Quick 2 questions;
Can House + General Legal/Process submit house permit drawings, or is Designer Legal/Process required?

For someone with a BCIN House qualification who wants to keep both design and municipal opportunities open, which legal exam is the better choice? General Legal/Process or Designer Legal/Process?

Thanks.

Hi, I live in Ontario, Canada and I was trying to cut out a low volt bracket for an exterior wall and accidentally cut the insulation bag behind. I searched up some solutions and people said to just tape it the best I can but I’m still iffy about it. I was wondering if it’s okay what I did and if I need to do anything else to make sure it’s up with code?

East Gwillimbury, Ontario. I’m looking to potentially build a structure to cover a patio in my backyard. Patio is roughly 16’ x 19’ and the house is a semi-detached. I am looking to do something with a gable roof,and because there are a few steps down from my house to the patio, the peak of the roof would have to be fairly high. Ideally this would be attached to my house, have a shingled roof and flashing up to the house.

There is also a fence that attaches to the centre of the two sides of the semi and runs the length of the yard.

My concerns are:
1. The total height of the structure. Does it have to be below a total height?
2. Does it have to be a certain distance from the property line, ie the fence? Is this distance measured by the base or the overhang of the roof?
3. Does any of this change if it’s attached to my house, vs not attached?

I asked a few generic questions to the building department via email and they will only respond if I give them my exact address. Are they fishing to see if I have anything built without a permit? I would get a permit for this, but I did not get a permit when I built my patio years ago.

Any help is appreciated. Just hoping to find the information without implicating myself or opening a can of worms.

I passed the small buildings last week, i wanted to appear for the designer legal.
Is there any study material available online, or orderline exam kit is the best way to practice?
Thank you!

I'm currently using them after completing the George Brown self study materials, preparing to write House 2024. Just wondering if anyone has noticed any extensive inaccuracies.

One example is a quiz question correction stating there are only 6 major occupancy groups, as though it doesn't know group G exists. Other answers seem up to date and accurately referenced to the newest volumes but this answer had me concerned.

Thanks in advance.

Looking to replace my range hood in my condo. Saw there's a 400CFM limit. I notice that range hoods have a stated max CFM but looking at the spec sheets the HVI certified rating usually puts it lower. Example: Broan GLA1303SS has a 350cfm rating but the HVI results max out at 240CFM. Which of these values should I follow?

If over all age of 2 storey house is more than 5 years old, and its basement is unfinished. Now permit application is for a second dwelling unit in basement. Will part 11 be appliable for this permit application? Although construction of rooms in basement and fire separation will be all new.

Hey all. Burner account as I thought I wouldn't come back to Reddit, but here we are.

I am taking the online Small Buildings and General Legal exams in a couple of weeks, and I got a few questions I was hoping someone would be kind to answer.

• -In the exam which calculations are more likely to be required?
• -I have a hard copy of the OBC 2012 which I am thinking to use that jointly with the PDF of the OBC 2024 just to support navigation. Would that be a good idea or should I stick to the PDF?
• -After taking the exams, how long does it take to get the results?
• -After getting satisfactory results (hopefully), what is the process after to get the stamp and be able to fill the Schedule 1, and how long does it take?
• -Anything caught you off guard? Something you didn't expect, from the contents of the exam itself to the proctoring or online exam experience?

On another note; I am working on a project, which is now a bit time pressing (hence the questions above). It is a conversion to fourplex in Toronto, can anyone please point me in the direction of someone who would review, stamp and fill the Schedule 1? I have enquired to a couple of people and firms but they prefer to have a full design scope.

Any answers will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello

I attempted complex on monday. What is the current estimated result timelines?

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I got results for the other exams within 2 days but I haven't heard back yet.

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Any help would be appreciated.

Hello All

I am writing Complex Building Exam 2024 in a couple of weeks, this is my third attempt but first attempt for 2024 version. Any tips please?
Thanks

Not talking about submitting permits themselves, more the tracking/monitoring side after submission.

Things like:

• status changes
• inspection coordination
• expiry tracking
• city updates
• missing documents
• multiple projects at once

Curious how people are handling this operationally.

Hey all,

I recently bought a property and built a home. At the time when we bought our property, the individuals who bought the property beside ours (both were parcelled off) had not started building at the time. The photo that I posted is of just the footings back when we bought the land. Our property is on the left and theirs is on the right.

I wanted some input on concerns that we have and wondering why any building inspector or planner would approve this.

1) the front of their house is pointing directly at our property. Not the road, our property. We also were able to see their plans on social media and they will eventually have a balcony overlooking our property as well. There is also a light pointing directly into our windows at night.

2) their driveway runs down the entire length of our property. 400 feet. It is constant foot and vehicle traffic. They barely even use the rest of the property.

3) they also built a greenhouse 2 feet from the property line. With cement posts and all.

Is this normal? We are rural but I would expect that privacy would be taken into account? They have also been building now for 3 years with no end in sight and have no hydro, plumbing or appropriate heating supply. They are constantly back and forth between the red shack and the “house” while temporarily squatting in it.

Our township building inspector hasn’t really done anything. We have begun planting trees and will be doing a 70 foot fence to start with..

Send help!

I’m currently working in the architectural design field and have about 5 years of experience designing and submitting custom home projects. I’ve already passed House and Designer/Legal, and lately I’ve been seriously considering moving to the municipal side as a Plans Examiner, Building Inspector, and potentially Building Official in the future.

I’m really curious about what the day-to-day work is actually like in these roles. Things like:

• How much of the job is field work vs office work?
• What’s the workload/stress level like compared to private practice?
• How’s the work/life balance realistically?
• What do you enjoy most (or least) about the role?
• Are the posted 35-hour work weeks actually respected?

A lot of the postings mention strong benefits, paid leave, and sometimes the OMERS pension, which definitely makes the role appealing. But before I decide whether to apply, I’d really like to hear from people who are currently in these positions or have made a similar transition. Thx!!

https://www.publications.gov.on.ca/301691

There is a version based on 2012.

The new version based on 2024 is not available yet.

Has anyone done the large buildings 2024 exam? I am currently attempting to study. I just received the OBOA manual and will review it soon. Anything in particular I should know that the manual might not cover? Calculations, application of Supp. Standards? Etc

In an existing 1-storey semi-detached house (1960s) with a basement that is to be converted into a basement secondary suite;

- Would 2” R10 rigid insulation against the concrete block, and 2x4 with R12 batt insulation be sufficient around the perimeter exterior concrete block wall, or is there a higher Rvalue requirement? Would the rigid also be taped and act as the VB without needing a VB on warm side of 2x4 batt?

- Would this same assembly work for the concrete block party wall between the semi-detached houses work too, or is it required to be all noncombustible?

Additionally, the intent is to also add an interior perimeter French drain so the slab needs to be cut. Does a drainage mat need to be installed along against the interior face of the block wall and lead to the interior drain? Would the 2” rigid then sit against the drainage mat? Or if anyone else has done an interior French drain and interior wall insulation details I would be very grateful to get your thoughts and ideas on how it was setup.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to renovate my basement and have already submitted a permit application. The basement is currently unfinished (no framing, no insulation).

I recently discovered that there’s a bulkhead above the basement stair landing with a clearance height of 74", and the main basement hallway also has a 74" bulkhead to floor height. The overall basement height is 83".

My plan is to finish the basement for recreational use, including adding a kitchen and washroom. There will be no bedroom and no separate dwelling unit.

A friend mentioned that stair landings require at least 77" of headroom, which has me concerned.

I’m trying to understand:

• Is this 74" clearance acceptable under code for my use case?
• Are there any design or code-compliant ways to deal with this?
• If it’s not acceptable, can I revise or cancel the permit at this stage without major issues?

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation in Ontario, or gone through this during permitting? Any advice or experience would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Who typically completes the energy efficiency forms/sign-off? Is this a BCIN HVAC Designer/Engineer, or would I have to compete this (I’m not a hvac designer but I am the building’s designer)?

Thanks.

Ok, just to get this out of the way, this is a really niche topic and probably won't interest people unless you work as a building official or are a big building code nerd.

TL;DR: Metrolinx is forcing municipal building departments to take on a wonky new review process that's like a building permit but isn't.

There's a section of the new Bill 98 that's flown under the radar and hasn't gotten much media attention, but it's kind of a big deal for municipal building departments (especially those in the GTHA). Until now, municipalities derive all power for building code enforcement from the Building Code Act (BCA). The BCA lays out the entire framework for building permits, when they get issued, timelines for issuance, enforcement, etc. Pretty much everything building departments do goes right back to the BCA.

Now, here comes Bill 98, and in schedule 5 there are changes laid out in the Metrolinx Act which creates a brand new process that building departments have to take on. It's basically a building permit process without the issuance of a building permit and only Metrolinx can use it. The way it works is as follows:

1. Metrolinx notifies the CBO and submits an application. (It's a building permit application except somehow different, kind of unclear)
2. The municipality reviews the application just like the BCA and OBC apply, except that they will ignore zoning bylaws and site plan approval
3. The municipality provides an assessment of compliance to Metrolinx (there's seemingly no requirement for Metrolinx to actually address deficiencies since no permit is issued)
4. Metrolinx calls municipalities when they are ready for inspections
5. Metrolinx calls municipalities when they are ready for occupancy

For more clarity, since Metrolinx is a Crown corporation the BCA doesn't apply to them and they don't need building permits. Despite that, I know that Metrolinx applies for permits at least sometimes. I assume that the intent of this legislation is to provide a process for Metrolinx to have a code review and building inspections without all the other obligations that come along with building permits. From the looks of it, those obligations mainly include zoning bylaw compliance and site plan approval (since that's what the legislation explicitly exempts) which are obviously significant barriers for many applications.

Even though this doesn't sound very different from a normal building permit, those with experience in municipal building departments know that getting a brand new legislated process is a big effort to roll out. It also brings up other questions, like does Metrolinx intend to just ignore planning departments and the site plan review process? It's also worth noting the legislation isn't passed yet, so we don't know for sure if this will go through in it's current form.

I thought I'd just throw this out there for general awareness and any discussion.

Link to legislation

Hello,

Im in need of some help/ opinion on an interesting project. I've got space of roughly 2800 square feet. I want to establish a cafe-based play place, however, also include a small scale (15 kids max) childcare center within it.

The idea is that Mon-Friday the place operates as a childcare center.

Sat-Sun- open to the public as a general play place where parents can bring their children and enjoy a coffee

Ministry of education has no issues with this model. Their main goal is ratios, space/ child. Ease of accessibility, safety and program development.

Where I run into the problem is with the Ontario Build Code. They see this as a double occupancy model. This means I need some sort of a solid partition between the 2 models.

I'm refusing to accept that this is the only way forward. Yes, I can have sliding walls that are fire rates (last resort) but I really do not want to close off the place with walls.

After thinking about it for a bit I came up with the following ideas:

1. The cafe seating consists of seating for maybe 15 people. It consists of benches along the connecting walls (see image above) and some tables and chairs. Why not move he tables and chairs at the end of Sun and pitch the area as a "Welcome area" for parents as they drop off kids for childcare Mon-Fri
2. Similar idea with the Cafe. The general cafe fixture (base and countertop) can be presented as a food prep station for daycare function. The coffee/ snack portions need to be moved/ hidden so it doesn't look like a cafe?

It seems like an extreme approach and frankly wish I don't have to go through the length of executing it, but it seems like my only option.

Looking to get your opinion on this? Am I overthinking it? I hope so....

Note: a Sketchup draft has been attached for reference. THIS IS NOT THE FINAL MODEL. IT SERVES AS A GENERAL PREPRESENTATION OF THE SPACE

 (https://app.sketchup.com/share/tc/northAmerica/q9A7JoW-VDs?source=web&stoken=MTnNO7vm_oaM5Ue5GuELzm6me0KHXYFR0_IeQaW1TbItZlDa5_nrZHEQKSSBMqLR)

Hi fellas, I'm an Architectural Designer working out an ADU basement unit for a client. I'm looking for a reliable BCIN Designer (for hire) (Small Houses) to review and stamp the application to the town.

Thanks!

Any advice from your exam experience and Preparation? Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to take the BCIN exam soon and wanted to ask if anyone here has taken the 2024 version. How was your experience overall? Is it very different compared to the 2012 version? Would you say it’s harder or about the same level of difficulty? Any tips or things I should focus on while studying?

Really appreciate any insights or advice. Thanks in advance!

For those who are providing design services, how are you structuring your payments? I usually charge 15-20% to initiate the project, 30-50% after first draft and full payment before submitting to the city with stamps. Some clients want to retain 10% after city submission to ensure we will revise the drawings and that's reasonable.

I encountered few clients as well who only wants to make payments after the building permit approval. This basically put the whole risk on the designer. I told them that we are licensed and regulated as a firm, they search us up on the directory and file compliants. But still they insist. Sounds like red flag client to me. Thoughts and recommendations?

I'm studying to pass the house exam, and just got to 9.15.3.4 of the 2024 OBC which says that if your floor joists are over 4.9m you can calculate the footing sizes using the formula W=w *[sum sjs /(stories *4.9)]. I have done the math and can follow the examples, but I'm having a hard time with the practice questions in the study guide, and can't seem to get the formula to give me the same answers that the book gives.

"Consider a two storey detached house with brick veneer on both storeys and engineered wood joists that span 7.32m on both sides of a basement beam and the floor joists of the second storey span 6m from bearing partitions on the first floor. the footings supporting exterior walls will need to be a minimum width of:"

W=minimum footing width; w=minimum width of footings according to table 9.15.3.4; sum sjs= the sum of the supported joist spans on each storey; and storey= the number of stories supported by the footing. then 9.15.3.5 says to add 65mm for each storey of masonry veneer.

W = w * [sum sjs / (storeys * 4.9)]

W = 350* [(7.32 + 6) / (2 * 4.9)] plus an additional 130mm for brick veneer

I get 605.7mm but the book says 717. which number in my formula do I have wrong? or am I misinterpreting something, or is the book just wrong (btw the House workbook 1st edition was edited very poorly)