A combination of restlessness from the pandemic, and a brutal winter might have some locals looking to make the most of this summer by sprucing up their backyard or home with a DIY project.
However, before you make your backyard look like it should be on HGTV, there are a few things to keep in mind, as the town of Strathmore requires permits for common DIY projects that locals might be considering.
Chuck Procter, Manager of Planning and Development for the Town of Strathmore explains what permits pass through his office most often.
“Basements and decks are the most common types of renovations and additions, we get a lot of detached garages and above-ground pools with more than 0.6m (2 feet) of water and hot tubs are popular in the summer, and permits are required for those.”
Filling out forms and doing paperwork may not be the ideal way to start the process of putting a new pool on your property but Procter reminds locals why they shouldn't skip the paperwork.
“The permit fees are doubled for projects which start without them. Work completed without permits might make your home more difficult to sell and the unpermitted work may be costly to fix if the work does not meet Building Code. Also, there is a risk to your insurance, your home, and the safety of your family and loved ones when work is completed without permits.”
So unless you want a tense and awkward visit from a bylaw officer and a fee that costs more than your project. Make sure you fill out your permits and send them to Strathmore's town hall.
More info about what projects meet Strathmores bylaws can be found here and how to fill them out and send them in can be found here
Fri, May 3, 10:00 AM
