Time to build my office. Sorta.

This is my "barn" as per the city's description.

Warning: The following post will recount the process I endured while requesting a permit to build my office within my new building. If this interests you, feel free to read on, but there's just a few things I have to get off my chest, so it'll mostly be bitching and complaining.

Well, that took forever. I'm not sure why, but acquiring building permits from the City of Surrey is one of the most difficult and complicated tasks I've ever had to do during this whole process. I am NOT a builder, and I have never built anything before, so I had no real expectations, or knowledge of how the "system" works, but I have a pretty clear picture now. The funny thing is, when I started, I THOUGHT I was doing everything right. I couldn't have done it more wrong. Here's how.

What I discovered, is the city doesn't want Dave Van Andel building his own office. There is a process the city likes, and if you're outside of that process, they will fight you tooth and nail. The process basically works like this: Architects design the space, engineers stamp the plans to be safe to live or work in, a contractor is hired to build the space, and the city provides the permits to build as per the plans. If you don't use registered architects, engineers and builders, the city could become liable for what you are building - if they are the ones who provided the permits. So everyone is protecting themselves. Architects and engineers become liable if they stamp the plans, so that takes the heat off the city, and that's all the city really wants. The city made it their mandate to run Dave Van Andel through the ringer.

I began by doing what I *thought* was right. I consulted with a draftsman about my vision for the office(s) and had pretty detailed plans drawn to show him. I wanted it done right, so I hired a professional to draw them on autocad. 2 weeks later, I had big sheets with detailed drawings of my office, and 2nd floor office upstairs. A copy of this was sent to an engineer, who basically rubber stamps the plans for structural integrity. It's his job to make sure the walls can hold up the ceiling and floor upstairs. I take my plans to the city, full of pride. The city clerk takes a few glances at the plans, and basically sends me on my way - for 4 to 6 weeks. I take a short vacation to Mexico and relax before the big build!

My completely inadequate plans.

About 5 weeks later, the city calls and basically says: "Hire an architect who knows what they're doing, and come back." Really? What's wrong with these plans? So basically, the plans are nice drawings of my dream office, but its strewn with building code errors. Like what? To sum up just a few problems: Some door sizes too small, travel distance to a door is too long, there's no separate engineering plans, the floor height is too high for the 2nd floor (max 12 feet or you need a landing. Mine was 12 feet, 2 inches) and a long list of other building code infractions.

I contact the draftsman, tell him about all the problems the drawings have. I suggest he doesn't do commercial tenant improvement jobs, because apparently, he doesn't know the codes. He suggests the engineer was going to take the plans to an architect for review, but apparently, that never happened, nor did I know it was even supposed to happen. Also, the engineer charged me a whole bunch of money, and basically knowingly allowed me to submit faulty plans, with code infractions everywhere. So far, I'm 0 for 2, and running out of time.

I consult an architect to start over. I am advised it will take 2 weeks to redraw, and the further we get into it, the more complicated the whole job is getting. With every code problem resolved, another one opens. I'm not sure I have the time, or stomach to see this project through as planned, and the budget is skyrocketing.

I decide to scrap the 2nd floor plans and resubmit my existing plans, without the 2nd floor, without the need of an architect or engineer. I am basically reducing my plans to 4 walls, with 3 doors. No engineering required, no architect required. My original draftsman redraws the plans, and makes some changes to minor problems, and I resubmit. The city planner reviews the plans, and asks about my plans to insulate the walls and ceiling. My plans included R20 insulation throughout, but for some reason, the city plan checker notices that my building is "unconditioned space". What does that mean? Well, because my building is concrete tilt-up, the space within is rated as unconditioned space. If you look this up, it means that it's not built to be occupied by people. Kinda like a barn. He asks me to hire a certified architect to provide a letter outlining what my minimum insulation requirements are to make my office space "conditioned" within this unconditioned space. I contact about 3 architects to request this letter, none of whom are interested in this job, or understood what or why even. It's too small, or they don't do that, or the don't do a portion of a job. No letter. I contact my draftsman to refer me to someone, which he does. They promise me a letter in a few days. Weeks go by, no letter. After 2 weeks, I gave up waiting, and contacted another 6 architects. None of these architects even understand what I am asking of them, and all decline, or quoted thousand of dollars in fees for tests, visits, etc. This doesn't make any sense, I can't produce this letter. I am considering going hiring an architect to design the whole project again, and starting over, yet again. It's the only way I will be able to move forward. I have lost 4 weeks now, and gotten no where.

Then, miraculously, after 3 weeks waiting, I get a call from the original architect, with prepared letter. It basically has 3 lines: Minimum R20 in walls and R40 on ceiling. Stamped for $500. I take it to the city, and with no other recourse, they accept it. Wow, what a waste of time and money. Another 4 days later, and a few other things the city asked for engineering, and I finally have permits. I am convinced the city was just as happy to get rid of me as I was to get my permits. I think I finally became too big of a pain in the ass for them, and they realized I wasn't going away.

So I got half my plans ready to go. I can build my office, with a structured walls engineered to hold the roof for the 2nd floor down the road. I can always submit again to finish the 2nd level as I originally wanted, but for now I can move forward. Finally. At least until the city inspects...