How to build a LEGAL BASEMENT from START to FINISH 🔨👷
Summary
TLDRThis video script offers an in-depth look at the process of developing a legal, rentable basement from scratch. It covers the 13 essential steps, including initial consultation, layout approval, permits, framing, inspections, and finishing touches. The host, Naj, interviews Hergy, a civil engineer and realtor who shares expert insights on safety requirements, cost considerations, and the importance of adhering to city guidelines. Viewers are guided through the challenges and benefits of basement development to supplement mortgage payments, with a focus on creating additional living spaces and ensuring compliance with building codes.
Takeaways
- 🏡 The video discusses the process of developing a legal rentable basement to supplement mortgage payments.
- 👷 Hergy, a civil engineer and realtor, shares his expertise in construction and basement development.
- 📝 The development process involves 13 steps, starting with measurements and initial consultation, and ending with final inspections and obtaining an occupancy permit.
- 🔍 Key considerations for basement development include meeting city guidelines, permit fees, and ensuring fire safety requirements are met.
- 🔄 Fire separation is crucial, with a minimum of 15 minutes fire separation required between the basement and the upper unit.
- 📏 Minimum ceiling height for basements is 6' 5", and underpinning may be necessary if the natural height is insufficient.
- 🛠️ The construction process includes framing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, and drywall installation, with inspections at various stages.
- 💰 Costs for developing a basement can vary, with one example in the video mentioning a cost of $75,000 including HST and permits.
- 🚪 Egress windows are required for fire exits, and separate entrances for basements may add additional costs.
- 🔐 Safety features such as duct smoke detectors are essential to prevent the spread of fire and are a critical part of obtaining permits.
- 👀 The video provides a behind-the-scenes look at basement construction, offering viewers a comprehensive understanding of the process.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of developing a legal rentable basement?
-The main purpose of developing a legal rentable basement is to supplement the homeowner's mortgage payment by providing additional income through renting the space.
What qualifications does Hergy have that make him suitable for this project?
-Hergy is a civil engineer by education, owns a construction company, and is also a realtor, giving him over a decade of experience in construction and expertise in the field.
What are the initial steps involved in developing a basement according to the script?
-The initial steps include measurements and initial consultation, understanding client requirements, city guidelines, and expectations on cost and timelines.
Why is fire separation an essential consideration during basement development?
-Fire separation is essential as per the Ontario Building Code (OBC) to ensure safety. It helps prevent the spread of fire and is a requirement for obtaining permits.
What is an egress window and why is it necessary in basement development?
-An egress window is a larger window that provides a fire exit. It is necessary for safety reasons and is a requirement for basements to meet building codes.
What is the minimum ceiling height required for a basement according to the script?
-The minimum ceiling height required for a basement is 6' 5" as per the building code.
What is underpinning and why might it be considered in basement development?
-Underpinning is a process where the floor is lowered to increase the height of the basement. It is considered when the existing height does not meet the minimum requirement and is an alternative to increasing the overall height of the house.
What are the additional costs associated with creating a separate entrance for a basement?
-The additional costs for creating a separate entrance can range from $12,000 to $15,000, depending on the project, and include the construction of a sidewalk or a below-ground stairwell entrance.
Why is the electrical panel capacity important when converting a basement into a legal duplex?
-The electrical panel capacity is important because it needs to support the increased electrical load from additional appliances like laundry machines and air conditioners. An upgrade from a 100-ampere to a 200-ampere panel may be necessary.
What is the estimated cost for a two-bedroom, one-bath basement with separate entrance and laundry?
-The estimated cost for such a basement, including HST and permits, is about $75,000, and it features top-notch finishes in the kitchen and washroom.
What is the role of a duct smoke detector in a basement?
-A duct smoke detector detects smoke in the system and, if smoke or fire is detected, it shuts off fuel and power to the furnace to prevent the spread of fire or smoke in the upper unit.
Outlines
🏗️ Basement Development Basics
This paragraph introduces the topic of developing a legal rentable basement from scratch, which can supplement mortgage payments. It covers the importance of permits, processes, challenges, costs, and timelines. The video features Hergy, a civil engineer turned realtor and construction company owner, who shares his expertise in construction and real estate. Hergy's experience and his venture with 'Bricks and Dreams' are highlighted, along with the host's mission to help immigrants achieve financial stability. The video promises to guide viewers through the 13 steps involved in basement development, starting with initial measurements and consultations to understand client requirements and city guidelines.
📐 Planning and Permits for Basement Renovations
This section delves into the detailed process of basement development, emphasizing the planning and permit stages. It explains the importance of creating a layout that meets legal requirements, including minimum ceiling heights, separate entrances, window specifications, and fire safety measures. The paragraph discusses the necessity of city approvals and the associated permit fees, as well as the critical aspects that city inspectors look for, such as fire separation, interconnected fire alarms, and egress windows for fire exits. It also touches on the challenges of meeting these requirements, such as minimum height restrictions and the option of underpinning to increase basement height legally.
🛠️ Framing, Inspections, and Finishing Touches
This paragraph outlines the construction process post-permit approval, starting with initial framing to establish room locations and client expectations. It highlights the importance of subsequent inspections for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems to ensure compliance with building codes. The paragraph explains the sequence of construction activities, including framing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, and drywall installation, followed by mudding to prepare surfaces for a finished look. It also discusses the final stages of construction, which involve flooring, tiling, trims, bathroom installations, priming, and painting, culminating in a final inspection for occupancy permits. Additional costs for separate entrances and electrical panel upgrades are also mentioned, along with considerations for water line sizes to support multiple units.
🔥 Safety Requirements and Project Showcase
The final paragraph focuses on safety requirements for basement renovations, particularly the installation of duct smoke detectors to prevent the spread of fire. It explains the role of these detectors in shutting off fuel and power to the furnace in case of smoke detection, thereby enhancing fire safety. The paragraph also showcases a completed project by Hergy and his team, detailing the cost and features of a two-bedroom, one-bath basement with a separate entrance and laundry. It emphasizes the high-quality finishes in the kitchen and washroom and invites viewers to follow Hergy's Instagram for more insights into construction processes. The video concludes with a call to action for subscriptions, likes, and comments, encouraging viewers to engage with the content and share their preferences for future videos.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Basement Development
💡Permits
💡Fire Separation
💡Egress Window
💡Ceiling Height
💡Furnace
💡Electrical Panel
💡Water Line
💡Mudding
💡Occupancy Permit
💡Walk-out Basement
Highlights
Importance of fire safety in basement development, with a focus on fire separation and interconnected fire alarms.
The cost of moving a furnace to create an open concept living space in a basement renovation.
13 steps involved in developing a legal rentable basement, including permits, process, challenges, costs, and timeline.
Hergy's expertise as a civil engineer, construction company owner, and realtor in basement development.
Naj's mission to retire himself and 1 million immigrants with $5 million through real estate education.
Minimum ceiling height requirements for basements and the option of underpinning to meet these requirements.
Two different floor plans offered to clients for basement development, allowing them to choose based on their preferences.
The process of obtaining permits for basement development, including the timeline and inspections involved.
The importance of electrical panel capacity when converting a basement into a legal duplex.
The necessity of upgrading water lines in older properties to support two units in a basement development.
The mudding stage in basement construction and its role in preparing the walls for final finishes.
The cost of creating a separate entrance for a basement, including the additional expense for below-ground stairwells.
Safety requirements for basements, including duct smoke detectors to prevent fire spread.
The completed project of a two-bedroom basement with separate entrance and laundry, and its cost breakdown.
Hergy's Instagram page as a resource for behind-the-scenes construction insights.
The call to action for viewers to subscribe to the channel, like the video, and comment on their favorite parts.
Transcripts
one of the most essential things that
they look at is
jobs in the furnace the probability of
getting a fire are much higher this is
crazy so how much money did you spend to
move it there it cost me close to this
video is the only video you'll ever want
to watch if you want to understand how
to develop a legal rentable basement
from scratch that would help you
supplement your mortgage payment we'll
talk about permits process challenges
costs and timeline as we look at
different homes in different stages of
development and for this we have hergy
with us who is part of bricks and dreams
my realtor Partners a civil engineer by
education and owns a construction
company along with being a realtor tell
us a little
bit well uh I have over a decade of
experience in construction but this this
Venture is something we just started
over an year ago and that's when I
decided you
know and you know start to have a second
uh Venture where create some income and
also help the clients if you are new to
this channel my name is Naj and I'm on a
mission to retire myself and 1 million
more immigrants with $5 million do
subscribe to the channel if you have not
done that already and let's get started
[Music]
all right so we are in an amazing
basement right now I love it it's a walk
out basement and we have with us and
he'll explain to
us this
is we are planning to build a
two-bedroom basement here and while also
keeping some of the area for the owner's
use as a storage and gym area so now
let's talk about the 13 steps that are
involved in developing a basement number
one is measurements and initial
consultation where hergy and his team
will go to the client and understand
what their requirements are whether they
want a one bedroom basement or a
two-bedroom basement they'll also look
at the requirements as for the city
guidelines and that's the initial
consideration that has to be made first
then obviously the expectation on cost
timelines all that is discussed then
her's team will be building a layout as
per legal requirements the third step in
this is forwarding the layout after the
approvals from the client obviously uh
they forward the layout to the city for
approval and this includes the permit
fees because obviously there's a fees to
the uh you know to making changes uh to
the house as well there are kitchen
requirements their height of the
basement you know there has to be a
minimum height we'll talk about that
separate entrance window requirements
fire safety there's so many things that
need to be looked at and because they
are experts they know exactly what the
city requires and they make sure that
all the requirements are
met important like when you are looking
at the plans and everything like is it
the ceiling height is it a separate
entrance like what what are the three or
four things that they are definitely
looking at when it comes to approvals
well to be honest with you they they
look at everything you know they look at
okay how are you installing the separate
entrance H where are you installing it
and one of the most essential things
that they look at is fire separation
right because uh as per OBC uh we need
to have 30 minute fire
separation we provide interconnected
fire alarms anyway uh which are
connected with the upper unit as well so
requirement then you're only required to
put in 15 minutes fire separation got it
but uh we try to do both ah makes sense
Mak sense to just and then you also have
to have one egress uh window for the
fire exit for the fire exit so igress
window is basically a bigger window uh
which you see uh here these are all
igress windows now we talking about
[Music]
so the minimum height that's required is
6' 5 in that's going to be across all no
that's the lowest height that they would
allow you right just say here we have uh
I can just tell you this is 7 fo10 uh
and we will most likely remove this
uhhuh and uh we would have a roughly 8T
sorry 7t 10 ceiling that's more than
acceptable okay but the 65 would apply
here ah because we have lowered this
down and by the time you put a drve ball
and framing here this might come down a
little bit more M right but in certain
cases there's no way you are able to do
it sense like like if it's a little bit
City would allow it okay right and but
if it's if you still can't do it then
the other option you have is
underpinning so what we are trying to do
is we trying to you know not increase
the but it used the floor and that's how
we increase height that's requires a lot
of cost we'll not get into that um not
recommended in most cases but um yeah
that's how we can make it legal now this
basically is the floor plan and her has
actually given two floor plans to this
client so if you just try to imagine you
know we came down from here this is the
gym area uh and then there'll be a
bedroom here there'll be a laundry here
uh and then you know you'll have uh the
furnace closet this is the bedroom
number two this is the kitchen and
here's the you know where the living
area will go and here's the bathroom and
there's a even a walk-in closet you know
if you look at this bathroom um and then
you know so this is where you come down
and this is where you enter basically
and on in the entrance there's a laundry
as well so it's a pretty nice you know
like very spacious um you know um
looking plan uh and this is the walk out
basement I think this is the patio door
so this is where the entrance will be so
it's pretty amazing and then this is
basically an alternate plan where the
layout is a slightly different uh it it
doesn't give you know a walk-in closet
it gives a smaller closet but the washer
dryer is at a different position it
makes the uh house a little bit bigger
uh when it comes to bedroom number two
so these two options the client can
actually choose you know what they like
and that's how uh the layout works and
depending on you know this is all bu up
to building Cod and depending on what
the client chooses uh this will actually
go to the city uh for permits then
number four is of course the permit
comes in 2 to 4 weeks then there is
framing that will be started now they do
not complete all the framing that's what
you know harji told me they don't
complete all the framing because there's
another inspection that happens but what
they do is after they do the initial
framing so that they know what room uh
goes where and what it looks like and
the client can also you know imagine a
little bit you know because it's very
difficult for someone who has not done
it you know um himself to know uh or get
into the brain and even understand the
layout uh when it's made it's just
easier if the framing is done to
understand how the bedroom would look
like and how the kitchen would look like
and how the entire layout would look
like then obviously uh when the framing
happens without doing the drywall it's
much easier to do the plumbing HVAC
electricals all that happens after the
framing and then they basically complete
the framing after they've completed the
framing then another inspection happens
all the greens ones are that are not in
control of the construction people these
are all and everything that is marked in
green these are all inspections it's
very much dependent on City and how much
time they take to do it uh usually this
particular inspection uh you know is
happens pretty quickly because the
inspector is already assigned uh so
inspection happens in need to make sure
that the plumbing is as per code uh HVAC
is there electricals are there so
everything has to be as per code and
that's why this particular inspection
happens and after the inspection is done
then they actually do the drywall
because now you cannot make a lot of
changes once you have done the drywall
so then the drywalling happens then
there's something called as mudding and
now will explain what mudding actually
means out there just to make it look
very nice the way we see the finished W
after that we are in the final stages
where we have to finish the entire you
know house we have to do flooring tiling
trims bathrooms and then there is
priming and painting and plus we also
need to do kitchen installations and
bathroom installation so all the
finishing touches go on step number 11
and 12 and finally there's a final
inspection that happens just to ensure
that everything is to code all the you
know fittings have been to code and it's
all you know good and once the inspector
is satisfied
then you get the occupancy
permit basement it's very easy to have a
separate
entrance you just need to make a
sidewalk uh what happens if you don't
have a walk out
basement so then we have to do a below
ground stairwell entrance
and you know that's the direct cost that
gets added to the project uh 12 to
$5,000 depending upon project to project
there to do
it we need to have from your building
footprint to your property L you need to
have at least 4 foot four if you don't
have
it this is the thing and the second
thing I look for is what type of
electrical panel they have why is that
important it is important because uh if
if you are converting into legal duplex
if you have up to 125 ampere panel it
will not be able to take the electrical
load laundry or plus air conditioner
right so you need to upgrade it to
almost
200 because say we are just doing a
project in
Brandford 200 possible the maximum we
are going to get is uh
150 we have recommended the clients to
uh install one of their stoves as
gas
gas makes sense and the the third thing
I look for is the size of water line but
this is a new property built in
2019 but some of the properties which
are older 58 in line and that is not
enough to support two units M so in
those cases you have to upgrade your
water line from City's curb stop to your
within your property and that's also an
additional cost rly uh it can vary from
$5 to $8,000 depending upon KY length
all right we are in her's basement now
which is under
construction nice so this is what stage
now well this is at mudding stage right
now uhhuh and here it's going to be
kitchen okay and well this is what
upgraded 200 a okay you have upgraded
this 200 US like Bel provided 100 we
have upgraded it to 200 got it because
100 won't support two laundries and two
stoves Mak sense and here it will be
kitchen very small kitchen M and then uh
this is going to be living area mhm and
this is going to be bedroom that's going
bedroom this is washroom okay this will
be washroom this is washroom so
con so this is going to be one bedroom
this is going to be the bedroom and ab
be uh like originally I wanted to have a
closet here uh but because I'm doing
everything legally so the door has to be
at like 32 in wide so I was not able to
put a closet so what I have done to C to
that is I have I'm going to convert the
under stairs portion ah
uh this should be easily I think $1,300
,300 plus utility is 30% nice
yeah so all of this is out yes so this
planning happens at uh the stage
roughing stage ruffing stage happens
inspection so now what we need to do
after this is
finishing there is one more layer of
mudding that they need to do and after
that uh I'm going to call in painter to
do the priming and right where we are
going to call in the finishing team to
install flooring and uh washroom
instulation and last thing to catchen
installation all right time total from
starting to let's say end roughly like
is but I was also not very aggressive on
this because I'm focusing more on my
clients better than my own by the way
has done something really amazing where
her is standing was what heri so so when
when when I bought this house from the
build so this where we standing I had
the furnace and the water heater was
there one of the first things when I was
visualizing the basement floor plans I
was like okay I was always wanting to
have open concept living room in order
to get that I had to move my furnace
pretty much my whole mechanical room had
to be moved
there this is crazy so how much money
did you spend to move it there it cost
me close to $5,000 to to move that but
this is so much worth it because you got
so much space here and this can be a
bedroom with a walk-in closet and a
laund
and this is pretty big awesome amazing
are the best thank you now let's go to
another project that hergy and his team
just completed this is a two-bedroom one
bath basement with separate entrance and
separate laundry this basement would
cost about $75,000 including HST and
permits and the finishes are topnotch
especially in the kitchen and washroom
now let's understand a few safety
requirements in this basement because
they are so critical to getting the
permits this is duct smoke detector and
uh in simple terms uh the purpose of
this is to detect any smoke in the
system in case it detects any smoke or
fire it will shut off Fuel and power to
this furnace so that to prevent the
spread of any further fire or smoke in
the upper unit very simple reason in
case of any fire it will immediately
kick in and you know prevent the spread
of fire the utility room is close to
60t source of fire usually mechanical
room it can be because at the end of the
day in the furnace uh the probability of
getting a fire are much higher compared
to any other uh parts of the house
that's awesome hery is a very kind
person and a Powerhouse of knowledge do
follow his Instagram page to know more
about behind the scenes of construction
that's all I have for today do subscribe
to the channel if you have not done that
already do hit the like button if you
really love the video and do put in the
comments what is the best part of this
particular video and what all videos you
would want to see in
future byebye
[Music]
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