Halifax homeowners - when you planned a deck, shed, or fence, how did you figure out what you were actually allowed to build?

Homeowners, when you were planning a deck, shed, or fence in your property, how did you actually go about figuring out whether you needed a permit for that?

I want to know what you personally did, who you called, what you searched, who you asked, and were you able to navigate through the bylaws and the whole experience.

And beyond just the permit itself, did you ever find out what you were actually allowed to build? Things like how big, how close to the property line, how tall? Or do you rely on contractors for these types of answers?

What did that process actually look like for you?