Does removing wet drywall after a leak in Kanata need a permit?

Removing wet drywall after a leak sits in a narrow category the City of Ottawa has addressed directly. The City's Building Code Services flood-repair FAQ states that a building permit is not required for "removal of drywall or other interior finish to permit drying of insulation." That covers taking the board off the wall or ceiling so the structure behind it can dry out.

The permit question gets more complicated once you move past removal. The same FAQ says a permit is required if you remove and replace damaged insulation with a different type, for example switching from batt to spray foam. It also requires a permit for removal or replacement of structural framing, including support posts, beams and joists. If structural damage is suspected, the City recommends contacting a suitably qualified professional, such as a professional engineer, before deciding how to proceed.

Putting the drywall back is a separate question. The City's lists do not name re-boarding, re-taping or replacing board after a repair; for that step, ask the City's Building Code Services directly before work starts. The flood FAQ does add: "There are many other repairs that may be undertaken without requiring a Building Permit," so the answer for your specific scope is worth confirming with the City.

A few things affect what you ask the City and the contractor:

• whether any framing, blocking or structural members were damaged by the water
• whether the insulation is being replaced, and if so, with the same type or a different one
• whether the plumbing repair is an alteration: the City's permit list includes plumbing alterations, additions or extensions, except replacing existing fixtures

If the house was built before 1990, Health Canada advises testing before anyone cuts, sands or scrapes existing board or compound. A positive result means abatement work before drywall removal begins; ottawaabatement.com covers that side of the job.

The form on this page lets you describe the scope and request contact from contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory. Before work starts, have a written contract that names exactly what will be removed, what will go back, the price, and the dates, so there is no dispute about what the job includes.