Building and Plumbing

Delta's Building/Plumbing Bylaw (No. 6060) applies to all construction, alteration, reconstruction, demolition, removal, relocation and occupancy of all new and existing buildings and structures. All buildings are subject to:

• Review of the application for compliance with our local bylaws and provincial codes
• On-site inspections to make sure the work is being done correctly.

The successful completion of the permit process results in the building receiving final approval. This building permit becomes part of the permanent record in the property file. This information is important to future property owners since it assures them that the work was done in accordance with applicable zoning, health and life-safety regulations.

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Permits are required when you wish to:

• Build
  • a building larger than 10 M2
  • a swimming pool, hot tub, or fish pond deeper than 18 in.
• Alter, add to, repair or renovate
  • an existing building;
  • a porch, sundeck, carport or garage;
  • interior walls;
  • previously unfinished floor areas (basements).
• Demolish or move a building - see Demolition Permit { pdf 32KB }.
• Install, alter or repair plumbing
• Install or alter gas lines - For gas & propane permit information contact BC Safety Authority at 1(866) 566-7233.
• Install or alter electrical wiring or fixtures. For electrical & boiler permit information, contact BC Safety Authority at 1(866) 566-7233.

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Where do you make a building permit application?

Applications for building permits are made at the Community Planning & Development Department. To make a complete application, please review the following guides:

• Residential Applications (see Building Forms)
• Commercial/Industrial/Institutional/Multi-Family (see Building Forms)

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Green Requirements in the BC Provincial Building Code

The February 2007 Throne Speech announced the development of new green requirements in the BC Building Code, to support the Province's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases related to buildings and construction. For more information, please see the Information Bulletin issued April 15, 2008 from the Office of Housing and Construction Standards of Building and Safety Policy Branch.

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Solar Hot Water Ready Provincial Regulation

Effective June 21, 2011, a new Provincial regulation requires that new homes in Delta be "solar hot water ready". New homes are required to provide two conduit runs and allocate an area on the roof for a solar collector. Please note that new homes will not be required to install a solar hot water system. The regulation is intended to facilitate future installation of solar hot water systems by ensuring that the necessary requirements to implement solar hot water heating are provided during new home construction.

The following must be shown on building plans submitted for new single family dwellings:

• An area not less than 9.3 m² with no dimension less than 2.7 m on the roof to accommodate a future solar collector for a solar hot water system;
• The structural members of this area must be designed to accommodate the greater of the anticipated load or a load of .2 kpa, in addition to design loads required by the BC Building Code;
• Two straight conduit runs extending from the area adjacent to the water heater to the area on the roof designated for solar collectors. Alternatively, the conduit runs could extend to accessible attic space or an exterior wall that are adjacent to the roof area designated for solar collectors; and
• The conduit runs must have a minimum inside diameter of 50 mm.

This regulation supports the Province and Delta's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on the new BC solar hot water ready regulation, please refer to the Guide to the Province of BC Solar Hot Water Ready Regulation.

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BC Safety Authority

Administration of safety standards and safe installation of electrical systems, gas, boiler and other technical equipments in British Columbia is delegated to BC Safety Authority. For more information and to learn more about compliance standards, please visit their website at www.safetyauthority.ca.

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