Building a House

The following information applies to fully approved building lots. If your lot is not approved, please complete a Planning and Development application and submit to Inspection Services.

Unserviced Lot

If the lot is not serviced by the City water and sewer system, then approval is required for a private water supply and septic system from Service NL with the Provincial Government before a building permit can be issued. Service NL will require a site plan, floor plan, site evaluation and system design plan. A final inspection and Certificate of Approval must be issued by Service NL before an Occupancy Certificate can be issued by the City.

It is important to note that:

The system design and site evaluation must be submitted by an approved designer (professional engineer, certified engineering technician, certified public health inspector, or others who meet the requirements of Service NL.)

Only drilled or Artesian wells are permitted within the City of St. John's. Shallow, dug wells are not permitted.

Storm drainage or weeping tile is not allowed to drain into the City's roadside ditch unless the basement floor is above the top of the ditch or the crown of the road. As well, basement floors must be installed above the ground water table.

Fees

A $2,000 deposit is required to be paid to to Inspection Services and is fully refundable when:

Final approval from Service NL for the septic system is received at City Hall
Acceptable dry well/rock sump is installed or drainage to roadside ditch to drain foundation tile
An acceptable driveway culvert is installed with approval from the Roads Division

Building the House

Building Permit applications can be submitted to Inspection Services. Detailed plans must be included (fully dimensioned, scaled plot plan, survey, floor plans, elevations, truss drawings, wall sections, structural details and energy performance efficiency calculations).

Location

The house must be situated on the lot so that all setback requirements for the particular zone are met (front, rear and side yards) and easements must be avoided.

Grade

The house grade must be established to suit the conditions of the lot and the house design, ensuring that proper elevation above the yard grade is maintained, surface run-off drains away from the house, neighbouring lots are not impacted and water and sewer lines are accessed correctly.

In subdivisions, there will usually be an approved grading plan that will help with setting the house grade, yard grades and slopes to correctly drain surface run-off.

It is important to understand how the yard grades will look when completed. It should never be assumed that there will be a perfectly level yard to all corners. As the street slopes, the yard must adjust for the change in grade from one property to the next. For example, the property to the left may be four feet higher, in which case your property should slope up two feet to meet it and that yard should slope down two feet to meet yours. Sometimes retaining walls are necessary to overcome the differential or avoid too much of a slope.

The Approval and Inspection Process

Once the application is received it will be reviewed by the Plans Examiner to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations. Please allow at least eight to 10 working days for completion of the review.
The Plans Examiner will forward copies of the plan review letter to the owner and the builder/contractor. This letter will identify any deficiencies noted in the plans, or have special instructions for the builder. The plan review letter must be complied with. If there is something you do not fully understand, please contact the Plans Examiner for clarification.
At this point, the Building Inspector will prepare and issue a grade certificate, which will specify the grade and layout information noted above.
You can now apply for a building permit. It can be picked up at Inspection Services by the owner or the owner's representative. Payment may be made by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card.
You are now ready to proceed with construction of your house. It is critical that inspection procedures are followed to ensure proper construction.

Please note: Only electrical and plumbing contractors licensed to operate in the City of St. John's may pick up electrical and plumbing permits, carry out work, or request electrical or plumbing inspections.

Regarding the site landscaping of the property, it is City policy that the landscaping meet specifications outlined in the Building By-Law prior to release of final occupancy approval. All new residential construction shallmust have front, side and rear of dwelling landscaped with 150mm thick layer of placed topsoil (100mm when rolled/compacted) to cover the entire front, rear and side yards, unless otherwise approved by the City.

Stages of Building Inspections

The following inspections must be requested a minimum of 48-hours in advance (at least two working days) prior to the day required. Work cannot proceed to the next stage of construction until the previous stage has been inspected and approved. If an inspector discovers deficiencies, a field notice will be issued after each inspection which either indicates approval or lists the deficiencies which must be corrected before calling for the next inspection.

Excavation

Must be completed before any footing or foundation work to ensure that the soil conditions are suitable for house construction. If fill will be added to the foundation site, proper compaction and certification by an Engineer is required. Your surveyor must submit an elevation shot of the excavation to ensure the grade is acceptable.

If there will be water and sewer connection to the city system, the service laterals must be inspected by the Roads Division. If a private system is being built, it must be inspected by Service NL prior to backfilling.

Once the footing and foundation is constructed, you must have your surveyor prepare a location certificate. The location certificate must be submitted to Inspection Services and approved before backfill inspection is requested to ensure that the house is being constructed in the proper location and at proper grade.

Backfill

Must be completed before backfilling the foundation to ensure proper placement of drain tile and foundation waterproofing and to examine the footing and foundation construction.

Before requesting a framing inspection, plumbing and electrical rough-in inspections must be completed and approved and all ventilation ducting must be roughed in. This is to ensure that critical framing members are not altered (notched, cut or holed) by subcontractors beyond what the Building Code permits. The roofing and siding must also be complete to ensure that insulation is not damaged by moisture.

Framing

Must be completed before installing insulation and vapour barrier. This inspection is the most critical and time consuming as all aspects of the structural framing and members must be examined to ensure the house is structurally sound and built to Code. Note that all framing members must be new, grade stamped lumber to ensure quality. We do not accept unstamped 'local' or used lumber. It is usually at this stage that the ventilating equipment is inspected.

Fireplace/Chimney

Must be completed before insulation, where applicable. This inspection is to ensure proper construction and clearances of combustible materials to minimize fire hazards and assure safe operation. Propane or oil heating equipment must be certified by the installer.

Slab Polyethylene

Must be completed before installation of basement floor/slab. This inspection is to ensure polyethylene damp proofing is in place as required to prevent ground moisture from entering the floor.

Insulation and Vapour Barrier

Must be complete before installation of drywall. This inspection ensures that proper insulation and vapour barrier is installed to maintain acceptable comfort and temperature retention, and to prevent inside moisture from entering wall or attic spaces.

Final

Must be completed before occupancy. The final electrical and plumbing inspections must be completed and approved. All construction must be completed. There may be other outstanding items such as the completion of yard grading.

If there are outstanding deficiencies after the final inspection, occupancy may be refused or a Conditional Occupancy Certificate may be issued which lists items to be corrected by a certain date. A fee may be required to pay for the corrective action if the City must carry out the work.

Occupancy Certificate

A final Occupancy Certificate will be issued when all inspections are complete and the house fully meets requirements. Your Occupancy Certificate is a legal document that will likely be required by your lawyer or financial Institution.

It is important to note that the inspection service provided by the City is intended to ensure that your house meets the minimum standards of the National Building Code of Canada. We do not inspect for any ‘fit and finish' items (nailing, finish and fit of trim and mouldings, cabinets etc.) These items should be covered by your builder's warranty or other warranty programs.

Please refer to the Permit Rates and Fees page for information on permit costs.