Only entirely new buildings are covered by the Regulation respecting the guarantee plan for new residential buildings, effective January 1, 2015.
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Guarantee plan exclusions
The guarantee plan does not apply to every type of building.
For example, it does not cover:
- Transformation of buildings
- Building renovations such as extensions, construction on an existing foundation or construction of a non‑adjacent garage to the property
- Condominium buildings that have more than four superimposed private portions
- A home you have built yourself, without the help of a general contractor
Special case: Self-built homes
Self-built homes are not generally covered by GCR.
Therefore, a self-builder who organizes and coordinates the construction of a new residential building, whether performing the work alone or hiring a specialized contractor to perform it, cannot be covered by the guarantee plan.
The situation changes if the self-builder hires a contractor to organize or coordinate the work fully or partially. In this case, the contractor will be considered to be acting as a general contractor. The contractor must hold a subclass 1.1.1 or 1.1.2 licence, be accredited under the guarantee plan and register the project with GCR (even if the invoice is issued under the name of the self-builder).
Useful info
The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) offers several licence classes and subclasses, so you can confirm whether your contractor holds a valid licence.
