A basement suite can help carry a mortgage, give a parent or an adult child a home of their own, or add long-term value to your property. In Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and View Royal, more homes are eligible for a suite than ever before. Eligible is not the same as legal, though. This guide explains what makes a basement suite legal, what the BC Building Code requires, and what to check before you spend anything on drawings.
More Homes Can Have a Suite Than Before
In 2023, the Province passed Bill 44, which required municipalities to allow a secondary suite on lots zoned for single-family or duplex homes. Local zoning bylaws had to be updated by June 30, 2024.
Before that change, the rules varied widely across Greater Victoria. Oak Bay, for example, only legalized secondary suites in 2022. Today, most single-family homes in the region can have one suite. Each municipality still sets its own rules for parking, owner occupancy and registration, so the details depend on where you live.
What Makes a Suite Legal
A suite is not legal just because the zoning allows it. The City of Victoria considers a suite legal when all required building, plumbing and electrical permits have been approved, the work has been completed and inspected, and a final occupancy permit has been issued. Saanich and Oak Bay also issue an occupancy permit to authorize a suite once every requirement is met.
A suite that was built without permits can cause problems with insurance, with a sale, and with a tenant. A permitted suite is documented, inspected and counted as living space. If you already have an unpermitted suite, Saanich, Oak Bay and Esquimalt each have a building permit process to bring it up to code and authorize it.
Local Rules to Know
City of Victoria: Secondary suites are permitted in single-family homes. You can look up your zone on VicMap, and the City's development services staff can help confirm eligibility. The City explains its requirements on its secondary suites page.
Saanich: Suites are a permitted use in RS, RD and A zones. Only one suite is allowed, it must be fully contained within the house, and in most cases you need one extra on-site parking space for the suite, with an energized outlet for electric vehicle charging. You can have a secondary suite or a garden suite on your property, but not both. Saanich lists its requirements on its secondary suites page.
Oak Bay: Suites are permitted in residential zones, with no minimum lot size or unit size. The owner must live in either the main home or the suite, and a signed owner's declaration is required before a suite is approved. Extra parking is not required, but the suite needs an outdoor outlet for charging an electric vehicle, scooter or bike. Details are on Oak Bay's secondary suites page.
Esquimalt: A building permit is required for a new suite or to legalize an existing one, and the Township does not allow short-term rental of any part of a home.
Rules change, so check with your municipality before you commit to a plan. We will help you confirm where your property stands.
What the BC Building Code Requires
Every suite must meet the BC Building Code. The Code includes special provisions for suites built inside existing houses, which makes many older basements workable. These are the requirements that shape most basement suites.
Ceiling height
This is the item most likely to rule out an older Victoria basement. In a suite built inside an existing house, the ceiling must be at least 1.95 m (6'5"), with at least 1.85 m (6'1") of clearance under existing beams and ducts. A suite in a new house or an addition must meet the full 2.1 m (6'10") requirement.
Fire separation
The suite must be separated from the rest of the house by walls and ceilings with a fire-resistance rating, usually 45 minutes. That rating can be reduced if the house has additional interconnected smoke alarms, and it is not required at all in a fully sprinklered house. Doors in the separation must be fire-rated as well.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Smoke alarms in the suite and the main home are interconnected, so an alarm on one floor sounds on every floor. Where carbon monoxide alarms are required, they must be interconnected the same way.
Exits and bedroom windows
The suite needs a safe way out, and bedrooms need windows large enough to escape through. Below grade, that often means cutting a larger opening in the foundation and building a proper window well.
Sound separation
The Code sets a minimum sound rating between the two homes. In an existing house, this is usually met by adding resilient channel and another layer of drywall to one side of the existing ceiling or wall.
Heating and ventilation
The ideal approach is a separate ventilation system for the suite. If one system serves both units, it must be designed to stop smoke from circulating between them, and ducts that pass through the fire separation need fire dampers.
Plumbing and electrical
Each unit needs its own water shut-off, so the water to one home can be turned off without affecting the other. The suite does not need its own hot water tank.
What to Check Before You Start
The most expensive surprises in a basement suite are usually found before construction, if you look for them.
Ceiling height and beams. Measure the lowest points, not just the open areas. A single low beam can change a plan.
Moisture. Finishing over a moisture problem buries it behind drywall. Before any walls go up, we make sure the basement can withstand water getting in. What that takes depends on what is there to begin with.
Asbestos. If your home was built before 1990, it needs to be tested for asbestos before work begins. We test every home built before 1990, and some newer homes too. Testing is done by certified professionals, and if asbestos is found, we arrange remediation.
Permits. A suite needs a building permit, plus plumbing and electrical permits. Our guide to renovation permits in Victoria explains how the process works.
How We Build Basement Suites
Every project starts with a free consultation. We will walk your basement with you, look at ceiling height, exits, moisture and the existing systems, and tell you honestly what is straightforward and what will take more work.
We work with top designers and engineers when permits are required, and their fees are included in the total cost. We will offer to handle all permitting requirements, including applying for permits and booking inspections. Our crew handles setup, demolition, property protection and general work, and we bring in experienced electricians, plumbers and other trades for the specialized work. Your quote is fixed for the listed scope, and our guide to how renovation quotes work explains what that means. We warranty our work.
Learn more about our basement renovations and suite conversions, or about working with a general contractor in Victoria.
Start With a Free Consultation
We serve Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and View Royal, with projects elsewhere on the South Island available on request, where travel costs may apply. We are now booking renovation projects for the new year. Call (250) 533-9666 or send us a message to book your free consultation.
