If you do the work by yourself

Plan to do some construction work on your property or that of a friend or family member? Then you should know that certain types of work must be carried out by a licence holder. You might have to get an owner-builder’s licence yourself or hire a contractor who holds a licence. This page presents the work you can do yourself without a licence, depending on your situation.

Before starting the work, don’t forget to notify your insurer. Also, ask your municipality if you need a construction permit.

Please click on the links below to access more information:

• You don’t need a licence to build or renovate your single-family dwelling and its installations, for example the garden shed or patio, except for the work concerning the following: electrical installations
• installations designed to use or distribute gas
• petroleum equipment installations.

These types of work must be carried out by a contractor holding the right licence. See Choose a licenced contractor for more information.

For work done in the common portions of your condominium, a licence is required.

In the private portions of your condominium, no licence is necessary to carry out:

• the work included in the Schedule III of the List of licence subclasses – PDF (109 KB)
• repair, maintenance and renovation work estimated at less than $20,000.

However, a licence is always required for construction work on the following:

• electrical installations
• installations designed to use or distribute gas
• petroleum equipment installations.

These types of work must be carried out by a contractor holding the right licence. See Choose a licenced contractor for more information.

If your chalet is intended for your personal use or your family’s, you don’t need a licence to build or renovate it. This also applies to any of its installations, such as a garden shed or a patio.

However, a licence is always required for construction work on the following:

• electrical installations
• installations designed to use or distribute gas
• petroleum equipment installations.

These types of work must be carried out by a contractor holding the right licence. See Choose a licenced contractor for more information.

If you rent a house, apartment or condo to other people, you may only do the work included in the Schedule III of the List of licence subclasses – PDF (109 KB), as well as repair, maintenance and renovation work estimated at less than $20,000.

You must hold a contractor’s licence to:

• buy a new house or condo, renovate it and sell it
• build a house or a condo in order to sell it afterwards.

Indeed, since the ultimate goal of this work is to make money, you will be considered as a contractor. Thus, you need a licence. See All the steps for obtaining a licence to learn more.

If you’d like to help a friend or family member carry out construction or renovation work, you should know that if this work benefits you in any way (financial or other), you must hold a licence since you will then be considered to be a contractor.

Here are some examples:

• John agrees to take part in some construction work at Joanna’s house without being paid. In exchange, Joanna, who is a trained accountant, agrees to do John’s accounting and prepare his income tax returns. Since John benefits from this arrangement, he needs a contractor’s licence to carry out the work.
• Mustapha asks Mark to help him tear down his garage. In exchange, he agrees to let him keep the materials he recovers, to either sell or use them for other purposes (building furniture, etc.) Since the demolition work benefits Mark, he will need to hold a contractor’s licence.
• Adriana owns a building with 8 housing units. She agrees to reduce Jack’s rent if he carries out renovation and maintenance work on the building’s common areas. Since Jack benefits from the situation (reduced rent), he will need to hold a contractor’s licence to carry out the work.
• Sinh helps his brother repaint his balcony. Once the work has been completed, Sinh goes home with, as his sole benefit, the feeling of a job well done. Since his brother’s gratitude is not considered to be a benefit, he does not need to hold a licence.