Obtaining Permits for Basement

[nonofyobiz]

on this application requirement list from the city website it says
"staff has been instructed to accept only complete applications which include plans prepared to professional
drafting standards. Note: Plans/drawings must conform to the Alberta Building Code. Drawings stamped with “not for
construction”, “preliminary”, or “for permit purposes only” are not acceptable. "

are they serious about this? lol I've drawn up my basement on 11x17 graph paper as neatly as I could ....will they accept this? like I'm not paying some professional drafter or contract company to do up professional drawings for my basement ...that's silly.

[roopi]

You don't need a professional drafter for this. Your drawing will be fine unless you did it with crayons.

[Dave P]

I did mine on MS Paint, not to scale, and they had no issues with it haha.

[nonofyobiz]

LOL k cool.

For the electrical...do i need one that shows locations of all plugs and all light fixtures, smoke CO2 detectors etc?

[logix]

You need to show the bathroom fan/smoke/CO2 detector locations, plugs/light fixtures aren't required.

[CaptainReboot]

Originally posted by nonofyobiz
LOL k cool.

For the electrical...do i need one that shows locations of all plugs and all light fixtures, smoke CO2 detectors etc?

Nope, but you do need to show the bathroom fan and smoke/CO2 detectors.

Also show the size of all the windows and that the door to the furnace room is 32".

I got my permit a few weeks ago. It was really easy. I just did it in Visio.

Book an appointment so you don't have to wait. Much faster.

[nonofyobiz]

Apparently I have to enlarge my window well

[CaptainReboot]

Originally posted by nonofyobiz
Apparently I have to enlarge my window well

Did you call it a bedroom?

We called ours an office. It really is, but you could call it that so you don't have to enlarge the well. You just can't call it a bedroom if you sell it.

[hampstor]

Recently went through this... I ended up using a drafter to do it (cost me just over $100 to get it done) and the drafter was able to tell me things like window size/door size requirements for furnace room / smoke detector requirements / etc. He also gave me some ideas on sizing rooms too.

re: the window well enlargement, yeah they changed that in November. I pulled my permit right after that was a requirement and neither myself or the drafter knew about it. I think they also mandated hard-wired smoke detectors in all the bedrooms at that time too.

If you call it an office, you don't need to worry about egress. Keep in mind that it doesn't prevent you from putting a bed/sleeping in there. You can put a bed / sleep anywhere you want in your house. What it does do is prevent you from declaring it a bedroom when you go to sell your house.

http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Documen...guidelines.pdf

[nonofyobiz]

Wish I knew that before I went. Probably too late now?

I was worried about putting that Sill Seal underneath my bottom plates for the walls... And it sounds like that stuff is no good. You have to use Vapor Barrier poly or pressure treated lumber. I put up one long wall and anchored it down so I hope that he lets me get away with it.

[hampstor]

Originally posted by nonofyobiz
Wish I knew that before I went. Probably too late now?

I was worried about putting that Sill Seal underneath my bottom plates for the walls... And it sounds like that stuff is no good. You have to use Vapor Barrier poly or pressure treated lumber. I put up one long wall and anchored it down so I hope that he lets me get away with it.

I just used PT lumber for my bottom plates. Someone said to me I should use the blue lumber (something about PT leaching chemicals inside the house). The framing inspector didn't say anything about it my bottom plates being PT. All he did was count the walls I as putting in (I guess to match my drawing), measure the window egress and the mechanical room door.

Oh make sure you have all bulkheads framed for your framing inspection. While not structural some inspectors will fail you without it (at least that's what the SCO guys told me).

[Sugarphreak]

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[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I am just in the middle of my own reno for an office and bedroom. I had to enlarge my window well as well, I found somebody on Kijiji that does only this and he came and put one in for 300$. Seemed fair.

Just had the my framing R.O. inspector today and pass everything. There was a few minor things he mentioned, the only condition placed was to leave a gap under the door for the office because it has no return air.

I did however fuck up my smoke alarm plan, I bought a battery powered one because I am putting everything in the bedroom on an arc fault breaker and I knew you are not allowed to have a fire alarm on such a breaker. I thought the battery powered one would be fine, but apparently it must be hard wired. It is supposed to be on it's own interconnected branch with all my other alarms... which is going to be a total PITA.

The other thing the inspector mentioned was my alarms are supposed to be on a dedicated branch. I checked my other alarms, and they are tied in with my basement main room... I am not even sure that they are interconnected. So do I connect my new one to an existing one, or do I stick the new one on a new dedicated branch? lol.... my electrical R.O. inspection is this afternoon, I should be able to get some direction on it from him.

Don't you already have a massive house and it's two living there?
How many bedrooms in your house after properly doing basement upgrade?

[Sugarphreak]

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[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


Going from a 2 bedroom home.... to a 3 bedroom home (I know, it is crazy overkill, haha)

Just passed my electrical inspection like 10 minutes ago. A few minor conditions, but nothing that will hold me up

On the whole both of the inspections were a pretty positive experience. They offered some good advice and insight, and I am a little more knowledgeable than I was before.

So good to have smooth inspectors, congrats congrats

[nonofyobiz]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I am just in the middle of my own reno for an office and bedroom. I had to enlarge my window well as well, I found somebody on Kijiji that does only this and he came and put one in for 300$. Seemed fair.

Just had the my framing R.O. inspector today and pass everything. There was a few minor things he mentioned, the only condition placed was to leave a gap under the door for the office because it has no return air.

I did however fuck up my smoke alarm plan, I bought a battery powered one because I am putting everything in the bedroom on an arc fault breaker and I knew you are not allowed to have a fire alarm on such a breaker. I thought the battery powered one would be fine, but apparently it must be hard wired. It is supposed to be on it's own interconnected branch with all my other alarms... which is going to be a total PITA.

The other thing the inspector mentioned was my alarms are supposed to be on a dedicated branch. I checked my other alarms, and they are tied in with my basement main room... I am not even sure that they are interconnected. So do I connect my new one to an existing one, or do I stick the new one on a new dedicated branch? lol.... my electrical R.O. inspection is this afternoon, I should be able to get some direction on it from him.

I'm just about to start Electrical, right after I figure out added another heater vent or 2 and a cold air return.

Cold air - existing one is where the bathroom is going. I added one to the bedroom, and now I figure there should at least be one in the main living room area. (overkill?)

I was also thinking about added a 2nd heat vent to the bedroom and a 2nd on to the main living room area. (overkill again?)

lol i tend to do more than i should sometimes.

Anyways, any tips for the electrical? is there a min and max distance for outlets? Also, how many devices can be on a circuit?

my plan it to decide what I need, put up boxes, start running wire.

[ExtraSlow]

If your heat vents are in the ceiling, make sure you don't have one directly over where your pillow will be in the bedroom.

[Sugarphreak]

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