Basement separate entrance in Garage question

11/1/2021 at 12:15:05 PM

In Alberta it's not permitted to exit through a garage if that is the only means of egress. A building permit would also be required in Alberta for that kind of alteration. Certain minor projects up to $5K in value are permitted without permits; however this would definitely require one. Also a development permit would be required for a secondary suite but perhaps not for an 'in-law' suite (the distinction being stove vs no stove).

11/2/2021 at 9:45:01 AM

When adding a second unit, the Building Code requires a 30-minute fire separation between units, and also between units and common areas. If the renovation of your house to add a second unit requires the alteration of an existing floor or ceiling, you are required to make that a 30-minute fire separation (see building code for further details). A fire separation can be reduced to 15 minutes if the entire house has interconnected smoke alarms.

For fire safety you will need a fire separation between your second unit and the rest of the house. A fire separation acts as a physical barrier to slow the spread of fire from one part of the house to the other. The fire separation must be continuous and include protected openings if necessary (for example, fire dampers) in order to work properly.

When considering adding a second unit to the property, I strongly recommend consulting with your municipality regarding the following:

1)the zoning requirements and standards for second units that apply to your property. This includes rules around parking requirements, exits and entrances, servicing or minimum or maximum unit size

2)whether you need to apply for rezoning or a minor variance

any other applicable agreements and approvals that are required before you can add a second unit

3)whether your second unit will need to be licensed or registered with your municipality.

I hope this helps!

11/6/2021 at 8:51:01 PM

Not legal, you need a separate exterior entrance either through house meeting fire and privacy codes or exterior one through foundation with drainage codes meet as well as retaining walls etc...can be very costly if no option through the house.