The COVID-19 pandemic and related business shutdowns have raised a number of questions about home renovations and residential construction.
- What renovations are considered urgent during a pandemic?
- Which construction workers are deemed “essential” and are able to work during the shutdown?
- Can I start planning a new renovation or remodelling project during the Coronavirus pandemic?
- Will my renovation project be delayed because of COVID-19?
- What can we expect from our contractor after COVID-19 ends?
The answers are, like so many other questions during these unusual times, not clear.
Here’s a round-up of what we know about the rules around residential construction in Ontario and what renovations are considered urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Construction Gets the Green Light. Kind-of.
Does your renovation project fit the following criteria?
Here is a list of residential construction work that is permitted or not permitted in Ontario (last updated on April 10, 2020).
- Not permitted: new residential building that has not started prior to April 4, 2020.
- Permitted: residential construction projects where a footing permit has been granted for single–family, semi-detached and townhomes; an above–grade structural permit has been granted for condominiums, mixed use and other buildings; or the project involves renovations to residential properties and construction work was started before April 4, 2020.
- Permitted: construction and maintenance activities necessary to temporarily close construction sites that have paused or are not active and to ensure ongoing public safety.
- Permitted: Essential maintenance activities including repair and property management services necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings.
The Hurdles and Obstacles
Even if your renovation or remodelling project meets all of the criteria above in order to be permitted during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to keep in mind that the number of hurdles and obstacles to cross can potentially slow down or even halt the progress of your residential construction project.
Here are some of the challenges that renovators and contractors are facing for their building projects during the pandemic.
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) reminds us that should COVID-19 escalate in Canada, some of the things construction businesses need to plan for include:
- Unexpected staff absences due to a number of reasons (personal illness, ill family members, looking after children while schools are closed, government authorizing quarantine or self-isolation, etc.);
- Disruption to essential services like information, telecommunications, financial services, energy supply, and logistics;
- Disruption to supply of necessary materials or contractors;
- A major increase or decrease in demand for products and services;
- Cancellation or disruption of travel and cross-border movement of people and goods
We are also aware of the following challenges that we’re currently facing and will continue to encounter as restrictions are eased once the pandemic is under control:
- Changing noise restrictions in residential areas due to neighbours working and studying from home
- Struggling supply companies might require payment up front
- Tiles and countertops are already in short supply
- Suppliers and manufacturers will be faced with backlogs when all construction resumes
- Not all municipalities are issuing building permits
- City inspectors are not entering private residences that are occupied during the pandemic which means additional three-way coordination between the City, the contractor, and the homeowners
- Clients who have to self-isolate at home results in projects being pushed back
What Does COVID-19 Mean for my Renovation?
Considering all of the criteria and challenges we’ve outlined above, it’s safe to say that all renovation projects will move at a different pace in the coming months. We do encourage you to reach out to the team at Renovation so that we can start the conversation. There’s a lot we can learn about each other over the phone and via video-conferencing. We are a team that works carefully. We work patiently. And we want to work with you no matter what hurdles we need to overcome together. Reach out!
