Do I need a permit to finish my basement in Richmond Hill?

Yes. The City of Richmond Hill reviews finished basements through its Building Division, and the electrical work needs a separate ESA permit. We prepare the drawings, file the application and book both sets of inspections.

Can a Richmond Hill basement become a separate rental unit?

That is a different application from a finished basement, with its own rules on fire separation, exits and zoning. We check the city's current requirements for your address and tell you at the visit what the house would need.

What if the basement shows signs of water at the first visit?

Then that is dealt with first. Framing and insulation over a damp wall trap the moisture behind the new drywall. We show you where the water gets in and agree the repair before the basement is drawn.

Do you install a backsplash as a job on its own?

Yes. We remove the old tile or prepare the drywall, adjust the outlet boxes, set and grout the new tile and seal it where the material needs sealing. The kitchen stays usable through most of the job.

Basements and home renovations in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is its own city in York Region, so a finished basement there goes through the City of Richmond Hill Building Division. We draw it, apply, build it and book the inspections from our office on Jaimie Rd in Thornhill.

Finished basement bedroom with pale grey walls, white baseboards, a small window high on the wall and a light herringbone oak floor

9km

113 Jaimie Rd, Thornhillour office
North across Highway 7 and the 407a short drive for a site visit
Richmond Hillpermits: City of Richmond Hill

“We were very pleased with the renovation of our basement in Richmond Hill, ON. Everything was done professionally, with quality and on time.”Roman Chornyi, Google review

Call 437-667-2121

What the city wants to see on a basement drawing

These come from Richmond Hill's own finished basement checklist. We measure for every one of them at the first visit, so the application is not sent back for a missing sheet.

01Drawings to scale, with every dimension written on them
02A site plan or survey showing how far any new door or foundation sits from the property lines
03Floor plans that name the use of each room
04How the new walls are built
05Where the washroom goes and how its plumbing runs
06The size of every window and door
07Where the stairs are
A basement that will be rented out as its own unit is a separate application. We check the current rules for your address before drawing it.

Two permits, two inspectors, one schedule

In Ontario, wiring is permitted and inspected by the Electrical Safety Authority, not by the city. We book both so the drywall never goes up before each has signed off.

Drawings and application

Walls open

Walls closed

Finished room

City of Richmond Hill

Reviews the plans and issues the building permit

Inspects framing, insulation and rough plumbing

Drywall, taping, floors and doors go in

Final inspection closes the permit

ESA

Electrical permit filed for the new circuits

Inspects the rough wiring and boxes

Lights, outlets and switches are fitted

Final electrical inspection

What goes on the walls once the inspectors are done

Media wall with a black marble-look slab, an electric fireplace insert and a light oak frame and mantel above a herringbone oak floor — Slab media wall with an electric fireplace and an oak mantel

Dark wood-look panel wall flanked by vertical slats with warm LED strips along their edges — Wood-look panel between lit slat walls

A worker in an Art Style Construction shirt trowelling grey decorative plaster on a long wall, floor covered and taped — Decorative plaster going onto a long wall

Once the walls are closed, the room gets its character: a feature wall, a fireplace surround, built-in shelving or a new floor. See how we plan the whole level on our basement finishing page, and the cabinetry side on custom carpentry and built-ins.

Above the basement

Bathrooms on any floor

A basement often gets a new three-piece washroom, and its drain is planned with the floor so the concrete is opened once. Upstairs we rebuild ensuites from the studs, with waterproofing behind the tile. Our bathroom renovations page shows the order of work.

Backsplash and tile on their own

A kitchen backsplash can be done without touching the cabinets or counters. We move the outlet boxes to suit the tile layout first, so no cover plate lands on a grout line. Materials and layouts are on the tile and backsplash installation page.

Richmond Hill basement and tile questions

Do I need a permit to finish my basement in Richmond Hill?: Yes. The City of Richmond Hill reviews finished basements through its Building Division, and the electrical work needs a separate ESA permit. We prepare the drawings, file the application and book both sets of inspections.
Can a Richmond Hill basement become a separate rental unit?: That is a different application from a finished basement, with its own rules on fire separation, exits and zoning. We check the city's current requirements for your address and tell you at the visit what the house would need.
What if the basement shows signs of water at the first visit?: Then that is dealt with first. Framing and insulation over a damp wall trap the moisture behind the new drywall. We show you where the water gets in and agree the repair before the basement is drawn.
Do you install a backsplash as a job on its own?: Yes. We remove the old tile or prepare the drywall, adjust the outlet boxes, set and grout the new tile and seal it where the material needs sealing. The kitchen stays usable through most of the job.

Send us your basement as it is today

A few photos and a line about what you want down there are enough to start. We reply within 24 hours and book a free visit to measure.

Send us a message

Free, no-obligation consultation.