Basement Development and Renovations

As the building owner, you are ultimately responsible for complying with all building requirements. A permit is required for basement development or any interior renovation for a home if the work proposed includes any of the following:

  • Developing a previously unfinished basement into a family room, rec room etc.
  • Structural or material alterations.
  • Excavating and/or constructing foundations.
  • Basement underpinning.

Permit Application Requirements

  • Floor plan layout indicating use of rooms OR
  • If major structural alterations are involved, such as the altering or moving of beams or teleposts then these plans must be prepared and reviewed by a Professional Engineer (registered in the Province of Manitoba) and must be submitted at the time of permit application.

If any plumbing alterations are planned then a separate plumbing permit will be required.

The installation of a fireplace (any type) will require a building permit. If you are applying for a building permit to develop your basement at the same time as your fireplace is being installed then both will be included on the same permit.

Requirements

Basement Development

  1. Residential Basement Development Permit Application
  2. Floor Plan
  3. Residential Application Review Fee tooltip

    Plan Review Fee - A plan review fee must accompany all applications. Residential and Commercial Plan Review fees will be applied against the final cost of the permit upon issuance. Plan Review fees are non-refundable. If the permit has not been issued within 6 (six) months of application date, the application is void. Payment options are debit, cheque or cash.

  4. Letter of Authorization (Required if someone filling out application on behalf of the owner) tooltipLetter of Authorization - An authorization letter gives a third party permission to act on the owners behalf. In the event that the owner is not making the permit application, the owner will need to draft a letter providing the name of the persons authorized to make application for required development permit for proposed work to be completed. Letter must be signed and dated.

Renovations

  1. Residential Renovations Permit Application
  2. Site Plan tooltipSite Plan - A site plan is a bird’s eye view of a property that is typically drawn to scale. A site plan should include:
    • All Property lines, plus their dimensions
    • Outline of existing and proposed buildings and structures with dimensions including accessory structures
    • Distance between all buildings (eave to eave)
    • Distance between proposed structure and property lines (setbacks) to wall
    • Easements (if applicable) found on your status of title
    • Parking lots, indicating parking spaces (commercial only)
    • Driveways
    • North Arrow
    • Surrounding streets
    • Landscaped areas (commercial only)
    • Well and Septic Field Locations
  3. 2 copies of engineered sealed construction plans if there is structural work (seal to be current within 1 year of application) tooltipEngineered Stamped Plans - An Engineer qualified to work in that field and licensed by the Province of Manitoba, must seal all the structural drawings that are not covered in the Manitoba Building Code and are required to be current within 1 (one) year of application.
  4. Floor Plan Layout - showing existing and proposed
  5. Detailed Scope of work to be completed
  6. Value of construction
  7. Residential Application Review Fee tooltip

    Plan Review Fee - A plan review fee must accompany all applications. Residential and Commercial Plan Review fees will be applied against the final cost of the permit upon issuance. Plan Review fees are non-refundable. If the permit has not been issued within 6 (six) months of application date, the application is void. Payment options are debit, cheque or cash.

  8. Letter of Authorization (Required if someone filling out the application on behalf of the applicant) tooltipLetter of Authorization - An authorization letter gives a third party permission to act on the owners behalf. In the event that the owner is not making the permit application, the owner will need to draft a letter providing the name of the persons authorized to make application for required development permit for proposed work to be completed. Letter must be signed and dated.