The Toronto Permit Path
How an Addition Gets Approved in Toronto
In Toronto, an addition is approved before it is built, and the order matters. This is the path we follow, and we run all of it.
01
Zoning check
We check what the City's zoning rules allow on your lot: height, setbacks and lot coverage. This happens first, at the feasibility call and site assessment, so you know early whether your design works as-is.
02
Design and structural engineering
Architectural drawings and structural engineering are prepared together. A second storey needs an engineer to confirm the existing foundation and walls can carry it.
03
Minor variance, if the design needs one
If the design falls short of zoning, it can sometimes be brought to the City's Committee of Adjustment for a minor variance. It is not needed on every project, and it adds time when it is.
04
Building permit
We submit the building permit application to the City of Toronto with the engineering drawings, answer the City's questions, and manage the application through to the permit.
05
Construction and inspections
Once the permit is issued, we build, with City inspections at the required stages, and close the permit out at the end.
Some properties need extra approvals: heritage-designated homes, and properties near ravines, watercourses or the Scarborough Bluffs, for example. We check for this at the feasibility stage so it does not surprise you halfway through.
How long the City takes. Toronto Building reviews a complete permit application for a house within 10 business days. The clock only starts once the application is complete, which includes the zoning certificate (ZAP). That step, and any revisions the plans examiner asks for, are what usually stretch the overall timeline, so we build them into your schedule from day one.
