Home-renovation permit requests jump in Winnipeg

Winnipeggers are pulling more home-renovation permits this year than they did in 2015, increasing theworkload for city inspectors as well as theprocessing times for some forms of applications.

From Jan. 1 until the end of July, the City of Winnipeg received 1,506 applications for home-renovation permits. That's a 69 per cent increase over the same seven-month period in 2015, when the city received 886 applications.

Stan Dueck, Winnipeg'sdevelopment and inspections manager, said the city has done its best to keep pace with the workload. During the first seven months of this year, the city processed1,428 home renovation permits, compared to836 duringthe same period last year.

Nonetheless, the processing time for permit approvals is now six to eight weeks, up from one or two weeks earlier this year, Dueck said.

"Our staff have been working tremendously hard, they've been working overtime and we've beenattemptingto put extra resources into that area," he said in a telephone interview on Tuesday."It would be interesting to know if this an anomaly orif this is the way it's going to be going forward indefinitely."

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Dueck said he has no explanation for the jump in home-renovation permit applications. More people could be investing in their homesbecause home values are increasing, he said.

"Or it could be more people whootherwise wouldn'thave pulled permits are choosing now to pull permits," he said.

Mike Moore, president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association, said he doesn't believe more home renovations are taking place. He said it's possible more home renovationsis being done above board to satisfy insurance agents.

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"Maybe the message is coming across about the protection that comes with a permit," Moore said.

He also surmised home renovations are up because the city dropped the fees for some home-renovationpermits on July 1.

Citydata does not support his theory. It shows more applications throughout the first seven months of this year, which was prior to fees dropping in price.

Dueck said permits for electrical and plumbing work are issued on the spot. The delays involve applications that require structural reviews, he said.