Turn Your Basement into a Legal Secondary Suite with These Renovation Updates

Posted on October 09, 2024

All home renovations in Oakville are an investment into your property; they modernize your home, tailor it to your needs and increase the resale value of the house. Adding a legal secondary suite is specifically a great way to maximize your home’s property value. It also provides you with additional living space or a rental unit that can provide your family with a steady passive income, making it a particularly smart investment. These units are increasing in popularity as they provide some relief to the housing shortage Ontario faces throughout the province. Rose Building Group has years of experience with basement renovations in Oakville and across the GTA. Think it may be time to transform your basement into a legal secondary suite? Contact Rose Building Group today for expert guidance on each step of the process!

Understanding Local Regulations

basement renovations for secondary suite Local regulations can have a very big impact on your secondary suite. While these exact rules can change depending on your city (or sometimes even your neighbourhood), they usually come down to zoning requirements and building regulations. These can include anything from the size of the unit to the height of the ceiling, parking requirements, and more. Local regulations might also require you to obtain certain permits for your Oakville home renovation.

By working with a team experienced in your area, like Rose Building Group, you can rest assured that all necessary regulations will be followed.

Designing a Functional Layout

When it comes to designing your secondary suite, you must create an efficient layout that maximizes the space while ensuring privacy for both the main floors and the new suite. Having distinct areas for all the necessary living spaces, like a family room, kitchen, and bedroom, can help your layout to flow more seamlessly, even if it is a studio unit. You may even be able to repurpose current aspects of your basement. You’ll want to make sure the unit can exist independently from the rest of the home while still fitting in seamlessly. Considerations like a separate entrance, in-unit temperature moderation and individual hydro or water meters can help your unit exist autonomously from the main floors. With their years of experience, the experts at Rose Building Group can help you optimize the space in a way that’s functional for both you and your future residents.

Essential Renovation Updates

When you’re renovating your basement into a secondary suite, some updates are essential. You’ll likely want to prioritize plumbing and electrical upgrades. Even if you feel like they’re not out of date yet, it’s better to update them during your current renovations than have to relocate any tenants to update them when it’s necessary. Installing egress windows, which are specific windows designed to only be opened from the inside, can go a long way in making the unit feel safer. Similarly, proper locks, deadbolts and chains can help make the residents of your secondary suite feel more secure. Considering how rough Canadian winters can be, your basement unit must be hospitable year-round. This can mean updating things like insulation, heating and ventilation systems. You may also want to consider soundproofing both the basement and the main floors to avoid any noise complaints.

If your basement has little to no natural lighting available, as many do, you may want to consider adding alternatives like task lighting, accent lights and ceiling fixtures to overcompensate. Of course, all of these changes are necessary in addition to and in accordance with any local bylaws or regulations.

Enhancing Curb Appeal

Though functionality is crucial for the inside of your new secondary suite, it’s also an important factor for the outside of it. Making sure that the outdoor entrance to your unit is inviting and practical can make your unit much more welcoming. Adding aesthetically pleasing but low-maintenance landscaping,

Having adequate lighting at the entrance and in the area leading up to it can also help your residents feel safer coming and going, especially if they are motion-censored or remotely triggered.

Considerations for Renting

First, you need to consider whether you will be renting your unit out for long-term or short-term rentals. While long-term rentals can provide a more secure, steady income, short term rentals can provide a higher net revenue. However, it’s important to consider that some areas have bylaws prohibiting short-term rentals like Airbnb & VRBO. Once you’ve decided on what kind of tenant you’re looking for, it’s important to stage the space properly. Even if you’re looking to rent it out long-term and unfurnished, try to take high quality photos with temporary furniture to show how the space could be used.

Transform Your Basement with Rose Buillding Group

Overall, a secondary suite can help you derive even more value from your basement renovation in Oakville. Get in touch with the Rose Building Group team for expert help on transforming your basement into a legal secondary suite. With their expertise, they can help you navigate the ins and outs of creating your ideal legal secondary suite.

What Our Clients Say

Our Oakville project with Rose Group was 3+ months and the overall experience was categorially outstanding. The entire Rose team, including sub-trades are patient, communicative, responsive, and professional. While any major renovation is stressful, Team Rose seem to have a calming way about them, for which we very much appreciated. The project was on time, on budget, and Rose is flexible to make sure you receive value add along the way.

The end result of our project is beyond our expectations, and we have no doubt Rose will be engaged again.

Many thanks to Matt, Neil, Alisha, Matt, Brittany, Andrew, Adam, Chris, and the entire Rose team!!!!

Dan. Oakville, ON

Matthew and his team at Rose Building Group have completed 2 projects for us. A couple of years ago we completed a main floor renovation, which included a complete kitchen reno. Just recently we completed a master bathroom renovation. The work for both projects was impeccable. Really high quality workmanship, and incredible attention to detail.

The quality of the work is truly second to none. What impresses me the most about this company, however, is the people. They are all kind, warm, genuine, and professional. I enjoyed having them in my home, and was very comfortable. It is clear that they are committed to delivering a very high level of customer service and satisfaction through both the work they do, and they way they engage with the client. It's really impressive.

Kim. Burlington, ON

We recently completed our home renovation with Rose Building Group, which included a full renovation of both the interior and exterior of our house. We feel that we could not have picked a better company to do this extensive project. When Matt first came to our house to give us a quote we could tell instantly the professionalism and attention to detail he has when looking at a project. Throughout the entire renovation, Matt was easy to get in touch with, either by phone or email, which made it less daunting on my Wife and I whenever we had questions or wanted to add something. Matt was always upfront whenever issues arose (this was bound to happen during a full renovation of an old house) and always came prepared with possible solutions for us.

His staff always presented themselves as professionals. They were very respectful when speaking to us, and with taking care of our property by cleaning up the interior and exterior before going home every night. We even had neighbours on our street comment on how well our place looked, even during the construction. It was obvious that they are a very hardworking company, dedicated to ensuring a smooth and timely renovation. Rose building group was on schedule, and completed our project by the date discussed by Matt, prior to them beginning.

If you are looking to complete a renovation of your home, rest assured that if you choose Rose Building Group, that you will not be disappointed. You will have a professional company, that will make your home beautiful!

Paul S. Burlington, ON

We decided on Rose Building Group for our main floor renovation that started earlier this year. We have nothing but great things to say about RBG and the team.

At the beginning of the renovation we were provided with a renovation schedule so that we knew what would be happening on each day and we were most impressed at the adherence to this schedule. We were also provided a Scope of Work at the beginning of the project and any changes made along the way were clearly outlined.

Their communication during the renovation process was top notch and someone always got back to us very quickly.

Matthew, Settle and entire team were so professional and Alisha, the selections coordinator, was especially helpful and went out of her way to help with some of the finishing choices.

Other than a few things that were delayed beyond their control, this renovation was completed in a very timely manner and is absolutely beautiful. They made our vision come to fruition and we hope to use them again when we are ready to renovate our main bathroom. They made the process of doing a major renovation relatively low stress and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to do a major renovation.

Great job RBG- you were all awesome!

Katie & Mike

Positive

Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism

Katie. Burlington, ON

Matthew and his team were amazing to work with. They recently completed a full basement renovation for my personal home. I work for Baudit Interior design and have worked with several contractors and was very impressed with their professionalism, correspondence, organization and can do attitude. The whole crew worked efficiently and diligently. They were kind, respectful of us and our home and kept a very tidy work space. The quality of the workmanship and attention to detail was impressive. I would and have recommended them for any future projects.

Sylvia. Oakville, ON

Matt has a great company with a team of highly skilled craftsmen. We originally contemplated a bathroom renovation project and expanded the scope to include new staircase, hardwood flooring, crown moulding, recessed led lighting throughout and painting top to bottom. Matt’s experience was extremely helpful in that he was able to guide us in making the right choices upfront to help modernize the look of our home. His detailed approach and project management thru his team ensured we got the results we were looking for and the highest quality or workmanship and finish. We are extremely happy with the results and feel like we are in a brand new home but better. Definitely a company to talk to about renovations.

Additionally, Matt and his team adhered to all COVID protocols at all times which was very reassuring given the scope of the project with most of the work over eight weeks occurring during the third wave while we continued to live and work from our home.

Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value

Paul. Burlington, ON

Our kitchen renovation is nearing completion and we are so happy with the work completed by Rose Building. Matt and his team were 100% engaged and had ideas to share right from our initial meeting. Everyone has been a pleasure to deal with - they are friendly, clean and their attention to detail and quality is top notch! I highly recommend Rose Building Group and we will have them back for future renovations.

Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism, Value

Julie. Burlington, ON

Rose Building Group completed a living room renovation for me. Matthew and his team were a pleasure to work with and very professional.

Matthews team were patient with any questions or concerns I had and took the time to explain what was happening during the project and addressed any concerns. They are very professional and CLEAN.

I really enjoyed working with Matt and his team and I am very pleased with the workmanship from the trades they used.

Matts team also took the time to do some repair work for me that had some damage.

I will use Rose Building Group for my next home renovation

Services

Tile work installation, Install flooring, TV mounting, Paint indoors, General repairs & maintenance, Drywall repair