How to Apply for A Building Permit in BC

How to Apply for A Building Permit in BC, British Columbia 

(and still be a Happy and Whole Person after wards.) This post is intended to give advice on how to be best prepared for your building permit applications in BC.

I find that Building permit applications in BC to be very challenging. I work across the country and I find that in BC, the building permit takes the longest amount of time to get approved. I am not exactly sure why but BC requires more paperwork than in any other provinces. The scale of the job has nothing to do with it. Even a small job will still require quite a list of documents in the building permit application. 

I am past the stage of stressing myself out in these projects, including building permit process. Still, does not mean that I do not care about the process. I have not stopped my nature of questioning the relevancy of  some of these requirements that are being asked for, nor posing the questions to a file manager or a plans examiner of the necessities of the paperwork. Sometimes,  I do not win the argument, and that's all right but the people on the other side/ the jurisdiction should be aware that on your end, you are vigilant and expect better service. That should be enough to keep on plugging away at the paperwork and hopefully get the building permit approved.

Anyway, here are my tips and learning experiences in applying for permits in BC:

1. Wet Seal of Documents

I have done numerous building permit applications in BC and they have always, always been wet sealed. What is a wet seal? Wet seal is when you physically seal the documents and drawings with a stamp/ rubber stamp.  You actually have to wait for the seal to dry before you can sign it.  Hence the word wet seal.

I've always wondered as to why BC would not accept electronic seals.  The professional associations in BC have provisions to use the electronic signature. It is allowed, there are regulations to use it. As licensed professionals, why can't we use it? If it is to prevent fraud, there are electronic signatures that comes with a digital certificate.

If you wet seal four sets of drawings, let's say even less than 20 pages each set, that takes about an hour or so. That is if you do not smudge or make a mess of the building permit drawings. And after that, the professional also has to wet seal the schedules.

To me, asking for the wet seal is a dinosaur in this modern age. I question the purpose of this.

2.  Coordinating Registered Professional or CRP

In building permit applications in BC, jurisdiction would sometimes require a coordinating registered professional or a CRP. It depends on the scale of the project, or if there is more than one licensed professional in the project, then the jurisdiction would require a CRP. As an architect, acting as the CRP falls naturally into my scope of work, specially if  it is a renovation or a building. There is quite a bit coordination for the design, engineering and going into construction.

In building permits in BC, the CRP initials the schedules of the other professionals.
Please see below, I have copied the image of the bottom portion from the BC 2018 schedule for purpose of this discussion.
The CRP space for initials can be found on the bottom right corner on the schedule B and can also be found on the schedule C.

The schedules or letters of commitment is a list of the items/ scope of work that the professional is responsible for.  I am not exactly sure what initialing the schedules achieve. In other provinces there is no requirement for the initials - that does not mean the CRP coordinates less.

Initialing the schedules creates an impression that the CRP is checking the schedules of the other professionals.  When if fact - I really cannot comment on another professionals schedules, no different that I cannot check or comment on the engineer's drawings.  I know this creates confusion because contractors have asked if I am done checking the schedules. I had to explain time and time again that I am the coordinating registered professional, I coordinate (I am not the checking registered professional.)

3. Letters of Commitments and Schedules

In building permit applications in BC, the plans examiner would comment on the schedules and tell the licensed professional to include certain items of responsibility. And see, this I really question why jurisdiction is telling you what you should be responsible for.  There are items that are truly not in one's  scope of work.  As a licensed professional, I do not see why the City/ jurisdiction or any organization for that matter should tell what the licensed professionals should sign on.

I find this a conflict of interest. There have been projects  located in other provinces ( outside of BC ) where licensed professionals have stood their ground on what to sign on these schedules. And here,  the plans examiner, safety codes officer is dictating as to what the licensed professional should include in the schedules. If you dispute it, guess what, the building permit will not get approved.

Which tells me, this is all about liability. The City/ jurisdiction is trying to pass on as much liability as they can to the professional. That's what it is,  really. I had a plans examiner ask me to fill out the building envelope item - on a renovation job.  I really shook my head on that one- why fill out the building envelope item when the project scope is a renovation, we are not even touching the envelope.

Unfortunately, its not uncommon to encounter overly zealous plans examiners. And the sad thing is you do get pushed to include it as part of your schedules, otherwise the building permit will not be released.

Are you aware that Vancouver has their own schedules? The heading would specifically show Vancouver  on the schedules. I had a very fun experience last year, around first week of December last year- BC updated their schedules. In BC, the heading of the schedules have the year to it. In Alberta, you do not have that. It will just say schedule A. Imagine what fun  I had last year, I was submitting 4 projects before end of the year and we went past the December cut off when BC changed its schedules. I had to resubmit  4 schedules.

Here are the headings below: I have copied these images from the schedules for purposes of discussion.

BC Schedule - has a year on its heading.

Vancouver Schedule- has a year and Vancouver on its heading. Vancouver has its own schedule.

Alberta Schedule - No Year, Just a reference to the Alberta Building Code

I've checked all the BC jobs that I have done.
All the projects I have worked on, I have submitted the schedules at the beginning of the submission more than once and at the end of the project more than once. I do pay attention to these details, I am not sure why I am submitting schedules more than one in BC and for jobs in other provinces I don't.

4. Schedules - Seismic and Fire Suppression

Seismic Schedule

The seismic schedule is filled out by a structural engineer. This is to check and design the seismic structural capability of the ceiling. BC has a higher risk of earthquakes than in any other province.      There is a certain maximum height required, I believe about 10 feet,  if the ceiling is more than 10 feet in height or for example shelving height mounted on the wall is more than 10 feet, then the project needs to engage a seismic structural engineer. Better safe than sorry.

Fire Suppression Schedule

Fire suppression schedule is filled out by the fire suppression engineer, the engineer responsible for the sprinklers. The mechanical engineer is not the engineer that completes this item.

Normally, the fire suppression schedule is requested near completion. At that point in the project, it would be known if the sprinklers were relocated or changed. This usually goes with the fire verification report, and the schedules can be issued by the sprinkler engineer, at completion. It would sometimes come with the sprinkler contractor's verification report.  

I had a building permit application where the fire suppression schedule was asked for at the start of the project. Again, I question the relevance of asking for this paperwork at the start of the project. 

5. Site Visit prior to Release

Do you know that there are some jurisdictions in BC that require a field review prior to release of building permit?  I kind of scratched my head on that one. So are we meeting on an empty spot and looking at each other's faces to talk about what exactly ? If the City has taken there sweet time in commenting, reviewing and picking on the documents, drawings and schedules - what is there to talk about prior to release of building permit?
Is the City checking to make sure that construction has not started without a permit?

The City of Vancouver has the field review requirement, and this is for a shorter building permit application. The field reviews application is for minor work and renovations. It requires less building permit requirements and is a shorter processing time.

 6. Proof of Liability Insurance of  Professionals

In building permit applications in BC, some jurisdictions ask the professional to submit proof of liability insurance. To me, this is a redundant requirement.  Before a licensed professional can get or renew their license, the professional associations checks if your insurance is current. Imagine if the professional has to submit the insurance form every time you go for a building permit application in different jurisdictions. Another piece of paper to be filled out. Unfortunately for us, red tape is not billable hours.

Besides, carrying professional liability insurance is a standard practice. It will be foolish for any architect/ engineer not to have the liability insurance.

7. Building Permit Data Checklist 

Building permits in Vancouver require submission of the building permit data checklist. It is a form that asks for a lot of information about the building- classification, floor area, number of stories, occupant load, fire protection systems, etc. This form needs to be signed and sealed and is usually  completed by an architect.

I find this form is similar to the process of doing a code review. I believe this checklist is a good idea because it forces the architect to check base building information and looks at the project in context of the site and the building, as opposed to just the area of scope.

8. Energy Checklist

Building permits in Vancouver also require an energy checklist. Unless the renovation is very minor, that you can say there is no change or trigger. If not, then the  project would need a mechanical engineer to go over  the form and sign and seal it. An architect can complete the building envelope portion if there is a change in the building envelope.

I find this form is not a bad idea, but it tends to be overkill when the project is small in scope.

At the end of this, my advice is prepare for your building permit application in BC as much as you can. Call the City prior to making the application, follow the checklist as much as you can.
If you get assigned a file manager, it would not hurt to meet with him and go over any outstanding requirements. Keep on going until the building permit gets approved.

Good luck!

*****

Joann Zulueta is an architect based in Calgary, Alberta and is registered across Canada.
She specializes in commercial and industrial projects.
Feel free to contact her at : info@zuluetaarchitecture.com

Check out my other post:
Tips on What to Do or not to Do for your Building Permits


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