In the building and renovation process, once you have your design ready the following step is to gather all the necessary permits to start your project. At Sunset Homes, Calgary's bespoke home builder, we take care of this process for you. As one of our primary goals is to educate our homeowners about the building process, we have prepared this short guide to all the basic concepts you need to know to understand all the permits required for building your new custom home, add any space to your home or have a major renovation.
Changing the use of your land to build your new custom home
The area or zone where you are looking to custom build might have different requirements and restrictions. Depending on the area, you will be allowed to build single detached homes, duplex or multi-residential homes. If the kind of home you are looking to build is not usually allowed in your area, you are required to apply for Land Use Re-designation. Check the City of Calgary website to see the requirements of your zone and ask your custom home builder for suggestions regarding the kind of build that can be done in your land.
Area and Kind of Home
Depending on the area you want to build or renovate, the permitting requirements might differ. If you are looking to build in an established neighborhood or the inner city, thus building an infill, the first steps would be to get a demolition or home removal permit, as well as a development permit. The main reason a development permit is required is to ensure that the construction of this new home is safe and results in a positive addition to the community. Be aware that all homes built in developed areas always require a development permit before applying for a building permit.
Zone and Custom Home Design
Depending on the land use allowed for your area there are two options for your development permit: contextual or discretionary. In simple words, applying for a contextual development permit means that your home's design follows all the City of Calgary’s guidelines in design suggested and that it doesn't require any relaxation of the land use. On the other hand, applying for a discretionary development permit means that your design includes items outside the contextual requirements and requires additional review. In any case, your Calgary custom home builder and designer will guide you through all the requirements and suggest which option suits your project better.
The Building Permit for your Custom Dream Home
Once you have your development permit, the following step for your custom home builder is to get the building permit. The building permit authorizes your custom home builder to build, demolish, relocate, alter and repair a structure. Furthermore, a building permit is always required for new homes and detached garages. The building permit contemplates some requirements such as your home warranty services and work inspections.
Visit the City of Calgary's planning website to check all the requirement checklist, glossaries and more information about all the permits. Lastly, choose a custom home builder with experience in the building process, and that guides you and communicates you every step of the way to build your custom home.
Are you ready to build a custom home with us? We will gladly prepare a free quote and give you more information about our custom luxury homes and major renovations.
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Too Long Didn’t Read (TLDR)
Depending on the zone or area in which your land is located you will need different kinds of permits and depend on your custom home design you will be able to apply for a different development permit. Choose a reputable custom home builder like Sunset Homes to take care of all permit requirement and build your dream home.
