Make existing basement legal in Mississauga
2/21/2019 at 11:24:35 AM
Hello,
We recently bought a house that has a finished basement. It is missing 2 things, separate entrance and kitchen. We would like to use the basement for our extended family when they visit. We would also like to rent the unit sometime in the future.
I got an estimate for separate entrance for about 11-12K including the building permit.
My question is can I get a permit to do the kitchen separately? Or would I need a permit for the unit as a whole?
If I do need a permit to make the unit legal as a whole, how much would it cost to get the permit from the city? I assume the right way would be to hire a contractor who would talk to the city and get the permits.
I am kind of lost and have no idea where to start. Any help will be appreciated.
GS
2/21/2019 at 11:49:44 AM
Certainly you could get a separate permit for the entry only. When you say that you only need a kitchen you may not be familiar with all the Code requirements for a legal secondary suite which kick in when there's a stove.
Aside from the usual things like smoke and CO alarms, egress windows in bedrooms, there's also a requirement for separate ventilation systems (no mixing of air from one suite to the other) and the furnace room needs to be fully drywalled (including ceiling) and taped.
Suggest you try to find builders in your area who are building new homes with secondary suite completed so you can see how it's done & what the City will be expecting.
2/21/2019 at 1:06:14 PM
Hello,
Each municipality has different regulations however in Ottawa it would be safe to assume to make the unit legal you would need to both at the same time.
You are correct in that hiring the right contractor you would need not worry about permits. They usually have a friend or two in the city who can help push permits along.
Best of luck!
2/21/2019 at 3:10:59 PM
Hi there.....
ONE permit for both jobs should be fine........if your location/adress allows for a basement appartment
Be careful with fire-proofing between units, seperate ventilation and means of egress.
Sometimes an escape(larger) window is the answer.
Hope this helps,
Gerard Schoeman
Betterbuilt(2525)
2/21/2019 at 4:30:53 PM
Do not forget if you have 2 kitchens, your electrical supply may also require an upgrade too.
Always ensure the guys doing your electrical are licensed with the ESA. www.esasafe.com
2/21/2019 at 11:19:05 PM
Hello
The cost of permit would be something between 3-4K depending on the size of the basement.
Around $1000-1500 for city and rest for the drawing.
We are just doing one in Barrie waiting for the 3rd inspection.
If the door will be above the grade this price with the permit is a bit high but if there is any excavation and needs to go down 5-7 feet, No way can get done with this price.
Good luck
2/22/2019 at 2:12:46 PM
GS,
You are going to run into a lot of extra cost if you decide to legalize the apartment.
New 5/8 drywall on the ceiling, causing you to paint the entire apartment.
Second form of egress for fire code, another $6k
Kitchen about $10K
Separate entrance done by professionals is more like $15K
The list goes on.
Think twice.
Best,
Andrew
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