Basement apartments and in-law suites

What makes a basement apartment different

A suite is more than a finished basement with a kitchenette. To be a legal unit, it has to meet the Ontario Building Code and Fire Code for a second dwelling. That usually means:

• A safe way out. A separate entrance or a compliant shared exit, plus bedroom windows big enough to escape through.
• Fire separation. Fire-rated drywall and doors between the two units.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, interconnected so an alarm in one unit sounds in both.
• Enough ceiling height in the living areas.
• Its own kitchen and bathroom.
• Permits and inspections, including a building permit from your municipality and an ESA permit for the electrical.

Are basement apartments allowed in Oxford County?

Ontario now allows additional residential units in many houses, and municipalities in Oxford County have updated their rules to match. Zoning, parking and servicing still apply, and they differ between Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and the townships. The first step is checking what's allowed on your property. Rural lots on wells and septic have extra things to consider.

Why it's worth doing properly

An unpermitted suite can cause problems with insurance, with selling the house and, most importantly, with safety if there's ever a fire. Building it as a legal unit from the start costs less than fixing it later.

In-law suites

Many families build a suite for a parent or a grown-up child rather than a tenant. The same safety rules usually apply, and a suite built to code keeps the option of renting it out later.

Not looking for a separate unit? See basement finishing or basement bathrooms.