From 1 July 2026, building permits waived: the right time to renovate your home
From 1 July 2026, stand-alone homes under 7 storeys are exempt from building permits in Vietnam. The ideal time to add a toilet — no floor drilling, no complex construction with SFA Pumps macerators.
From 1 July 2026, the amended Construction Law officially takes effect — stand-alone homes under 7 storeys are exempt from building permits when basic planning conditions are met. No paperwork. No months of waiting for approval.
This is the most significant policy change in years — and the ideal moment to finally act on that renovation project you've been putting off, including adding a new bathroom without the headache of administrative procedures.
Key highlights
- Context: From 1 July 2026, homes under 7 storeys are exempt from building permits — the biggest barrier to home renovation has been removed.
- Problem: Adding a toilet where there is no existing drainage outlet means traditional installation requires floor drilling, costing tens of millions of VND and taking several days.
- Solution: SFA Pumps macerators allow toilet installation anywhere in the home — no floor drilling, no changes to existing pipework.
- Result: Installation completed in a single day, no concrete dust, suitable for all home types.
The new policy from 1 July 2026: who benefits?
Under the amended Construction Law recently passed by the National Assembly, from 1 July 2026, stand-alone residential homes under 7 storeys in both urban and rural areas are exempt from building permits when basic planning compliance conditions are met.
In practical terms, this means:
- Homeowners can renovate, repair, or expand their homes without waiting for administrative approval
- Project timelines shrink from months (waiting for permits) to days (planning + construction)
- No permit fees or intermediary costs
From July 2026 onwards, demand for home renovation and bathroom additions is expected to surge nationwide — particularly in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Read more: How to add a new bathroom simply and cost-effectively
Why adding a toilet at home is harder than you think
Many homeowners only discover the difficulty once they've started. Familiar situations include:
- Wanting a dedicated toilet for the second-floor bedroom but no drainage outlet at that location
- Wanting to add a WC near the staircase for convenience, but it's too far from the existing drainage system
- Wanting an ensuite bathroom for the master bedroom, but the drain runs only along one side of the house
The issue lies in how traditional drainage works: wastewater flows entirely by gravity, so pipes must be embedded beneath the floor at a minimum slope running toward the main drain. If the location you want to install a toilet is too far away or runs counter to the required slope, the only option is to drill through the floor and run new pipes — costing tens of millions of VND, taking 3–7 days of noisy, dusty construction, and risking damage to the floor structure.
The no-floor-drill solution: SFA Pumps macerators
Traditional drainage relies entirely on gravity — wastewater can only flow downward toward the drain. This is why locations such as upper floors, far corners, or areas without existing pipes all run into problems.
SFA Pumps macerators take a different approach: instead of waiting for water to flow by gravity, the pump creates active pressure to forcibly push wastewater through a slim Ø22–32mm pipe — running along walls or ceilings — to the nearest available discharge point in the home. No slope required. No floor drilling. No need for existing pipework at the installation point.
Technical specifications:
- Horizontal pumping distance: up to 100m
- Vertical lift: up to 5m
- Noise level: 46 dB(A) — below the threshold of normal conversation, comparable to a small fan running in the background
- Power supply: 220–240V / 50Hz
- Motor output: 400W
Read more: What is Sanitoilet? An innovative toilet installation solution without breaking the floor
Choosing the right model for your renovation
The SFA Pumps Sanitoilet range includes multiple models for different needs. Below are the most suitable options:
Need | SFA product | Key specs |
Single toilet only | Saniflo | Original macerator, compact, toilet only |
Toilet + washbasin | Saniaccess 2 | 3 inlets, ideal for compact bathrooms |
Full bathroom (toilet + washbasin + shower) | Saniaccess 3 | 4 inlets, 46 dB(A), up to 100m horizontal / 5m vertical |
Full bathroom in a limited space | Sanipro XR | 4 inlets, compact design, up to 100m horizontal / 5m vertical |
High-frequency use | Sanibest Pro | 4 inlets, high-capacity motor, up to 110m horizontal / 7m vertical |
The principle: choose the model that matches your actual needs — there is no reason to go higher-spec if you only need to add a single toilet.
Installation process: just one day, no concrete dust
- Morning: Position the toilet and mount the macerator pump unit
- Before noon: Run the slim Ø22–32mm pipe along the wall to the nearest existing drainage connection point
- Afternoon: Connect power and water supply, run operational test
- End of day: Fully operational toilet, ready to use
No hammering. No concrete dust. The home stays clean from start to finish.
Conclusion
The building permit exemption from 1 July 2026 opens a major opportunity — but the technical challenge of drainage still remains. SFA Pumps macerators address exactly that: install a toilet anywhere in the home, in a single day, without drilling the floor. Contact SFA Pumps Vietnam for a free consultation: 097 788 93 64
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Any questions ?
The new law expands the exemption, but certain planning compliance conditions still apply. Check with your local ward or commune authority to confirm before starting any works.
Absolutely. The pump handles up to 100m horizontally and 5m vertically — suitable for multi-storey homes with no drainage outlet at the desired installation point.
SFA Pumps recommends routine cleaning and inspection every 12–18 months. All products come with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.
No. The pump only needs to be connected to the nearest drainage point via a slim Ø22–32mm pipe running along the wall. No existing underground pipes are touched.
46 dB(A) is below the threshold of normal conversation (60–65 dB), roughly comparable to a small fan running in the background. The pump only runs for 10–15 seconds per flush then switches off automatically — no disruption to sleep.
The new law expands the exemption, but certain planning compliance conditions still apply. Check with your local ward or commune authority to confirm before starting any works.
No. The pump only needs to be connected to the nearest drainage point via a slim Ø22–32mm pipe running along the wall. No existing underground pipes are touched.
Absolutely. The pump handles up to 100m horizontally and 5m vertically — suitable for multi-storey homes with no drainage outlet at the desired installation point.
46 dB(A) is below the threshold of normal conversation (60–65 dB), roughly comparable to a small fan running in the background. The pump only runs for 10–15 seconds per flush then switches off automatically — no disruption to sleep.
SFA Pumps recommends routine cleaning and inspection every 12–18 months. All products come with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.