Can I demolish first and apply for my new house later?

Not for a residential replacement in Oakville. The town issues the demolition permit only when the building permit for the new house is ready to be issued.

Do I need a permit to take down a shed?

A building of 10 square metres or less generally does not need a demolition permit under the Ontario Building Code. Anything larger does.

Who signs the utility clearance form?

Oakville Hydro, Halton Region and Enbridge Gas each sign once their service has been dealt with. The owner arranges these.

Is a designated substance survey needed for a house?

Yes. Under OHSA section 30, the owner must identify designated substances before tendering the work, and a survey is how that is done.

Permits and rules

What does the Town of Oakville require before a house demolition?

demolition permit
Oakville
teardown

Before a house in Oakville can come down, the town needs a demolition permit, and that permit needs signed clearances from Oakville Hydro, Halton Region and Enbridge Gas. For a residential teardown, the demolition permit is only issued once the building permit for the replacement house is also ready to be issued.

Around that core, several other things can apply depending on the property: a designated substance survey, tree permits, heritage review and, for larger projects, a notice to the Ministry of Labour. This guide walks through each one in the order most owners meet them.

Excavator sorting brick and timber rubble on a residential teardown lot

The demolition permit

Under the Ontario Building Code, demolishing a building larger than 10 square metres needs a permit from the municipality. In Oakville that is a Building Services permit. The application includes the property details, the owner and contractor, and a completed clearance form.

The detail that surprises most owners is timing. For a house being replaced, the town will not issue the demolition permit until the permit for the new house is ready to be issued. You can apply for both at once, but the teardown date follows the new-build approval, not the other way round.

Utility clearances

The town's clearance form must be signed by each utility, whether or not the service is used at the property:

Oakville Hydro removes the meter and confirms the electrical service is disconnected.
Halton Region handles the water meter, water service and sanitary sewer connection.
Enbridge Gas disconnects the gas service. Enbridge asks owners to call well ahead, and only signs the form once the disconnection is done.

Designated substances and asbestos

Section 30 of Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act requires the owner to determine which designated substances are present before a project is tendered, and to give that list to prospective contractors. For a house, that means a designated substance survey. Asbestos is the one most often found in older Oakville homes, in pipe wrap, plaster, vinyl tile and vermiculite insulation.

Asbestos removal on a construction project follows O. Reg. 278/05, and it happens before the house is demolished.

Trees, heritage and the Ministry

Oakville's Private Tree Protection By-law requires a permit to remove any private tree of 15 centimetres or more in diameter at breast height. When the removal is tied to a demolition, the town asks for an arborist report. Trees that stay usually need protective hoarding for the duration of the work.

If the house is in one of Oakville's heritage conservation districts, or is designated or listed under the Ontario Heritage Act, heritage review comes before demolition. Where a project meets the threshold in the construction regulation, O. Reg. 213/91, a Notice of Project is filed with the Ministry of Labour before work starts.

What it depends on

Not every item applies to every lot. A newer house with no heritage status and no large trees has a shorter list than a century home in Old Oakville. The size of the project, the age of the house and what is on the lot all change the order and the time involved.

What we do about it

At the site visit, we go through this list with you against your actual property and your builder's schedule, so you know which items are outstanding before a date is set. Our residential demolition work starts only when the permit is in hand and every utility is signed off. If you also need the lot cleared and graded, see our site clearing service. When you are ready, request a free estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I demolish first and apply for my new house later?: Not for a residential replacement in Oakville. The town issues the demolition permit only when the building permit for the new house is ready to be issued.
Do I need a permit to take down a shed?: A building of 10 square metres or less generally does not need a demolition permit under the Ontario Building Code. Anything larger does.
Who signs the utility clearance form?: Oakville Hydro, Halton Region and Enbridge Gas each sign once their service has been dealt with. The owner arranges these.
Is a designated substance survey needed for a house?: Yes. Under OHSA section 30, the owner must identify designated substances before tendering the work, and a survey is how that is done.