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"What are the requirements to meet city building codes when finishing your basement?"
Most people are familiar with basement finishing or remodeling, but what exactly are the requirements involved when planning to finish basement construction or create a second dwelling? To understand this, it is necessary to have a basic understanding of home construction and what the original home builder usually leaves undone. As you’re probably aware, the structural elements of the walls, concrete floors, heating and cooling, plumbing, and electrical utilities of the home’s basement are put in place for finish construction but may need to be relocated when closing walls and ceilings. Building a second dwelling for tenant occupancy has several principal factors that must be strictly enforced to meet the code by the city building code department during the project.
“Building with homeowner’s safety in mind is a top priority when finishing a basement. It’s important to realize that all the home’s upper-level utilities, such as gas pipes, electrical, and water lines, run through the basement, presenting a high risk of improper installation. Basement building is much more complex than the upper levels of the home and requires the professional touch of a carpenter.”
“Here are four popular aspects of a basement finishing project:
1. Kitchen Installation- Consider adding a kitchen for your family’s use or if a second dwelling tenant occupancy is in your plans. If so, fire rating will be our top priority during the design and construction when building the walls and ceilings to meet building code regulations.
2. Bathroom Installation- Rethink the bathroom’s purpose during design and construction. Will it be for basic functionality or a cozy relaxation spot for you, with a spa-like atmosphere as the goal? This mainly depends on the size and style of the shower that will be built.
3. Floor Insulation- A raised insulated subfloor is crucial for your daily use of an entertainment area, bedroom, or exercise area. Followed by one of our top-quality Life-Proof Vinyl Laminate plank floorings for the best comfort, this is an ideal solution to keep off damp concrete.
4. Building Permits, Fees Required- Our team will apply for all necessary building permits on your behalf and arrange any visits required by our engineer, architect, and city building inspector between any required basement finishing installations with city inspections.”
How to Insulate and Ventilate Your Basement:
However, additional health and safety concerns exist, particularly in basements due to the “stack effect” phenomenon. Warm air in homes rises and exits through the roof’s upper reaches, creating low pressure that draws air from lower areas of the house. Addressing health and safety concerns such as proper ventilation is crucial. Adequate insulation and air quality are essential for a comfortable and healthy basement.
Types of Basement
Here are some other types of basement that you may not have heard of
- Full: Not to be confused with ”finished”, a full basement refers to the space being big enough to stand in. This type of basement can be used for living space or storage and typically increases the value of a home.
- Partial: A partial basement is one where only a portion of the basement is a space big enough to stand in. The rest might be similar to a crawl space.
- None: Structures with no basement at all can be built on a slab foundation (like a garage), directly onto the ground (like a shed), or sit on stilts/pylons (like a cabin or mobile home).
- Walk-out: A walk-out basement is exactly what it sounds- a basement with its own entrance that you can walk out of. These are most often seen in homes that are built into a hill- whether natural or artificially landscaped. Due to their aesthetically pleasing design, this type of basement can add significant value to a home.
- Walk-up: A walk-up basement is different from a walk-out basement in that most walk-up basements contain dug-in stairs that go from the ground level down to the basement level as an entry/exit.
In the simplest terms, an unfinished basement is one that’s not designed to be lived in. Often the walls and flooring are the bare concrete of your foundation and the space may contain electrical systems, water pipes, wires and your hot water heater. A finished basement is a below-grade living space that becomes part of your home, just like any other floor.
Finishing a basement requires a significant investment, both in terms of time and money. That said, a fully finished basement is a great addition to your home. It adds value and gives you the option to rent a part of your home for additional income. So, how do you go about finishing your basement? Here are 3 key points to keep in mind.
- Learn the rules
More specifically, learn the building codes and bylaws. These change city by city, so check with your local municipality to find out whether you need any permits for your proposed changes. This is particularly important if you’re planning plumbing and electrical work, which may have to be inspected. And remember, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the work carried out on your property is up to code. - Hire a pro
Finishing a basement can be a mammoth task. The work required is beyond the scope of the average handy-man, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most specific home systems (plumbing, HVAC, etc.) require expert knowledge to be installed safely and correctly. We’d advise staying well away from these tasks, as well as those relating to the installation of your electrical panels, removal of hazardous materials (like asbestos), and digging out a basement if you don’t already have one. Consider money spent here as an investment- now’s not the time to save a few bucks. - Add value
Take the opportunity to make some improvements to your home that will increase its value. Insulate your water pipes, especially if you live in a cold climate. Pipes that contact exterior walls or are exposed to unheated areas of the home may burst, causing significant water damage. Insulating your hot water pipes can also save you money by reducing heat loss, thus allowing you to reduce the temperature on your thermostat.
Consider adding a 3½ inch layer of fibreglass to your basement ceiling for noise reduction and insulation. For even more noise reduction, you can isolate the ceiling drywall from the joists using resilient channels (you may need to visit a drywall supplier to find these).
Finally, consider installing a sump pump and a backwater valve. Sump pumps evacuate water from the lowest point of your home. A backwater valve is a one-way valve attached to your sewage system to prevent it from backing up. Forty-four per cent of Square One’s home insurance claims result from water damage. Aside from protecting your most valuable asset- your home- from water damage, installing these devices could reduce your home insurance premium or policy deductibles. For certain high-risk locations, installation may be requisite for insurance.
Heating your basement Adding insulation will not only help control the temperature inside your basement, but will also add another layer of moisture control and provide sound proofing. Make sure to choose a type of insulation that includes a vapour barrier on both sides, or if you’re using spray foam insulation, install a vapour barrier first.
When designing your basement, consider the principal source of heat. Many consider a gas fireplace to be a great option for a basement. Besides the obvious aesthetic advantages- who doesn’t love a fireplace? – there are some benefits to placing a fireplace in the basement as opposed to elsewhere in the house. For example, the heat produced will be recycled as it rises through the rest of the house. And you may also be able to vent the chimney directly through the side wall instead of through the roof.
Alternatives to a gas fireplace include standalone systems (like a furnace) or a pellet stove. Other common types of heating include radiant floor, radiant panels (that attach to your walls) or a simple, standalone electric heater.
Just like a crawl space, it’s vital to protect your basement from moisture. Before you even start planning your build, thoroughly check your basement for water. Pools or drips coming through below-grade walls will need addressing. If you find any signs of water, deal with it before embarking on your basement renovations. A simple way to test for moisture is to tape 2-foot squares of plastic sheeting to the floor and walls. Leave them for a few weeks and then check for condensation. If it forms beneath the sheet, your foundation is not sealed. If it forms on top of the sheet, you may require a dehumidifier.
Most water issues can be solved by two simple measures; grading the soil to slope away from the foundation, and adding or repairing gutters and downspouts. If these measures don’t work or if you find serious water issues, consider installing a French drain or perimeter drain. This is a perforated pipe that sits in a bed of gravel and attracts groundwater away from your foundation.
It’s also a good idea to make sure your gutter downspouts discharge water at least 1.5 metres from your home and that there aren’t any plants within 30 centimetres of your walls. Rotting roots can provide a pathway for water to reach your foundation.
Basements can easily become dingy, so try to draw in as much natural light as possible. Use multiple light sources, mirrors and light-coloured paints to exaggerate the effect. Remember to wall off areas that need extra privacy, like bedrooms. And leave the area around your hot water heater unfinished in case of leaks. Don’t forget that at some point your hot water heater (in fact, most of the systems in your basement) will need replacing. So, don’t build yourself into a hole you can’t get out of. A great cost saving tip is to keep your plumbing in place wherever possible, as re-routing pipes will quickly add to the cost of your renovation.
Finally, we recommend not removing any steel posts or studs that connect to concrete without first consulting a structural engineer. These fixtures may well be holding your house up… Literally.
Aside from that, let your imagination run wild! Designing a basement is a fantastic opportunity to be creative, so don’t forget to enjoy the process.