What happens if I renovate without a permit?

Renovating without required permits can lead to serious legal, financial, and safety consequences that far outweigh any perceived time or cost savings.

If the City of Ottawa discovers unpermitted renovation work, you'll face immediate stop-work orders and be required to obtain retroactive permits. This process is significantly more expensive and complicated than getting permits upfront, often requiring you to open up completed work for inspection or even tear out and redo portions that don't meet code requirements.

Financial penalties can be substantial - Ottawa can issue fines ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars for unpermitted work. More critically, when you sell your home, unpermitted renovations must be disclosed to buyers. This can derail sales, force price reductions, or require you to bring everything up to code before closing. Many buyers will walk away entirely when they discover unpermitted work, especially in bathrooms where water damage risks are high.

Insurance complications represent perhaps the biggest risk. If unpermitted bathroom work leads to water damage, flooding, or other issues, your home insurance may deny claims entirely. Insurance companies can argue that code violations contributed to the damage, leaving you personally liable for potentially tens of thousands in repairs and neighbor damages.

Safety concerns are equally serious. Bathroom renovations involve complex waterproofing, electrical work near water sources, and structural considerations. Work that doesn't meet Ontario Building Code standards can create hidden water damage, electrical hazards, or structural problems that may not surface for years.

City of Ottawa requirements may vary depending on your specific project scope - confirm permit needs with your licensed contractor. For bathroom renovations involving plumbing, electrical, or structural changes, working with licensed contractors who handle proper permitting protects your investment and ensures code compliance.

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Find a Licensed Contractor

Ottawa Bathrooms connects you with vetted, licensed renovation contractors from the Ottawa Construction Network:

• Capital Labour Solution ✓
• Justyn Rook Contracting ✓
• Davinci Tiling ✓