We all technically have the freedom to live in whatever kind of home we might want. However, when you start trying to create that perfect home, whether from scratch or by making changes to existing properties, you can start running into some big legal roadblocks. Before you set off on any major building or renovation projects, make sure you know what red tape you have to deal with, first.
By Team Savant
Image: Avel Chuklanov
Building Your Home
For building a home, getting planning permission isn’t usually too difficult. It’s recommended that you work with an architect or construction crew to do this, as they will likely have helped several clients through this step of completing the home. The specific rules will differ from area to area, but usually, you need proof of your land ownership (the title deeds), the plans for the home, and the application form. There is a fee that you’re going to have to pay to apply for building permission that differs from area to area, sometimes in the triple digits, but sometimes as high as four digits.
Making Big Changes
If you want to make any changes to any existing house, there are several ways in which you might require permissions for those changes. If you’re making renovations to an older home, for instance, especially a listed one, you might have to plan to make them in a way that doesn’t disrupt their appearance of historical value. If your home is in a neighbourhood that has anything like a neighbourhood association, there may be strict rules on changes that affect the exterior, such as extensions, as well.
Getting Off the Grid
The idea of becoming less reliant on big utility companies is a very tempting draw for a lot of people, but it’s not often as simple as installing your own. For generators and boilers, you normally don’t need much in the way of permissions. For solar panels, however, it may depend on your neighbourhood. If you want to drill for your own water and create a well to supply the home, you may need a bore license. Some utilities can affect natural resources and other surrounding domicile’s supplies so some work needs to be done in researching how you install yours.
Landscaping Your Land
Depending on where you live, you may even need permission before you can make too many changes to your garden or the land surrounding your home. Even domestic landscaping might require that you make a landscape plan. This is because certain plants such as existing trees and the like might have some protection from local governments in order to safeguard the local ecosystem. As such, your landscaping plans may require you to work to protect certain existing environments.
Depending on the location, the nature of the area, the type of construction and more, the number of planning permissions or licenses you might need to complete a home can vary wildly. As such, it’s essential that you do your own research and work with professionals to figure out exactly what you need.