangs, lofts etc. count as part of the sq. footage? I am thinking about building with logs. They are significantly deeper than 2x's. Is the area calculated outside or inside the structure? Thanks in advance.
CabinBuilder Admin	# Posted: 16 Nov 2008 14:41 - Edited by: CabinBuilder Reply I don't what to give your the wrong answer - it may be different in your municipality. Good luck with your cabin project.
MDP2004 Member	# Posted: 27 Nov 2008 19:31 Reply Rockwood, From my experience, Add-on doesn't require any permit but as CabinBuilder said, it is better to check with your local county office. Each municipality has a different opinion about certain things.

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