Basement Renos

ron schenker

What are the codes for converting a basement into a rental? It will have a bedroom, kitchen, and seperate entrance. Here in Ontario there is a lot to comply... large egress window in bedroom, smoke alarms hardwired, exhaust fans. etc. How about other parts of the country and U.S.

jmic

Lots to consider. Zoning Regulations, if you're on a septic system will it be sized to accomidate the extra usage? Plus all of the issues you've already metioned.

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Joe

mdshunk

In the US, some things to consider when making a rental are:

• zoning
• egress windows
• exterior entrance/egress lighting
• bathroom venting
• kitchen venting
• smokes
• handrails
• seperate water meter, if desired
• seperate electric meter, if desired
• seperate gas meter, if desired
• seperate heating plant, if desired
• parking
• if on a private well, a permit may be needed to use it to supply multiple residences, as you would be a "water company".

Mike Finley

In the states zoning would be the first hurdle. Single family zoning won't allow you to convert to a two family in most cases. When I do a basement remodel you have to stop short of a stove or it is considered 2 family.

Aceinstaller

mdshunk pretty much summed it up.

But if your an investor in Chicago, and you are looking for appraisal value, grade level of the yard can't be more than 42" from the slab.

Dave Y Crockett

Mdshunk is mostly correct . Definately the egress windows are becoming an International code , so a window well is something to consider for each bedroom .Most of the uniform building codes are still good refs .

mrfixsomethings

help:I'm from thunder bay ont I made a room in the basement for my wife for her quilting.I put delta floor down cleaned and repaired all outside walls covered them with an air barrier straped with 1x4's, 3/4 inch ply on the deltafloor,then 2x4's walls R12 in them vaper barrier [cgsb type] and accsal,and taped all plugs and switches joints top and bottom with tuck tape and new windows and filled in and polyon joist cavates, and now I have condensation problem on the wall with the new window just in one section just under the window. if you could help that be great

mcox111

i am a gc bidding on a new construction site. the builder has asked me to quote psf for the electrical, hvac, and plumbing. does anyone know what a good going rate is in the state of ga. thanks

theman

How about ceiling hgt. 6'8, fire seperation, parking for additional apt. Most important will this additional apt make it 1-2 family or multi family

ron schenker

How about fire rated doors, 5/8" drywall, sprinklers, interconnected smoke alarms, self closing device on door at top of stairs.
Man there's alot of code to keep basement dwellers safe

theworx

Ron, is this a job you are quoting on or a job for yourself??? Only asking because there are so many details to consider... I have been renting the top residence of a two story duplex for many years now. My landlord used to have people staying in his basement apartment until last year (a fire inspector came and closed him down because he was not up to code for that suite). He had to ask the renters to leave because he didn't have an egress window, he only had 1/2" drywall on the ceilings, the furnace room and laundry room (both in the basement) only had 1 layer of 5/8" fire code drywall and not 2 (and didn't have 2 hour rated steel fire doors and frames).

If you're doing this at your own place to make some extra $. It will take a while to recoup your initial investment (with what they require as far as code). But, you'll still make it back in the long run and benefit from it. My landlord has been trying for over a year to get the info on what is required to bring his basement apartment up to code (phoning every dept. you could imagine and still has no responses). I don't know if the Government dept.'s are just that busy or they are ignoring him. If you have connections at the permit office, maybe see if you can get the info you need???

ron schenker

A friend of mine owns a rental property, 2 units are in the basement and he had a"fire inspector" come in. He was told he had to make some changes and set up a meeting with him to discuss further. I'm guessing most of the suggestions above will have to be done.