I’ve been told I may need a building permit for some renovations I am doing on my property.

If you are thinking about doing construction, demolition, renovations or additions to your home, then you could need consent from the City of Toronto before you begin, this is called a building permit. Toronto Building staff must review your plans to make sure that they conform with the Ontario Building Code, local Zoning By-laws, and other applicable regulations. Here’s when you need the permit: Assemble a new building or put on an extra room, make structural alterations, some reno’s, demolish or remove all or a portion of a building, swap a building’s use, install, change, or remove partitions and load bearing walls, make new openings for, or change the size of, doors and windows, build a garage, balcony or deck, excavate a basement or construct a foundation, install or alter heating, plumbing or air-conditioning systems, install or reconstruct chimneys or fireplaces or wood burning stoves, create a new basement entrance or second suite the list goes on.

Please tell me the reasons why an insurance organization may have to ask lot of questions when you buy a home.

Definitely, insurance companies will ask you such questions as the square footage of your new property, updates to major mechanical systems, type of construction materials used etc. We will contact the listing agent for your new property to get as many answers as we can from the sellers, who will know the most about the property. Most insurance companies realize that the the original details are not always available, as a result they normally accept approximate details.

I am thinking about purchasing a property, but not sure whether I should purchase a house or a condo?

We deal mostly with Toronto houses for sale but I believe that when making these kinds of choices you need to look at your long term objectives and how you want to reach them. For example, a house might accommodate the room to live in while renting out, while a well-located apartment pays for itself (given average Toronto rental prices) while appreciating more slowly. We will look at your own particular situation to help you make that choice!

I’ve been looking at apartment units, why is there such a price disparity when they are the same apartment in the same building?

By installing an upgraded kitchen or bathroom, being provided with a parking space, how the apartment is finished all add to and are reflected in the price. Another thing to remember is the higher up in the building the apartment is, the bigger the price ticket, we all know penthouse suites are the most expensive in any apartment building. Finally the price being asked is not a matter of course the price that you will pay, it could be a lot more or less than the asking price.

I’m thinking about doing some house remodelling, do I need to apply for a a building permit?

If you are thinking about carrying out construction, demolition, renovations or additions to your home, then you could need authorization from the City of Toronto before you begin, this is called a building permit. Toronto Building staff must look at your plans to ensure that they comply with the Ontario Building Code, local Zoning By-laws, and other applicable regulations. There are many instances when you may need one, here are some of them: You may want to structurally change your house or even knock some of it down or add to it, including doors and windows, modifying the heating, plumbing and air-conditioning or even add a new bathroom, therefore you need to check to find out if you need this permit.

Please tell me the reasons why an insurance company may need to ask lot of questions when you buy a property.

Absolutely, insurance companies will ask you such questions as the square footage of your new property, updates to major mechanical systems, type of construction materials used etc. We will contact the listing agent for your new property to get as many answers as possible from the sellers, who will know the most about the property. Precise records are not always possible but an insurance organization will sometimes accept the approximate price and date these changes occurred.

Can you advise me which is the better investment, a house or a condominium?

I work mainly with houses for sale Toronto but I can tell you it will depend on your investment goals and methods. When looking at average Toronto rental prices for a decent condo it pays for itself, unfortunately the value doesn’t go up very much, but part of a house can be rented out while you are still living in it. We will support and advise you which is the right property based on your lifestyle and situation.

I’ve been looking at condo units, why is there such a price variation when they are the same apartment in the same building?

By adding an upgraded kitchen or bathroom, being provided with a parking space, how the condo is finished all add to and are reflected in the price. Another thing to think about is the higher up in the building the apartment is, the bigger the price ticket, we all know penthouse suites are the most expensive in any condo building. The asking price is the starting point for any property sale, so you may find that this figure is not what the condominium actually sells for.