The City of Red Deer has modified its residential building permit requirements to reflect new provincial legislation related to home warranties.
Alberta’s New Home Buyer Protection Act requires that homes be covered by a warranty for at least one year with respect to labour and materials, two years in the case of labour and materials related to delivery and distribution systems, five years for the building’s envelope and 10 years for major structural components. The act applies to homes for which a building permit was applied for after Feb. 1.
The city announced this week that its permit application process is being modified as a result of the new warranty requirements.
“Residential builders will now have to provide certified proof of the warranty when submitting their permit applications; otherwise, applications will not be accepted,” said Paul Holmes, Red Deer’s inspections, enforcement and building supervisor.
The city’s new requirement, which also takes effect after Feb. 1, applies to single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhouses, condominiums, manufactured homes and recreational properties. Residential renovations that increase the size of a building by 75 per cent or more are also subject to the new rules.
“Some residential builds will be exempt, including rental apartments, hotels and homeowner builds,” said Holmes.
“However, proof of exemption must still be submitted when applying for a building permit.”