Surrounded by trees and the ocean and with close proximity to traffic routes and border crossings, South Surrey which includes neighbourhoods such as Morgan Creek, Ocean Park and Crescent Beach have proven to be wonderful suburban areas to build a custom home. Similar to other municipalities, building a custom home within the City of Surrey requires you to be diligent with your application. Hiring a professional home builder will bring experience to the table and help you navigate through the processes of city hall which can save you time and money at the end of the day. Once you have hired your home builder you can expect to follow the below process with the City of Surrey in order to obtain a building permit:
1. Research your lot
Before you begin it is important to know everything you can find out about the lot you will be building on. The type, size and use of buildings according to the City of Surrey Zoning bylaws, engineering requirements, and lot conditions will all factor into the overall process of building your custom home. For information on the City of Surrey Zoning bylaw click here
To view the City of Surrey’s GIS map system (“COSMOS”) click here
For engineering services (sanitation and storm services) click here
To check conditions or restrictions on your lot, you may be required to obtain a Title Search from the Land Title Office
2. Permit Application
Once you have compiled your research you are eligible to apply for a building permit. At the City of Surrey, a building permit expires six months after issuance. In order to apply for a building permit you must complete a building permit application form, and include approximate construction values; a letter of authorization (for the professional home builder on the owner’s behalf); a title search; a Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) Builder or Owner builder form; an engineered truss layout; letters of assurance from Registered Professional Engineers; a building scheme (if applicable); a survey plan; a storm outfall proposal; a confirmation of septic system filing with Fraser Health; well water potability test report (if applicable); soil depositing permit (if applicable); building permit application fee; a Zoning Data Sheet; and one set of construction drawings.
For a complete list of items require for your building permit application, as well as a full description of requirements for your drawings click here
3. Post Application
Once you have applied you can expect your permit application to be reviewed by the City to ensure all requirements are met based on the city bylaws. Once your drawings and building permit application have been approved and all fees have been paid your building permit will be issued and it is time to break ground!
Once your building permit has been issued and you are in the process of constructing your home you are still eligible to make changes however any changes should be made on the original, approved drawings and resubmitted for building permit issuance. This will however cause delays in your construction timeline. By hiring a professional home builder you run less of a risk of any after thoughts which will save time and money. At SC Morgan, we believe the client-builder relationship is the single most important part of the home building process and that client collaboration is vital to the overall success of the project. That being said, we are committed to meeting with the client and working alongside them through each step of the building permit process in order to ensure your dream home is built efficiently.