Basement apartment

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Dec 21st, 2020 3:43 pm

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basement apartment

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Dec 17th, 2020 5:38 pm

danieldcc [OP]: Jr. Member; Jan 2, 2008; 196 posts; 18 upvotes; Toronto

Dec 17th, 2020 5:38 pm

Basement apartment

Hey, I have a 4level backsplit and want to legally re t the two lower levels as one apartment. The 1st level already has living room, washroom and bedroom. Also has large wi does. The 2nd level has just one large room and furnace and laundry room. I want to add a kitchen to 2nd level and add a partition wall for bedroom. Has anyone done this recently and got their own building permits? Can you help me out with the process. I contacted a few companies but they want $2000 to do drawings and get permit. Is it really that much work for that? I want to do myself to get permit and get a contractor to do most work. There's a seperated exit, just needs a partition wall.

Any help is appreciated

I'm in mississauga

12 replies

Dec 17th, 2020 6:23 pm

miscbrah1: Sr. Member; Dec 9, 2013; 730 posts; 664 upvotes; Toronto

Dec 17th, 2020 6:23 pm

As a fire inspector that has taken autocad/building code courses with a BCIN, even I would pay someone to make and submit the drawings. You don't save money there, imo.

+2

Dec 17th, 2020 10:05 pm

Jerico: Deal Guru; Jan 25, 2007; 11479 posts; 6660 upvotes; Paris

Dec 17th, 2020 10:05 pm

danieldcc wrote: ↑ Hey, I have a 4level backsplit and want to legally re t the two lower levels as one apartment. The 1st level already has living room, washroom and bedroom. Also has large wi does. The 2nd level has just one large room and furnace and laundry room. I want to add a kitchen to 2nd level and add a partition wall for bedroom. Has anyone done this recently and got their own building permits? Can you help me out with the process. I contacted a few companies but they want $2000 to do drawings and get permit. Is it really that much work for that? I want to do myself to get permit and get a contractor to do most work. There's a seperated exit, just needs a partition wall.

Any help is appreciated

I'm in mississauga

The main answer is: YES. It is $2000 and 100% worth it.

+1

Dec 18th, 2020 9:27 am

danieldcc [OP]: Jr. Member; Jan 2, 2008; 196 posts; 18 upvotes; Toronto

Dec 18th, 2020 9:27 am

I still don't see the value. I'm not taking out koad bearing walls and just need a new kitchen. The other stuff to meet apartment code like egress and fire rules. Why is it $2000 i don't get. Maybe if it was being designed from scratch

Dec 18th, 2020 9:41 am

KevinM56081: Banned; Jun 4, 2020; 1634 posts; 1727 upvotes; Clarington, ON

Dec 18th, 2020 9:41 am

danieldcc wrote: ↑ I still don't see the value. I'm not taking out koad bearing walls and just need a new kitchen. The other stuff to meet apartment code like egress and fire rules. Why is it $2000 i don't get. Maybe if it was being designed from scratch

You are designing from scratch though. You are adding a dwelling unit. These drawings should address things including: egress, fire separations, detection and early warning that will be required to satisfy the building inspector.

miscbrah1 wrote: ↑As a fire inspector that has taken autocad/building code courses with a BCIN, even I would pay someone to make and submit the drawings. You don't save money there, imo.

Same. CAD experience. BCIN. Fire Inspector. Some things aren't worth doing yourself.

+1

Dec 18th, 2020 11:04 am

gr8dlr: Deal Expert; Sep 1, 2005; 16745 posts; 11492 upvotes; Markham

Dec 18th, 2020 11:04 am

danieldcc wrote: ↑ I still don't see the value. I'm not taking out koad bearing walls and just need a new kitchen. The other stuff to meet apartment code like egress and fire rules. Why is it $2000 i don't get. Maybe if it was being designed from scratch

$2000 is not even one months rent probably. Just meeting you, checking the space etc you're in for $500-1000 of time. I think the drawings/permit and likely advice that comes with it is not a lot. Do you really want to start things off "on the wrong foot"?

We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!

+1

Dec 18th, 2020 11:43 am

ssj4_ootaku1: Member; May 12, 2003; 371 posts; 245 upvotes; GTA

Dec 18th, 2020 11:43 am

OP

I think you're looking at this incorrectly.

IMO, you are thinking that you need drawings for a new kitchen and partial wall for bedroom. That is not correct.

You need to make this into a legal 2nd unit, meaning there has to be a LOT more done and an architect with building code knowledge can help.

Fire seperation between the 2 units, you may be asked to change drywall. If there are doors between units, they may have to be fire doors
Electrical may need updating
HVAC, does each room has its own vent
Each bedroom needs to have its own smoke alarm
Etc

+3

Dec 18th, 2020 2:00 pm

aznrsx1979: Sr. Member; May 11, 2008; 836 posts; 377 upvotes; Vancouver

Dec 18th, 2020 2:00 pm

OP, you're basically starting from scratch.

It sounds like they'll need to send someone out to site measure the space, I'm assuming there are no as-built drawings.
The existing doors, windows and separations may require to be upgraded.
When they prepare the BP documents, they'll need to do a code analysis (exiting, allowable openings, fire separations required, safety devices, etc.) in addition to the drawings.
If the $2000 is the cost of the drawings and the permit then that's pretty cheap.

+1

Dec 18th, 2020 2:05 pm

Jerico: Deal Guru; Jan 25, 2007; 11479 posts; 6660 upvotes; Paris

Dec 18th, 2020 2:05 pm

ssj4_ootaku1 wrote: ↑ OP

I think you're looking at this incorrectly.

IMO, you are thinking that you need drawings for a new kitchen and partial wall for bedroom. That is not correct.

You need to make this into a legal 2nd unit, meaning there has to be a LOT more done and an architect with building code knowledge can help.

Fire seperation between the 2 units, you may be asked to change drywall. If there are doors between units, they may have to be fire doors

Electrical may need updating

HVAC, does each room has its own vent

Each bedroom needs to have its own smoke alarm

Etc

I think the issue is that OP doesnt know what’s involved, so doesnt understand why drawing it will be so expensive. So OP needs help from someone who knows, but thinks they want too much. OP is trapped in an infinite loop.

+3

Dec 18th, 2020 2:22 pm

Holystone: Deal Addict; Oct 24, 2016; 1291 posts; 1218 upvotes; ON

Dec 18th, 2020 2:22 pm

When I had drawings and permits done for a basement apartment as well as a separate entrance, it cost me about $1600-$1700. In my case drawings had to be done for the main floor and first floor of the house as well and also the outside elevations of the house. In total there were a total of 9 drawings that were submitted to the city. This was 4-5 years back and I was told this was city’s requirement.

”If you buy things you don’t need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”

Dec 18th, 2020 4:35 pm

Toukolou: Deal Fanatic; Dec 4, 2009; 6520 posts; 2656 upvotes

Dec 18th, 2020 4:35 pm

We paid $2k for drawings to take down a single wall.

As another poster mentioned, it involved a detailed drawing of every floor in the house, a drawing of the reconfigured floor, plus external elevation drawings. Oh yeah, in Aurora I needed to submit the property survey too...all for a single wall.

"I'm a bit upset. I've been grab by the back without any alert and lubrification"
Lucky

Dec 18th, 2020 11:05 pm

HghSsociety: Deal Addict; Feb 16, 2018; 1292 posts; 1306 upvotes

Dec 18th, 2020 11:05 pm

as others have said, it's not "just a partition wall"

Dec 21st, 2020 3:43 pm

danieldcc [OP]: Jr. Member; Jan 2, 2008; 196 posts; 18 upvotes; Toronto

Dec 21st, 2020 3:43 pm

Thanks all.

I did end up hiring a guy to do it. Will update later

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