'We're stuck': Winnipeg family's renovation stalled by permit issues
A St. Norbert family hoped their basement renovations would be wrapping up by midsummer, but a series of permit-related issues have stalled the project.
The framing is up, the water is running, and the lights are on; however, renovations in Ryan Kirkness' basement are at a standstill.
"Our renovation has been on hold since mid-April, so we were hoping this was all, not all, but a good portion was going to be done for summer,” Kirkness said.
Kirkness bought the St. Norbert bungalow in 2005.
Now, with his two daughters reaching their teenage years, Kirkness decided it was the perfect time to renovate the basement.
"Two bedrooms for the girls to come downstairs, redo the laundry room, and the big thing would be a new washroom,” he said.
In April, Kirkness sent in permit applications for a basement renovation, including plumbing and electrical.
He was also aware he would probably need a waterway permit due to the property’s distance from the Red River.
"The waterway permit is made to protect the riverbanks, the flow of it, that type of thing,” Kirkness explained.
However, Kirkness was informed he needed an additional permit to meet code --- an issue compounded by flood protection requirements.
One issue has to do with the need for basement-level bedroom windows that must be large enough to exit in the event of an emergency.
To meet those regulations, Kirkness would need a costly engineer’s report to show expanded windows would not increase flood risk to the property. By his estimation that report would add thousands to the renovation cost.
He argued, if flood waters did reach the house – which hasn’t happened since 1997 --- it wouldn’t matter what kind of windows were in place.
"If the water's coming on the flood, it doesn't matter if it’s this high or this high. It's going to come in,” Kirkness said.
In a statement, the city said if proposed work falls within the floodway fringe area, then homeowners are responsible for meeting the requirements of the designated floodway fringe area regulation.
“The city is not obligated to approve permits where requirements for floodproofing have not been met. This protects the dwelling, neighbouring buildings, and future homeowners,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, Kirkness withdrew the structural permit application for the window change, but is still waiting for the other permits to be issued.
"As for now, we're stuck. Our total renovation's on hold,” he said.
Kirkness said the whole situation has been a disappointing learning experience.
"I was doing it with the permits. I was doing it the right way, and so many people have always told me, the city's so tough to deal with. Just go do it on your own. Don't bother. And I was hoping to say, ‘Nope, it actually worked out really well.’ I can't,” he said.
Because he withdrew the window permit, Kirkness said the bedrooms will now be used as office space.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.