Basement Finishing Guide

When applying for a building permit to finish a basement in a single residential dwelling unit, you must submit certain basic information about the construction for the application to be complete and accepted by the Building Services Division. If you do not have all this information, your application is not complete and a building permit cannot be issued.

This guide is for reference only. It does not cover all requirements referenced in the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and is provided to assist in clarifying the most critical health and safety requirements that apply to finishing a basement in a single residential dwelling unit. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all information is complete, accurate and up to date. For all other types of projects, consult the OBC for specific requirements.

Homes that are less than five years old must conform to OBC Part 9. However, any home that is five years or older may conform to OBC Part 11. Part 11 provides provisions for alternative compliance in a renovation to achieve minimum health and life safety standards. This guide only explains some of these code requirements.

You may also visit the City of Peterborough’s Building Services website to find further information on applying for a building permit, or to obtain the required forms.

FAQ

1. When do I require a building permit to finish my basement? A building permit is required for any construction in your basement. This includes, but is not limited to drywall work, moving plumbing fixtures, installing new plumbing fixtures (even in a roughed in bathroom), creating rooms or adding insulation. It does not include painting and decorating.
2. Why do I require a building permit to finish my basement? A building permit is required by provincial law to ensure that health and safety standards as set out in the OBC are met. These are the minimum requirements that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has established to ensure the health and safety of everyone who may occupy the space. Building permits are also used to confirm that the building conforms to the Zoning By-laws and other applicable regulations.
3. How do I get a permit to finish my basement and how long does the process take? A building permit may be obtained from the Building Services Division at City Hall by submitting a complete application. Please refer to the end of this guide for a checklist of the documentation required for a complete building permit application. A permit will be issued within the prescribed time frame, if a complete building permit application which complies with the OBC and all other applicable law is submitted.
4. Who is permitted to design my drawings? The homeowner (person on title) is permitted to prepare the drawings. If the homeowner is not preparing the drawings, the proposed work must be designed by a ministry qualified designer with a minimum qualification of BCIN House. A form called Schedule 1: Designer Information must be completed.

   Depending on the scope of the work, the following may be required as part of the permit application documents.

   • HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) drawings.
   • Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) for any structural related components that do not meet Part 9 design (ex: pre-engineered beams, lintels, or joists, or for spans that are not found in the OBC
5. Who is permitted to complete the construction? Once a building permit has been obtained, any competent party is permitted to complete the work, except for plumbing. If a plumber is hired to complete the work, they must be licensed with the City of Peterborough. Building Services staff can verify if your plumber is licensed if you ask.

   It is the responsibility of the homeowner to ensure that:

   • A building permit has been obtained.
   • The prescribed building inspections are requested during construction.
   • That the work complies with the Ontario Building Code and that the prescribed building inspections have been passed by both the Building Inspector and Mechanical Inspector (plumbing & HVAC).
   • That the building permit has been closed.

   If the homeowner is not the applicant, an Authorization to Act as Agent form is required to be completed. You can find the form by visiting the Building Services & Permits page on the City’s website.

   Always remember to call for a final inspection to ensure that your building permit can be closed.

6. How are building permit applications processed? The Building Services Division staff review your application in terms of completeness and compliance. These requirements are set out by:
   • The Ministry of Municipal Affairs (provincial government) and are stated in the OBC
   • The local Zoning By-law (municipal government, in this case The City of Peterborough)
   • All other applicable laws as referenced in the OBC

   Depending on the location of your property, you may need to request approval from other agencies or City Departments. Building Services Division staff may assist you in determining whether this is required for your property. If any approvals are required for your proposed construction, these will need to be obtained from the agency or City Department prior to submitting your application to Building Services.

7. Can I start framing while the Building Department reviews my plans? No, it is against the law to begin construction without the authority of a building permit. If the Chief Building Official chooses to, fines under the Building Code Act (BCA) may be issued. Beginning work prior to obtaining your building permit may also lead to problems during inspections. Often work that has commenced is required to be undone, which may be costly.
8. What drawings are required for a complete basement finishing application submission? When applying for a building permit to finish your basement, a floor plan will be required.

Floor Plan Drawings

A floor plan is a drawing of the structure seen as if it is cut horizontally a few feet above the floor line. It shows the layout of the basement as well as providing the structural framing information for the floor or roof above. An example drawing showing some of the required information is provided below.

The floor plan is permitted to be either hand drawn, or digitally drawn, it must be drawn to scale and dimensions must be provided. The Floor Plan will be accepted in either metric or imperial units of measurement.

Requirements:

• Room names and areas
• Door sizes (width and height)
• Window sizes (width and height) and operation type (casement, awning, slider etc.)
• Walls (no single line drawings are permitted).
• All proposed wall construction (interior partitions, structural walls, framing of an interior wall of around foundation walls to receive insulation).
• Bathroom layout (if applicable)
• Existing stair location
• Ceiling height (including areas where the ceiling height changes, such as under bulkheads or beams)
• Any new beams, lintels, or other structural supports (include size, material & location dimensions)
• Location of existing (or relocated) mechanical equipment, such as furnace, HRV (heat recovery ventilator), water heater, clothes washer/dryer
• Location and sizes of existing duct work (including supply and cold air returns)
• Structural components (lintels, beams, columns, bearing walls) indicating size, spacing, material, and showing support details at bearing points
• Existing and new items are to be clearly differentiated on the plan. (This is commonly achieved by shading in existing walls or labelling all existing items and proposed elements (rooms, walls, ductwork, etc.).
• Include the existing square footage of the area, and square footage of the finished area.

Remember to:

• Ensure that the plans are dimensioned.
• Show all construction elements on the drawings and clearly label what they are.
• Clearly label all rooms, indicating which are new proposed and which are existing (example: “Existing Bathroom” or “New Bathroom”).
• Clearly differentiate between any new proposed and existing building elements (example: shade in existing wall construction but leave new proposed walls unshaded).

Sample Floor Plan

Note: Sample drawing of a floor plan for a basement finishing does not necessarily indicate all information required for a building permit application.

Basement Plan Guide

General Requirements

Fire Safety

Single Residential Dwelling Units are required to contain both smoke alarms (OBC 9.10.19.) and carbon monoxide alarms (OBC 9.32.3.9.) as a fire safety measure.

Note: combination smoke & CO alarms are permitted.

Smoke Alarms are required to be located:

• so there is at least one smoke alarm installed on each storey, including basements
• any storey containing a sleeping room (ex: bedrooms)
• within each sleeping room (ex: bedrooms) and
• in a location between the sleeping rooms and the remainder of the storey (ex: hallway)

Carbon Monoxide Alarms are required to be located:

• so there is at least one carbon monoxide alarm on each storey, including basements,
• in the main area of a bachelor suite or combined living and sleeping area
• adjacent to each sleeping area
• in sleeping rooms adjacent to a garage
• in sleeping rooms containing or adjacent to a suite/area that contains a fuel-burning appliance (i.e. furnace) or flue and
• in sleeping rooms adjacent to an attic or crawl space that is adjacent to a garage
• mechanically fixed at the manufacturer’s recommended height, or in the absence of specific instructions, on or near the ceiling,

Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Alarms shall:

• be installed with permanent connections to an electrical circuit with no disconnect switch, 
• include a battery back-up
• include a visual signaling component
• include an audio signaling component
• be wired so that they are interconnected – the activation of one smoke alarm will activate all other smoke alarms within the dwelling unit

Safe Exiting

The Ontario Building Code sets out minimum sizes for doorways (OBC 9.5.5.) and hallways (OBC 9.5.4.) to facilitate a safe path towards an exit in the event of an emergency.

Doors in the path between the basement and the exterior must be a minimum width of 810mm (32”) wide. This includes doors at the top or bottom of stairs.

Other door sizes (OBC 9.5.5.) are required to meet specific minimum size requirements to facilitate safe exiting, as well as general movability within the space.

• Utility room doors must be 810mm (32”) wide
• Bathroom doors are permitted to be 610mm (24”) wide
• Rooms located off hallways that are permitted to be 710mm (28”) wide
• All other doors must be a minimum width of 760mm (30”) wide

The unobstructed width of a hallway is required to be a minimum of 860mm (34”) wide.

Hallways may have a reduced width of 710mm (28”) wide, when there are only bedrooms and bathrooms at the end of the hallway furthest from the living area, and a second exit is provided to accommodate.

Insulation

Houses less than 5 years old: The minimum insulation required in basement walls is R20ci (continuous insulation) when the house is less than 5 years old.

Houses 5 years or older: In houses 5 years or older there are no required insulation values, however if there is insulation in the existing construction, any renovations must maintain the existing insulation value. It is also recommended that where there was no existing insulation, that it be added to the best achievable R-value in an existing basement.

Ceiling Height

As a health and safety matter, the Ontario Building Code regulates a minimum ceiling height (OBC 9.5.3.) in all finished spaces. 

The minimum ceiling height under beams, duct work or any other projections is required to be 1950mm (6’-5”).

In houses more than 5 years old (except for secondary suites), there are compliance alternatives that may apply:

• 2030mm (6’-8”) over at least 50% of the required floor area, but at any point of the floor area less than 1400mm (4’-7”) is not included in the required floor area, or
• 1950mm (6’-5”) over the required floor area in any location used as a means of egress.

Windows

In rooms that contain electric lighting minimum, unobstructed glass areas are required to be provided. This is actual glass area, not the overall window size (do not include the frame in area calculations). For example, an 11m2 (120 ft²) bedroom would require a minimum glass area of 0.55m2 (6 ft²). The table below provides the minimum requirements (OBC 9.7.2.3.)

Every basement level that contains a bedroom must be provided with a way to safely get outside. If the basement does not have a door that leads directly to the exterior grade, an egress window is required (OBC 9.9.10.1.) to be provided. The egress window must be located where it is always accessible to everyone who may be sleeping in the basement.

Glass Area: is the portion of the window that you can see through and that also provides light. It does not include the window frame. The glass area is calculated by multiplying the length and width of the glass panel(s) of the window.

The Egress Window must:

• be openable from the inside without the use of tools or special knowledge,
• provide an individual, unobstructed open portion having a minimum area of 0.35m² (3.8sqft) with no dimension less than 380mm (15”), and
• provide the required opening without the use of tools or special knowledge.

Egress windows that open into a window well, must have a clearance of not less than 550mm, provided in front of the window.

Note1: though the Code does not indicate a maximum window-well depth, it is recommended that it not exceed 36”, in the event a person must climb out of the window.

Note2: when a window-well is installed it is imperative that frost cover is provided for the foundation. A minimum of 48”  from the base of the window-well to the bottom of the foundation/footing is required.

Where the sash of an egress window swings towards the window well, the operation of the sash shall not reduce the clearance in a manner that would restrict escape in an emergency.

Where a protective enclosure is installed over an egress window well, such enclosure shall be openable from the inside without the use of keys, tools, or special knowledge of the opening mechanism.

Stairs

Stairs are required to have uniform riser heights within the flight of stairs (OBC 9.8.). If you intend to raise the height of the finished floor, or if you intend to finish the stairs with flooring, uneven riser heights must be avoided throughout the entire stair run for safety reasons. Stairs must also contain a code compliant guard and handrail.

Any proposed changes to existing stairs, handrails or guards must comply with OBC 9.8.

Stairs are required to be provided with adequate lighting (OBC 9.34.2.3.). Stairs that serve finished spaces are required to have a 3-way wall switch located at the top and bottom of each flight of stairs.

The edge of a step, called a nosing, is required to be rounded or beveled between ¼” to ½” measured from the edge of the tread to help prevent tripping, especially in emergency situations. If the edges are covered with a resilient material, the rounding or beveling can be reduced to ⅛” (9.8.4.8.). Should you choose to do this, ensure that the resilient material is flush to the surface of the step so that the step is even (9.8.9.6.(0.1)).

Plumbing 

If there is a bathroom roughed in or if you intend to add bathroom fixtures the work must meet the plumbing requirements in Part 7 of the Ontario Building Code. This also applies to all plumbing work that is proposed. Some common examples include bar sinks, washing machine hook-ups, laundry tubs, and sump pits.

Reminder: Bathrooms require ventilation/exhaust to the exterior. This information is provided in the following pages under HVAC.

Heating/Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)

All homes have Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system. In older homes it may just be a furnace or baseboard heat and windows that open to allow air circulation. Newer homes have more complicated systems.

HVAC design (9.32. & 9.33.) in most homes (especially new homes), the ventilation and heating systems are combined, but the requirements for ventilation need to be looked at separately from the heating/cooling. An adequate amount of supply and return air ducts are required to be provided for the basement space. If you are unsure of the requirements, speak with a qualified mechanical contractor who is H.R.A.I. registered (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada) to ensure the system is properly designed and installed. A poor design may cause discomfort and lead to poor energy efficiency as well as higher operating costs.

In many newer houses a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) was installed when the house was built. If you wish to reuse the HRV for the exhaust of the bathroom, a new HRV balancing report will need to be submitted after the installation. Many older homes do not contain an HRV system.

The age of your house, scope of the proposed work, and type of existing HVAC that your house has will determine what requirements will need to be met. In general terms, each room in a basement is required to be provided with a heat source. Depending on the use of a room, it will be required to have adequate fresh air supply and air circulation. These are all key to ensuring the health and safety of anyone who may be enjoying the use of the basement.

For newer homes, HRAI explains that there are three options for heating a habitable (finished) basement.

• Option 1: is to provide a secondary heat source for the basement that will supplement 20% of the heat loss in conjunction to the use of the primary heat source. With this option, the heat ducts are permitted to remain at the ceiling level and must deliver 100% of the required heat load of the basement. This method is thermostatically controlled.

• Option 2: is to create a separate system or zone of a system which is controlled by a thermostat that is located in the area that it serves. This separate system or zone of a system must deliver 100% of the required heat load to the area that it serves.

• Option 3: applies to basements that are fully insulated (full height of exposed walls). Supply heat is to be located at the exterior walls, or in immediately adjacent walls. The supply heat is to be within 6” of the basement floor and the circulation fan on the furnace shall be set to run continuously.

All bathrooms require mechanical ventilation by way of exhaust equipment. If the bathroom is not being exhausted through an HRV unit, it is usually done with an exhaust fan. The exhaust equipment being used must be approved by Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) and must be vented directly to the exterior with properly sized duct work. The minimum capacity required to be met is 25 L/s (50cfm).

Don't Forget!

• Contact the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) to obtain an electrical permit for any electrical work to be completed.
• A qualified gas technician is required for work such as:
• Gas fireplace installations.
• Relocating or changing fuel fired appliances.
• Carbon monoxide alarms are required to be installed adjacent to sleeping areas when a fuel fired appliance is used.
• Egress is required if sleeping areas are provided (ex: egress window(s) or a door that exits directly outside).
• Sufficient supply and return air ducts must be provided for the new layout.

After Building Permit Issued

• If any design changes are proposed after your building permit has been issued, contact Building Services Division to speak with the Plans Reviewer prior to proceeding with any work. Revised drawings may be required and a revision fee may also be applied.

• Building Services will provide the contact information of the inspectors assigned to your building permit at the time of building permit issuance.

• Whenever possible it is recommended to have the builder present during inspection to assist the Building Inspector in relaying important information. This will help eliminate delays during the process.

Ensure that each inspection is passed before proceeding with the next phase of work. Failure to notify the appropriate inspector of readiness for a mandated inspection may result in removal of finishes to the satisfaction of the inspector to ensure inspection may take place.

Remember to provide your inspector(s) with minimum 48 hours notice when booking inspections.

Common inspection deficiencies include:

• What is constructed does not match the floor layout of the approved plans.
• The top or bottom rise of stairs is not uniform due to change in floor or tread finishes.
• Ceiling height does not meet requirements.
• Door size to the utility room is too small.
• Make-up air is not provided to fuel burning appliances, such as a furnace.
• Improper dryer ducting.
• Improper washroom ventilation.
• Improperly vented plumbing pipes.
• Moisture protection of bottom plates of walls is not provided.
• 3-way switch missing or improperly located to serve stairs.
• Supply and return air ducts are not provided to all rooms.

Note: closets or rooms possessing fuel-fired appliances, such as gas furnaces or hot water tanks are not permitted to open into sleeping areas or washrooms. This is mandated in the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code.

Checklist for a Complete Building Permit Application

When applying for a building permit to finish a basement, the following items must be included for the application to be complete and accepted by the Building Services Division. If you do not have all required information, your application is incomplete and cannot be processed.

Please ensure that the following documents are uploaded with your online application submission:

• A completed and signed Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish form
• Completed Authorization to Act as Agent form (if you are not the property owner on title)
• Complete set of Drawings (see above noted requirements)
• Schedule 1: Designer Information (The person that prepares the drawings must either be the property owner on title, or a BCIN qualified and/or registered designer as per the OBC requirements)
• Applicable approvals from other City Divisions or Agencies (e.g. Heritage, ORCA, etc.)
• Payment of administrative fee at the time of the application. Additional permit fees will apply once Building Services staff has completed a preliminary review of the completeness of the application, i.e. all required documentation has been provided.

Applications must be submitted through the online application portal. Choose the type of application that best suits your property and scope of work. If you’re not sure which option fits best or have any questions about the online application submission, you can contact Buildings Services staff at residentialpermits@peterborough.ca  or portalsupport@peterbrough.ca for assistance.

Remember that more time spent pre-planning your project will help minimize confusion during the building permit application review process. It will also reduce any frustration on site, once you have obtained a building permit and have commenced construction.

The following is a list of common Code references related to a basement finishing. For a more comprehensive list refer to the OBC.