Do I Need a Permit to Open Up a Wall in Winnipeg?

Short answer: usually, yes. The City of Winnipeg lists "creating open-concept living spaces" among the home renovations that need a building permit. So do kitchens and bathrooms, turning a room into a bedroom, and new or larger exterior doors and windows. Painting, flooring and millwork don't.

Why the wall matters

Some walls just divide rooms. Others carry the floor, the roof or both. Take out a load-bearing wall and the load has to go somewhere: into a new beam, posts, and footings that can carry it down to the ground. In a 100-year-old Winnipeg house, what's above and below that wall is rarely what the original drawings (if any exist) say.

What the City needs to see

For structural work, plan on drawings that show the new beam, what it sits on, and how the load reaches the foundation. That part has to be designed and stamped by a licensed professional engineer.

How we handle it

We measure the house ourselves, open up what we need to see, and draw the change. Our partner engineers at Building Alternatives Inc., a licensed Manitoba engineering firm, design and stamp the beam and supports. You get one permit-ready set, at a flat fee quoted in writing, and you take it to whichever builder you choose.

Not sure if your wall is load-bearing?

That's exactly what the free first consultation is for. Book a consultation.

Questions for the City's permit line: 204-986-5140. Source: City of Winnipeg, home renovations.