Do I need a permit for foundation repair in New Brunswick?

Whether foundation repair in New Brunswick requires a building permit depends on the nature and scope of the repair — minor crack repairs generally do not require a permit, while structural modifications, underpinning, and major waterproofing work typically do. This distinction matters both for legal compliance and for your home's insurability and resale value.

Repairs that typically do NOT require a permit in NB municipalities include: crack injection with polyurethane or epoxy for non-structural cracks (hairline to 1/4 inch), interior parging or coating, sump pump installation (though electrical permits may be needed for new circuits), interior drainage system installation (French drain at the perimeter), and exterior foundation coating or dampproofing at the surface level.

Repairs that typically DO require a permit include: structural crack repair that involves removing and replacing sections of foundation wall, underpinning (excavating beneath existing footings to extend their depth — common when footings are found above the frost line in older NB homes built before modern code requirements), adding new foundation sections for additions, and any work that changes the structural configuration of the foundation. If an engineer is involved in designing the repair — which is strongly recommended for any structural foundation work — the engineer's drawings will typically need to be submitted with the permit application.

The permit decision also protects you. If you discover during a pre-sale home inspection (or the buyer's inspector discovers) that unpermitted structural foundation work was done on your home, this creates legal exposure. Foundation work is a major structural element and most NB real estate lawyers and realtors will flag unpermitted foundation repairs as a material disclosure issue. Getting the permit adds some time and cost to the project but protects the value of your home and your legal position.

Contact your local building department before any major foundation work. In Fredericton, that's the City's Development Services department. In Moncton, the Planning and Development office. In Saint John, Development and Building Inspections. In rural NB, the Rural Service Commission for your area. For unincorporated communities in NB, the province handles building inspections directly through Service New Brunswick.

A key caution: never diagnose foundation cracks as structural or non-structural yourself without professional input. A crack that looks minor — narrow, short, horizontal — may be a serious structural indicator (horizontal cracks in block or poured walls indicate lateral soil pressure and potential wall failure). Have any foundation crack that is wider than 1/8 inch, horizontal, or accompanied by water infiltration assessed by a professional before deciding on a repair approach. New Brunswick Concrete can connect you with foundation specialists throughout NB.