Renovating Legal Suites to Bring Them Up to Code

Suites are most often in the basements of houses, and so many of them over the years have been put together by do-it-yourselfers, handymen, and less than talented contractors. (Did I say that delicately?=P) If you are reading this Blog, you probably know what I mean. Every month we are “doing it right” by bringing suites up to code and making them safe and attractive.

Building a suite in a new custom home is easy. It’s in the design to start with, is logical, meets all codes, looks good and attracts the highest rents. On the other hand, converting basements in old houses has some challenges. This Blog is about some of those challenges and costs, and a good heads up if you are thinking about suiting your basement.

Where to Start When Converting a Basement to a Legal Suite or Office

Let’s start with plumbing. Most old houses have a 3 inch interior diameter sewer drain, and many are cast iron. As soon as we add the extra toilet, sink and shower, the size of drain needs to be increased to handle the extra flow. So the 3 inch pipes need to be changed to 4 inch drain pipes that meet today’s codes. So out with the old pipes and in with the new. This usually means breaking up the concrete, and removing the old pipes all the way to the exterior of the house. So what may seem simple to you – put in a new toilet and shower – requires breaking concrete and re-piping all the drainage. See the pictures of before and after in a recent basement reno.

Of course there is bringing electrical up to code and minimum head height restrictions. Many municipalities like Vancouver have relaxed the code requirement of 6’10” to 6’6”. On a more fun note, some basements have sub floors with old fir flooring, like in this example, which had old vinyl tiles (no-asbestos) adhered on top. Removing the tiles and sanding and finishing the old wood floor makes for an amazing transformation.

Contact Alair Homes Vancouver for answers to your specific questions about your suite renovation, or what’s involved in adding a new suite in your area. You can also request an absolutely free custom renovation quote by going to our Alair Homes Vancouver Home Builders and Renovations page!