Designated Substance Survey

Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act, section 30, says that before beginning a project the owner "shall determine whether any designated substances are present at the project site and shall prepare a list". If the work is tendered, a copy of the list goes out with the tender, and a prospective constructor must receive it before a binding contract is signed.

An owner who fails to do this can be liable to contractors for losses from a designated substance the owner ought reasonably to have known about. Ontario's list of designated substances is eleven long: acrylonitrile, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, coke oven emissions, ethylene oxide, isocyanates, lead, mercury, silica and vinyl chloride.

How this applies to a house is not simple. The asbestos regulation (O. Reg. 278/05) does not apply to an owner of a private residence occupied by the owner or the owner's family, while section 30 itself has no residence exemption and Ontario's guide says it applies to owners of residential properties who undertake projects. Rental and commercial owners get no owner-occupier exemption. If you are unsure which applies to your project, ask your contractor or the Ministry of Labour.

For a demolition or a large renovation, a survey gives every bidder the same facts and keeps surprises out of the middle of the job. Published Ontario prices for a pre-renovation survey run roughly $250 to $1,300 depending on the size of the building and the samples taken.