Legal Secondary Suite Development

Service brief

A secondary suite is a separate living space or is a self-contained rental unit created within the main residence (in a single-detached or semi-detached) house of a home that is designed to accommodate a single family. Secondary suites can include basement suites or in-law suites and backyard suites can include garden suites and laneway homes. In Calgary, most suites are located in basements. Second suites are a source of more affordable rental housing in the City. They also make owning a home more affordable for the home owner. A secondary suite is a residential unit that you are in charge of.

You Can Rent It or Live in it Yourself.
Let Your Kids or Parents Move in.
But it is not a Unit That You Can Sell.

In order to be classified as a “secondary suite,” the living space must have its own sleeping, kitchen, living and bathroom areas. They may also include shared areas such as a backyard, parking spaces, laundry and storage areas.

LEGAL SECONDARY SUITE REQUIREMENTS

Some things homeowners should keep in mind when considering a basement rental unit is there a few items that are required to meet specific Building & Development codes. Some of the following are:

Separate entrance for tenants
Separate Heating System
Fire Separation & Safety between units
Egress window size for safety in bedrooms
Electrical Panel & Mechanical access for both units
Designated parking Etc

The potential benefits of having a secondary suite are straightforward. With the income you can make renting out a secondary suite on an ongoing basis or occasionally on Airbnb, you can offset your mortgage and other expenses while also adding resale value to your home! However, it’s important to remember that having a secondary suite is not just an easy solution to generate extra income in the short term – there are lots of things to consider. And, just because you have an existing suite in your basement, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s legal.

Why Make Your Secondary Suite Legal Now?

The city’s current bylaws were put in place in 2014 but the new 2019 bylaws will come into effect as of June 2020. When you apply before May 31, 2020, your suite will need to meet the 2014 bylaws to be approved as an existing suite, after which it will need to meet the 2019 updates to be approved as a new suite.
As of June 2020, any new unit will also need to include a separate heat source, like a furnace, and comply with new exterior stair specifications. To find all of the new requirements see the New Secondary Suite PDF.
The process for having your basement suite registered as a legal suite has never been easier, thanks to the approved amendments to the process.
Interested in building or registering your secondary suite? Here is everything you need to know to ensure your basement suite is legal!

Illegal vs. Legal Secondary Suites

What makes a basement suite illegal?
Any suite that was built without the proper permits, or was built in an area of the city where secondary suites aren’t permitted is considered an illegal suit. Some suites fall into the non-conforming category — this means they were built legally at the time but don’t conform to the current regulations.

What makes a basement suite legal?
To be considered legal, a secondary suite must be built in compliance with all the rules and with the right permits. If things have changed since original construction, the suite needs to still meet all current regulations.

Secondary Suite Safety Requirements:

Windows
Each bedroom needs to have at least one window that can be opened from the inside without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge.
Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
These must be present in each unit within the house and connected to each other so when one alarm is activated the other alarms sound as well.
Exits
Each unit within the house should have at least one exit that leads directly outside and every exit door must be able to swing inward.

Interested in building a new secondary suite or making your existing suite legal? We’d love to help!

Calgary Process for Applying for a Secondary Suite

Before You Apply – Resources from the City of Calgary

Get detailed information on rules and requirements on your project
Tips and examples for your drawings
Estimate your permit fee

Steps to Building a New Secondary Suite

Get Planning Approval – Development Permit

Complete an application form
Complete site contamination statement
Complete public tree disclosure statement
Provide a copy of a site plan
Provide a copy of floor plans

Get Building Code Approval – Building Permit

Provide a copy of a site plan
Provide a copy of floor plans
Provide a copy of elevations

Steps to Making an Existing Suite Legal

Get Land Use Approval – Development Permit

If the suite has not had any inspections completed prior to your application, contact the city to book an inspection
Complete an application form
Provide a copy of the site plan

Get Building Code Approval – Building Permit

Remember, owning a legal basement suite pays off by allowing you to rent out your suite and increasing the value of your property. A legal basement suite can be a major selling point for renters and buyers as it means the suite meets all the requirements under Alberta’s Safety Codes Act.

It’s also important to let your insurance provider know about your secondary suite, whether its legal or not. If a homeowner fails to let their insurer know about the suite, they open themselves up to significant risk and the possibility that in the event of a claim, the insurance company can deny coverage and void the existing insurance policy.

Insurance companies will not ask for verification to confirm if the suite is legal or illegal. However, a claim can be denied if it is deemed that damage due to homeowner negligence. It is definitely still advisable to go through with making sure your secondary suite is legal. For example, if a tenant is harmed while escaping a fire because you did not ensure proper fire routes, you could be sued or face criminal charges.

At Budget Home Renovation, we’re familiar with all of the city and provincial rules and regulations relating to legal basement suites. We can help you to ensure that your secondary suite development is in full compliance with the law and built with your specific needs and preferences!

Have a Secondary Suite Project in Mind?

Legal Basement Suite Include:

Contact us for free onsite Consultation, call now 587 436 233 to book an appointment
Detailed Quotation based on agreed design
Review the quotation and sign the contract
Applying for Permits and material selections
Construction Begins after acquiring building permit/development permit include Site Management with Different Construction phases

Roughing Inspection By City – Building, Electrical and Plumbing roughing inspection.
Project Finishing Complete
Final walk through with Client
Inspection By City Inspector – Building, Electrical and Plumbing roughing inspection.
Handover the secondary suite key to client

Interested? Let's get in touch!

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Testimonials

We are very happy with our basement renovation and small extension completed by Budget Home Renovation Our experience with Budget Home Renovation was fantastic. The trades were all very very professional and all completed on time and on budget. We would highly recommend Budget Home Renovation. The whole team were superb, and the site was left all clean and ready to go.

This was a difficult job, but Budget Home Renovation was brilliant, really stepped up to the plate, including the other trade/contractors they brought in. It was a first-class job and I would highly recommend Budget Home Renovation. We have a brilliant new living space to now enjoy!

Our project was completed to a high standard and on price. Errors in the design were quickly picked up by Budget Home Renovation before they became a costly problem and the materials used in the build and finish were quality. Budget Home Renovation Team advised on improvements to the design and only billed when phases were completed to satisfaction. I would not hesitate to recommend Budget Home Renovation to friends and family.

From the beginning the entire experience with Budget Home Renovation exceeded our expectations. The attention to detail and frequent communication made the difference to us. To sum it up your systemized approach to document all aspects of a job all the way through to the quality of your personnel and trade contractors made it a clear that we made the right decision in choosing Budget Home Renovation.

Budget Home Renovation is the best contracting firm we’ve ever worked with by a very wide margin. Our entire whole house remodel project, from design concept to complete construction, was well-managed, on-budget, and delivered on-schedule. Every aspect of the job was top-notch. Each and every member of the Budget Home Renovation team was pleasant, helpful, conscientious, efficient, capable, and well-organized. On several occasions various staff provided services well beyond our expectations. And the quality of the construction work itself was of excellent quality. In the rare instance when a glitch occurred, it was dealt with immediately and to our complete satisfaction. Seriously, we don’t have a single complaint.

Everything was done as planned, we were impressed with all the dedication and the hard work. Kumar started the work off smoothly, he helped a lot through the idea phase. Well organized and eager to please. Kumar and all the workers were very organized and took pride in their work. It was a big project that needed a lot of hands to be completed. Kumar and all the Budget Home Renovation staff saw to it that we as the customers were happy with our finished project. We are very happy with our complete home renovation.

From the day we began working with Budget Home Renovation, we felt that our addition was a project that belonged to us all. Kumar listened to what we wanted and needed from our addition and offered insightful suggestions along the way while remaining flexible to changes well into the project. In addition to a high standard for a clean work environment and regard for our family’s safety, we greatly value your willingness to always make time for us. No phone call was ever unanswered. No detail unattended. Kumar’s commitment to excellent service sets their company above many others.

I am completely satisfied with the re-do of my kitchen! The knowledge and experience of Budget Home Renovation’s team was evident in every phase of the project. Project management was exceptional throughout, and the end result reflects this. The space is both beautiful and functional. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Budget Home Renovation to friends and family.