Building permits and procedures in Geneva
Planning building work? Apartment, house or building renovation, a new storey or a roof extension, running the project is our job.
In Geneva, a building permit is requested from the Office des autorisations de construire, under the fast-track APA procedure or a full DD application depending on the works. HMG Construction Management SA prepares and files your application as an agent registered on the Geneva MPQ list (mandataires professionnellement qualifiés, the cantonal register of qualified building professionals), then coordinates the contractors as soon as the permit is issued.
How do you get your building or conversion project done without the worry? By handing the management and the coordination of the contractors to HMG. HMG is there for you.
Which works need a permit in Geneva, APA or DD?
The Canton of Geneva describes the procedures on its permit types page (in French). The rule can be summed up as follows.
- The fast-track procedure, APA (autorisation par procédure accélérée), applies to interior changes in an existing building, to works that do not alter its general appearance, to minor new structures and to buildings in zone 5 without exemption, such as a villa.
- The full application, DD (demande définitive), applies to projects that do not qualify for the fast-track procedure.
- The preliminary application, DP (demande préalable), obtains an answer from the authorities on the siting, use, envelope, volume and access of the project.
- A complete demolition needs a separate application.
The legal bases are the LCI, the Geneva building act, and, for housing, the LDTR.
Who can file the application?
According to the official page Je prépare ma demande d'autorisation de construire, applications under the ordinary procedure must, with rare exceptions, be filed by a professional registered on the cantonal MPQ list (mandataires professionnellement qualifiés). A private individual may file a fast-track application, but the Canton advises using a registered professional.
HMG is on that list and files applications for its clients. The file is put together online on the AC-Démat platform, as explained on the page Je dépose ma demande d'autorisation de construire.
The procedure in Geneva, step by step
- Analysis of the constraints of the plot and the building, with the geo-analysis recommended by the Canton.
- Choice of procedure, APA, DD or DP.
- Plans, forms and supporting documents.
- Survey of hazardous substances before conversion, as set out on the page Rénover, transformer ou démolir sans danger.
- Filing on AC-Démat and follow-up of the review.
- Energy grant applications before the works start, then opening of the site.
Review times vary with the procedure and the complexity of the project. HMG follows the file with the authorities and answers requests for additional documents.
Who coordinates the contractors once the permit is granted?
The construction project manager, known in Geneva as the direction des travaux. Once the permit is issued, tenders have to be launched, bids compared, contracts signed, the schedule set and the site opened. Guides often leave this step out, although it decides the final cost and the completion date.
You may also hear the terms site coordinator, owner's representative or maître d'ouvrage délégué. A general contractor, by contrast, carries out the works for a global price and chooses its own subcontractors. The construction project manager stays independent of the contractors and defends the owner's budget.
Who do you call first?
- HMG takes charge of the whole project. The firm draws up the plans, files the application, prices the works, appoints the contractors and manages the site.
- Your architect files the application. HMG takes over after the permit for the construction phase and works alongside them.
How HMG manages your permit and your works
HMG starts by checking which procedure applies and which documents are required. The firm prepares the plans and the forms, files the application and follows the review. Meanwhile it prepares the estimate by trade and the tender documents, so that the works can start without delay once the permit is in force.
The firm then manages the works to SIA standards, controls costs and deadlines, and organises the acceptance of the building.
Permit-based projects managed by HMG
Frequently asked questions
Which works do not need a building permit?
Routine maintenance, such as replacing coverings or appliances like for like, changes neither the layout nor the appearance of the building. In case of doubt, the Office des autorisations de construire informs owners, and HMG checks the case before the works start.
What is the difference between APA and DD?
APA is a fast-track procedure reserved for the works listed by the Canton, including interior changes. DD is the ordinary procedure for all other projects, and it has to be filed by a professional registered on the MPQ list.
What is AC-Démat?
AC-Démat is the online platform of the Canton of Geneva for preparing, filing and tracking a building permit application. It provides a free personal workspace.
When should grants for an energy renovation be requested?
Before the works start. The Programme Bâtiments sets out the conditions, and a CECB+ certificate serves as the basis for the file.
Related guides and pages
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