Renovating Several Rooms at Once: The Order of Work and Where Inspections Stop You
Updated · 9 min read · By Gilbert Brothers
In this guide
The short answer
When you renovate several rooms, or plan a whole house renovation, the order follows the stages of work and the inspections between them, not the rooms. Ontario's Building Code lists the stages the permit holder must give notice of, such as framing, plumbing and insulation. The City of Peterborough's basement guide says to pass each inspection before the next phase and give inspectors at least 48 hours' notice, and warns that a missed notice can mean removing finishes. Ask your inspector whether the same applies to your job. Electrical work adds its own notification and a rough-in inspection. Rules differ by property and change, so confirm with the City before you start.
The sources that set the order are written around stages and inspections, not rooms, so this page lays them out as you will meet them. It gives an order, not a schedule, and no durations.
Start with what moves, not which room
What triggers a permit is what you change in a room. The City's list of projects that need a permit includes installing, changing or removing partitions and load-bearing walls, making new openings for doors and windows or changing their size, installing or renovating plumbing, and installing or modifying heating, plumbing and air conditioning systems. Its list of work that does not need a permit includes painting or decorating, interior finishes included but insulation excluded, and replacing kitchen or bathroom cupboards without plumbing.
| If the job changes | What the sources say it brings |
|---|---|
| Walls, partitions or openings | A City permit. Structural framing is a stage the Code asks you to give notice of. The City's basement guide says structural parts outside the Code's standard Part 9 designs, such as pre-engineered beams or lintels, may need an engineer. |
| Plumbing, including moving a fixture | A City permit. The Code lists drains, venting, water pipes and fixtures as stages with their own notice. The City's basement guide says a hired plumber must be licensed with the City. |
| Heating, ventilation or ductwork | A City permit. The Code lists framing and the ductwork and piping for heating and air conditioning as one stage. |
| Electrical | A notification of work to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA); see the timing below. The ESA says a building permit is not the same thing and "You may need both." |
| Insulation | The City's basement guide lists adding insulation as work that needs a permit. The Code lists insulation, vapour barriers and air barriers as stages. |
The sources behind this article don't say whether one City application can cover every room in a plan. Ask Building Services before you apply.
Before anything comes down
The City's basement guide says it is against the law to begin construction without a building permit, and that work already started is often required to be undone, which may be costly.
Check the house before demolition. Health Canada's renovation page says asbestos was commonly used in homes before 1990, and that homes built before 1991 may have lead-based paint. Health Canada advises a long-term radon test of 3 months and says a high level is best reduced before or during renovations, so if you want the result before work starts, begin the test early. The page on older houses goes through what to test.
The order the inspections set
The Building Code lists the stages the permit holder must notify the chief building official about (Division C, article 1.3.5.1, 2024 Building Code Compendium, updated September 14, 2026). It lists stages, not dates, and the inspector decides which apply to your job. Ontario Regulation 325/26, in force October 2, 2026, changed the date of the Ontario amendments document that the Building Code regulation (O. Reg. 163/24) adopts, after the compendium page was updated, so confirm the current wording with the City.
The order below follows the idea in the City's basement guide: each inspection is passed before the next phase, and finishes may be removed if a stage was not inspected. So whatever an inspector needs to see goes in before the layer that hides it.
Framing, and heating ductwork and piping
The Code's notice is for substantial completion of structural framing and of the ductwork and piping for heating and air conditioning, for a building within Part 9, which covers housing and small buildings.
Plumbing and electrical rough-in
For plumbing, the Code lists readiness for inspection and testing of drains, water service pipes, drainage and venting systems, the water distribution system, and fixtures. For electrical, the ESA says a rough-in inspection happens once all branch circuit wiring and outlet boxes are installed and before the wiring is hidden by insulation, vapour barrier or drywall, and that no wiring is concealed until an inspector authorizes it. The ESA also says its risk evaluation may deem an inspection unnecessary, so ask.
Insulation, vapour barrier, air barrier and fire separations
The Code lists substantial completion of insulation and vapour barriers, of air barrier systems, and of all required fire separations as separate notices. Drywall goes on after, because finishes may have to come off if a stage was not inspected.
Finishes
Painting and decorating, and cupboards without plumbing, are on the City's list of work that needs no permit. Article 1.3.5.2 lets a municipality's by-law require notice of further stages, such as interior finishes, so ask whether the City's does.
Final inspections and closing the permit
The City's basement guide says the owner must have the work pass both the Building Inspector and the Mechanical Inspector (plumbing and HVAC), and must call for the final inspection so the permit can be closed.
How notice and timing work
For the stages above, the Building Code says an inspector must inspect no later than two days after receiving a notice. The count starts the day after the notice and leaves out Saturdays, holidays and days the office is closed. The City's basement guide asks for at least 48 hours' notice when you book. Neither figure is a promise of a visit date.
The City's basement guide recommends having the builder present for an inspection, to pass on important information. It lists common deficiencies, the problems inspectors flag, and a few bear on any multi-room job: what is built does not match the approved layout, washroom ventilation or dryer ducting is wrong, plumbing pipes are improperly vented, and supply and return air ducts do not reach every room. The basement guide says each inspection must be passed before the next phase of work, so a deficiency has to be fixed first.
If an inspector is not told a stage is ready, the basement guide says finishes may have to be removed so the inspection can take place.
Changing your mind mid-job
If you change the design after the permit is issued, the basement guide says to contact Building Services and speak with the plans reviewer before doing any work. Revised drawings may be required, and a revision fee may be charged.
Whether a wall carries load, and what replaces it if it comes out, are questions for an engineer or the building office. This page gives no guidance on structure. The permit office guide shows how the City and the townships treat walls.
Living in the house while rooms are offline
Health Canada's tips for renovations say to seal off the work area to reduce the movement of dust and fumes into other parts of the house, and to open windows or use exhaust fans. They also say to keep children, pregnant people and vulnerable adults away from work areas if possible. Afterwards, they say to clean hard floors and surfaces with a wet cloth or mop and, if you can, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Then settle three questions before demolition: where you will cook and wash dishes if the kitchen is in the plan, whether the bathroom is your only one, and which route through the house the work will cross.
What to settle before the first day
- Who applies and who books inspections. The City's basement guide puts these duties on the homeowner. If someone else applies, the City needs an Authorization to Act as Agent form.
- Who files the electrical notification. The ESA's web page says the person doing the work, you or a Licensed Electrical Contractor, should file it before the work starts, and its homeowner handbook says to file before or within 48 hours of when the work starts. The ESA says that if you hire someone for electrical work in your home, by law it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Homeowners can do their own electrical work but must file a notification. Call the ESA at 1-877-372-7233 to confirm the timing and requirements for your job.
Gilbert Brothers does full-room renovations: see main floor renovations, kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations, or request a free estimate. The estimate is free at your home, the quote covers the whole job before work starts, and you get a reply within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a Peterborough inspector need?
The City's guide to finishing a basement asks for at least 48 hours' notice when you book an inspection; ask your inspector whether that applies to your job. The Building Code says an inspector must inspect no later than two days after a notice, leaving out Saturdays, holidays and days the office is closed.
Can the walls be closed before the electrical inspection?
The ESA says an electrical installation must be inspected before it is concealed, and that no wiring is concealed by insulation or wall materials until an inspector authorizes it. It adds that its risk evaluation may deem an inspection unnecessary, so ask the ESA.
What happens if I skip a notice?
The City's basement guide says that failing to tell the inspector a stage is ready may result in removal of finishes to the inspector's satisfaction so the inspection can take place.
Does one permit cover several rooms?
The City pages behind this article don't say. Ask Building Services whether one application can cover all the rooms in your plan.
Which room should I renovate first?
The sources behind this page don't rank rooms. They do settle three things: the City's basement guide says to get the permit first and pass each inspection before the next phase of work, Health Canada lists checks for asbestos, lead paint, radon and mould in its renovation planning tips, and Ontario.ca says to make a list of exactly what you want done, because changing plans in the middle of a project will cost extra money. Which room goes first is a sequencing question for the estimate.
Can you live in the house during a renovation?
Health Canada's renovation tips are to seal off the work area, open windows or use exhaust fans, keep children, pregnant people and vulnerable adults away from work areas if possible, and clean up with a wet cloth or mop and, if you can, a HEPA vacuum. It also says a professional can test for asbestos and a qualified specialist should remove any that is found. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says standard property insurance policies are designed for occupied properties, so notify your insurer before renovating. It adds that builder's risk policies may have conditions or exclusions for extended vacancy or unoccupied buildings during construction. Ask your insurance representative what applies if you plan to move out.
What hours can a crew work?
Chapter 691 of the City of Peterborough's Municipal Code, as posted on the City's by-law site, deems the noise of erecting, demolishing, altering or repairing a building, or of construction or earth-moving equipment working on such a site, to be noise likely to disturb between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when it is within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling house. On a Sunday, it says no such noise before 12:00 noon or after 9:00 p.m. Article 2 of the chapter prohibits noise likely to disturb the inhabitants. The chapter applies within the City's limits. Confirm with the City before you start.