Do I need to be a licensed plumber to work on my own house?

3/2/2015 at 10:49:08 AM

As a homeowner you can do all of the work yourself without licensed trades. If you are not well versed in the building code for your area, some tasks can be very daunting. ALL work regardless of who does it still needs to be inspected by the appropriate authorities and permits still need to be pulled.

Spending more money on having a professional come in usually actually saves you money. If you factor in the time lost, material waste, tools needed and the assurance of having it done right. Having to tear out new materials because of mistakes can easily surpass the cost of doing it right in the beginning.

3/2/2015 at 10:54:04 AM

If you were to get a permit, the City would inspect the work and let you know what needs to be done, but I haven't come across a situation where they insisted the plumber be licensed, however, most condominiums require fully licensed and insured plumbers for all plumbing work. A fully licensed plumber may also cost more to get the job done.

3/2/2015 at 9:47:57 PM

Many plumbing items don't require you to be licensed for your own home. Some municipalities will require if it is in a condo, a rental or if you are tiring into the towns main drain. Other than that knock yourself out.

3/2/2015 at 11:57:20 PM

All of the proceeding comments are correct. Go ahead and work on your on home. Be sure you are working to code so your work will pass inspection when the city inspects.

Good luck.

James Fram

3/3/2015 at 6:28:19 AM

It's your house, you can do what you want pretty much, but its always good to do things professionally.

3/4/2015 at 2:25:55 PM

Hi Peter,

If you are performing a renovation on your own home, you are certainly able to perform the plumbing. You can actually do all of your own electrical without being a licensed or Master licensed electrician, HOWEVER, you are absolutely required to obtain a building permit from the Municipality and required to schedule and pass all inspections. This is NOT legally optional. Unfortunately so many people "skip" getting a permit be it homeowner or Contractor and it is ILLEGAL.

To answer your questions clearly:

1) You must get a permit for your renovation.

2) If you are able to perform the plumbing work to meet the Ontario Building Code and all Municipal by-laws, you schedule, and pass the plumbing inspection then everything is fine...and safe.

You should note that if you are NOT able to do so, the Licensed Plumber you call in to make the corrections to get you past inspection will most likely cost more than they would have charged to do it right the first time.

Best of luck