Basements · Richmond Hill
Basement Renovations in Richmond Hill
Finished basements, basement bathrooms and legal second units across Richmond Hill, from Mill Pond to Oak Ridges. We're based here, we know the City's permit process, and one family-owned team handles the drawings, the permit, the code work and every trade.
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Richmond Hill at a glance
- Permit to finish a basement
- Required
- Extra units allowed
- Up to 3, plus your home
- Finished basement
- From $55/sq ft
- Legal second unit
- From $120/sq ft
Pick your path
Three Ways to Finish a Richmond Hill Basement
Most of Richmond Hill's homes were built in the last 40 years, and the basement is often the biggest unused space in the house. Here's what each option involves here, and where it starts.
Finished basement
A family room, home gym, office, playroom or guest room.
From $55/sq ft
- City permit
- Yes. Richmond Hill requires one to finish a basement.
- The work
- Framing, insulation, drywall, flooring, lighting and trim, done to code.
- Rough math
- 800 sq ft starts around $44,000, before HST.
Finished basement with a bathroom
A guest suite, a teen retreat or space for parents, without a second kitchen.
From $55/sq ft + about $20K
- City permits
- Building permit, plus a plumbing permit for the new drains.
- The work
- Everything in option 01, plus cutting the slab for drains and a full bathroom with proper ventilation.
- Rough math
- 800 sq ft with a full bathroom starts around $64,000, before HST.
Legal second unit
A rental or family apartment with its own kitchen, bathroom and entrance.
From $120/sq ft
- Permits
- Building permit from the City, plus a separate ESA electrical permit.
- The work
- Fire separation, escape windows, interconnected alarms, a kitchen and a bathroom.
- New entrance
- A side or rear walk-up usually adds $15,000 to $30,000. Appliances are extra.
- Rough math
- 800 sq ft starts around $96,000, before HST.
Fixing water problems first usually adds $3,000 to $10,000. Every project gets a clear, fixed-price quote after the consultation. Get a range for your basement →
Ontario Building Code
What a Legal Basement Unit Needs
New work in Ontario follows the 2024 Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24). These are the basics we design every Richmond Hill basement apartment around. The numbers match the drawing.
- 1
Ceiling height
At least 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) of clear height in the unit, and 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) under beams and ducts. If a basement falls short, rerouting ducts or lowering the floor can fix it.
- 2
A window you can climb out of
Each bedroom needs a way out. An escape window must open to at least 0.35 m² (about 3.8 sq ft) with no side under 380 mm (15 in), stay open on its own, and have 550 mm (about 22 in) of clear space in front of it if it opens into a window well.
- 3
Fire separation between the units
In a two-unit house, the Code allows 15.9 mm (5/8 in) Type X fire-rated drywall on both sides of the walls between the units and under the floor above, continuous and sealed against smoke. Sprinklers are an alternative.
- 4
Alarms that talk to each other
Smoke alarms on every storey, in every bedroom and in the hallway outside, hard-wired with battery backup and interconnected between both units. Carbon monoxide alarms go near the bedrooms when the house has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.
- 5
Insulation down to the floor
Richmond Hill's finished-basement checklist asks for full-height wall insulation that reaches to within 200 mm (8 in) of the floor wherever it's missing or disturbed.
Planning a third unit inside the house? It's held to stricter Building Code rules, including 45-minute fire separations. We'll tell you at the consultation which rules apply to your plan.
City of Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill's Rules for Basement Apartments
Basement apartments are allowed across most of Richmond Hill, with a few local conditions. We check your property against all of them before we design anything.
City
Up to four homes on one lot
Zoning By-law 143-24 allows up to three additional residential units plus the main house, on lots served by municipal water and sewer. No more than two of them can be in a separate building, like a garden suite.
City
Where the entrance goes
The by-law sets rules for a second unit's entrance, including how a side or rear door is reached and how many entrances can face the street. We check your lot before we design the walk-up.
City + ESA
Two permits, qualified drawings
The City issues the building permit, and the Electrical Safety Authority issues a separate electrical permit. Drawings for an additional unit must come from an architect, a professional engineer or a BCIN-qualified designer.
TRCA
Near a creek or valley?
Properties in the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's regulated area, around valleys, creeks and wetlands, also need TRCA approval.
Ontario
No development charges on units 2 and 3
Under Ontario's Development Charges Act, a second and a third unit in an existing house are exempt from development charges.
City
Quiet hours
Richmond Hill's noise by-law prohibits construction noise from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday to Saturday, and all day on Sundays and statutory holidays. We schedule loud work inside those hours.
Read our legal basement apartment guide → Read our renovation permits guide →
Your permit file
What the City Asks For, and What It Costs
Richmond Hill's finished-basement checklist spells out what goes into a permit application. We prepare all of it and submit it for you.
- Scaled floor plansNo smaller than 3/16 in to 1 ft, with every room named and its use.
- Wall constructionStud type and spacing, insulation and finishes.
- Plumbing layoutThe bathroom, every fixture and the floor drains.
- Windows and doorsThe size and location of every window, and every door with its swing.
- StairsNew stairs, landings, guards and handrails.
- AlarmsWhere every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm goes.
- New openingsA site plan or survey, an elevation of the wall and lintel details for any new door or window.
- VentilationAn HRV, if the plan adds a sixth bedroom or a wood-burning fireplace.
City permit fees
- Finished basement
- $6.56 per m²
- Minimum building permit fee
- $210.12
- Sanitary or storm drain
- $196.61
- Minimum plumbing fee
- $158.40
From the City's checklist under By-law 19-24, as listed in November 2026. Finishing 80 m² (about 860 sq ft) comes to about $525 for the building permit.
Flood protection
Keep It Dry Before You Finish It
A basement is only as good as what's behind the drywall. At the consultation we look for signs of moisture and plan any waterproofing before anything is finished. If your basement has ever backed up, a backwater valve is worth adding while the floor is open.
- Moisture checked at the consultation, before you commit to a design
- Water problems fixed first, usually $3,000 to $10,000
- Backwater valve installed by licensed plumbers, with the permit and inspection
City of Richmond Hill
Backwater Valve Subsidy
Up to $1,500
toward installing a backwater valve, covering labour, materials, permit fees and taxes.
- Existing single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes
- Installed by a licensed plumber, with a building permit and a City plumbing inspection
- Downspouts disconnected from the City sewer
- Apply within six months of finishing, once per property
Funding is first come, first served, so confirm it's open with the City before you count on it. City program page →
Questions
Richmond Hill Basement FAQ
Straight answers. Ask us anything else on a quick call.
Do I need a permit to finish a basement in Richmond Hill?
Yes. Richmond Hill requires a building permit to finish a basement, and a plumbing permit when you add a bathroom or drains. A basement apartment also needs a separate electrical permit from the Electrical Safety Authority. We prepare the drawings and handle the applications and inspections.
Can I legally rent out my basement in Richmond Hill?
Yes, if it's built as an additional residential unit with a building permit and passes its inspections. Zoning By-law 143-24 allows up to three additional units plus the main house on lots with municipal water and sewer, and the unit has to meet the Ontario Building Code for ceiling height, escape windows, fire separation and alarms.
How much does a basement renovation cost in Richmond Hill?
Full-service finished basements start from about $55 per square foot and legal basement apartments from about $120 per square foot, before HST. A full bathroom starts around $20,000 and a new separate entrance usually adds $15,000 to $30,000. You get a clear, fixed-price quote after your consultation.
Is my basement ceiling high enough?
A legal unit needs at least 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) of clear height, and 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) under beams and ducts. We measure it at your consultation and tell you honestly whether it works as is, or what it would take.
Do I pay development charges for a basement apartment?
Not for a second or third unit in an existing house. Ontario's Development Charges Act exempts them. You still pay the City's building permit fees.
How long does the permit take?
Once the City has a complete application, the Ontario Building Code gives it 10 business days to issue the permit or give reasons for refusing it. Complete, accurate drawings keep that clock running, which is why we prepare them carefully.
My basement gets damp. Can it still be finished?
Usually, yes, once the source of the water is fixed. We look for moisture at the consultation and include any waterproofing, drainage or backwater valve work in the plan before anything is finished. Richmond Hill has offered a subsidy of up to $1,500 toward a backwater valve.
Which parts of Richmond Hill do you work in?
All of it. We're based in Richmond Hill and work from Mill Pond, Crosby, Harding and Richvale to Bayview Hill, Rouge Woods, Devonsleigh, Westbrook, Jefferson and Oak Ridges, and in nearby Thornhill, Markham, Vaughan and Aurora.
Plan Your Richmond Hill Basement
Start with a quick call at no cost. Then we visit, check your ceiling height, windows and moisture, and leave you with a measured floor plan report. The in-person visit is complimentary until December 31, 2026 (after that $199, credited toward your project).The in-person visit is $199, credited in full toward your project.
More for Richmond Hill homes: kitchens, bathrooms and all renovations. Outside Richmond Hill? See basement renovations across the GTA.
