Man told to demolish $3.3 million dream home
One home owner learned a lesson the hard way. While you can change the decor of your house any way you want, it's a different story when you try to change your home's structure.
A British businessman was told to demolish his two million pounds ($3.3 million) dream home after he made extensive changes. While city council approved him to add 45 per cent more floor space to his home and change a new roof, he went far beyond that.
Syed Raza Shah added two extra storeys to his home, along with balconies and a turret. All in all, he spent $1.7 million transforming his 1960s bungalow into a seven-bedroom castle. Unfortunately, it'll all go to waste.
Neighbours complained that the house "sticks out like a sore thumb" and "clashes with other houses on the road," according to the Daily Mail.
This isn't the first time something like this has happened. In Toronto, an elderly couple was told that they needed to demolish an $80,000 addition. Unfortunately, they made additions to the home without a permit from the city. Along with their wasted money on the renovation, they also spent more than $200,000 in legal fees. It goes to show you that you can lose a lot of money when you make home additions without a permit.
While everyone wants to build their dream home, it'll save you a lot of money and time if you take the time to research whether you need a permit for your renovations. While simple changes like replacing windows and doors or changing your flooring won't need a permit, other tasks such as installing a fireplace, moving or removing walls need them or cutting down a tree on your property will need one. Save yourself the trouble by talking with your contractor about any necessary permits or check in with the municipal development office.
Home renovations are pricey enough as it is. Don't waste any more money than you have to by building something that'll be demolished anyway.
How much have you spent on home renovations?
Josephine Lim, MSN Money
Posted by: Frank | Sep 28, 2021 6:31:49 PM
I typically spend about $50,000 TO $100,000 per home on rennovations. I always get a permit if required. DUH, what stops people from doing this? Anyone that fails to do so gets what they deserve. You can fix a home, but you can't fix stupid.
Posted by: Jyl | Oct 1, 2021 6:51:49 AM
Yes, Frank, we know - that's what the article said.
Posted by: Jo. Unrau | Oct 1, 2021 8:12:09 AM
I think the government is going too far in controlling what we can or can't do to our home without permits & following special building codes. We wanted to cover our deck but to do that had to get permits, tear off existing deck, & go through far more than we were willing to do, & then have city come & inspect. We had it looked at by a man who installed deck covers & he said it was stronger than it would be following city code & that he could drive a bulldozer onto it & it wouldn't move, but because it didn't follow specific city codes we weren't allowed to have cover put on. The city acts like they own our homes but we pay all the money, then pay high taxes on top of that. That isn't right. They try & justify it with all kinds of excuses & reasons but it's just Bullshit.
Posted by: Bob | Oct 1, 2021 8:55:14 AM
UMM..building codes are there to protect you and and subsequent owners. You throw a 1000 lb roof on your deck and then 10 of your best friends and some beer and the next thing you know the whole mess is on the ground. In most cases minimum building code is just the safety factor to save your dumb ass.
Posted by: susan | Oct 1, 2021 9:08:16 AM
main reason for having permits and inspections, so when the bad crap does happen your insurance covers it. Reno's without a permit and goes bad, good luck getting your money back from insurance. so, either do it the wrong way and get screwed, or just do what is obligated by law, GET A PERMIT
Posted by: Thje Reno Guy | Oct 1, 2021 9:08:51 AM
Umm, Bob the Knob. The building department is a money grab. All legit contractors get Professionally Engineered and sealed drawings. This is far and above some clown at the municipal office who is reading line for line a code on page 355 that he has absolutely no chance of understanding. You should go have a beer and then pull your head out of your nether region.
Posted by: deb | Oct 1, 2021 9:10:25 AM
I just busted my neighbour for doing major reno without a permit, why, because the house needs to be demo'd, not reno'd...no permit, no work will be done.
Posted by: Carol | Oct 1, 2021 10:16:15 AM
Note to self... never use a "reno guy" who publically name calls and insults, thinks that a municipality doing what it can do to ensure building and safety codes are being followed is only doing so for the purpose of collecting money, and believes that all contractors would get those stamped drawings and build to code if the city didn't try to do what they can to enforce it. My head is up there with Bob's.
Posted by: The Reno Guy | Oct 1, 2021 10:30:37 AM
Carol, for the record I am not a Reno Guy. I am an engineer and I have had numerous battles with Municipal offices over the complete lack of understanding on the part of the Municipal workers when it comes to the understanding of the Building Code. We are not talking about safety codes as you call them and I do not represent all contractors but I do represent 1 very well known one. Remove your head as your air flow is getting low.
Posted by: Alia | Oct 1, 2021 10:35:41 AM
A lot of people do a lot of work on their homes without permits and they don't get caught as long as the neighbours mind their own business. I think they go too far sometimes but I also think they have very good reasons to insist on permits. A guy in Brampton applied for a building permit to add on to his bungalow. Well then he decided the walls were not structually sound so he revised his permit. Somebody at City Hall made a goof and issued him a new permit but there was a technical discrepancy that he caught abused, so he built a huge green monster, 6600 sqaure feet on a corner lot in order to house four separate families. The house covers the whole lot with no space for a yard, driveway etc. Trust me it is huge. When the neighbours saw what was happening they complained to City Hall. That was last summer. Brampton has ordered the house torn down, he is still fighting it. It seems they have a leg to stand on because he never applied for a permit to demolish the original home. Technical discrepancy that City Hall may now use to get rid of this ugly house. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/02/25/brampton_orders_monster_home_torn_down
Posted by: Troy | Oct 1, 2021 10:56:17 AM
Unless you have friends in politics or in the bureaucracy. Then you don't really need to clear much at all... But you don't tick them off, either. I've seen cases where 'revenge' has been taken on those that have fallen out of favour, to the tune of entire subdivision developments suddenly being shut down... but allowed for the next guy over that is still friends with 'Mr. City Councillor'.
Posted by: MrKenn | Oct 1, 2021 11:00:16 AM
Like a terrorist on trial in Canada, this guy thought our laws did not apply to him as Allah or good old Mo did not write them. The old couple in Toronto just did not want to pay for a permit
Posted by: Carol | Oct 1, 2021 11:26:06 AM
Oh, and here I thought the building codes, fire codes, etc. were for the purpose of safety. Your comments and name led me to believe you were a "reno guy," and not (a) professional. Sorry for the misconception.
Posted by: Dbyvr | Oct 1, 2021 11:52:34 AM
Dear "Reno Guy",
Apparently you *can* become an engineer without any common sense. Without going into a lot of detail about why city inspectors and codes are vital to protecting both the current and future homeowners, let me say your statement that, "...all legit contractors get Professionally Engineered and sealed drawings..." completely ignores the fact that there is no way for a homeowner to effectively determine who is legit and who is not. You also conveniently ignore the fact that many small renovations need some oversight but not engineering drawings. Issues like doorway width conforming to access codes can be easily overlooked by a homeowner-renovator. And then there are the homeowners with their homebrew CAD drawings that are riddled with mistakes. I've stood in line behind one of these guys who was on his fifth revision with the City with a major renovation set of plans. Ultimately, he should have had an architect whip up a set of drawings for him and saved himself a load of trouble. Just because you can draw it in a CAD program doesn't mean it should be built.
I've walked through a lot of houses with ridiculous renovation work. To assume that everyone uses a legit contractor is ridiculous - something any engineer should know.
Posted by: The Reno Guy | Oct 1, 2021 1:22:21 PM
Does anyone here know what a LEGIT CONTRACTOR is? We are not talking about adding a bathroom door here folks. The whole point is that if you have a set of Sealed Engineered drawings, you will avoid all of this BS from both home owners and the Municipal offices. Legit contractors employ detailers and engineers for this purpose. As for common sense, I will take my P.ENG stamp over that anyday if thats what you say you have so much of.
Posted by: Bob | Oct 1, 2021 3:23:42 PM
Mr Reno guy, The comments made are all valid except the "knob" one. You should be ashamed of your upbringing. The post by Jo. Unrau indicated a home renovator to me, if you thought this was a "professional's" comment it says more about you than me.
Posted by: John | Oct 6, 2021 2:04:08 PM
@ Reno guy.. I am also a professional engineer, and I find that your comments are disgraceful to the profession. Professional engineers to not call others "knobs" and "clowns", and make that childish remark to Carol. Sure there may be incompetent people in any profession or line of work, but do not paint all that way. There are valid reason for having codes. I seriously doubt you have a licence to practice engineering.