Basements and suites
A legal suite starts with knowing whether your house qualifies.
A secondary suite can bring in rental income or house family. It is also the basement project with the most rules. We start with a feasibility assessment, so you know what your property needs before you commit to a build.
- Suits you if
- You want a secondary suite that follows the rules for your municipality, for family or for a tenant.
- To scope it, we need
- Your address and municipality
- A rough idea of the rooms or suite you want
- Any plans, permits or photos you already have
What usually prompts the call
Common concerns
- You are not sure your basement can become a legal suite.
- Permits, inspections and registration feel like a maze.
- You worry about paying for a suite that cannot be approved.
- You need a real number before you can decide whether the rent justifies the build.
What NorthPeak does about it
- A feasibility assessment that checks your basement against your municipality’s current published requirements.
- A written scope that separates the work required for approval from the finishes you choose.
- A permit and inspection plan that names who applies for what.
- One contract covering the build from framing to final inspection.
What the City of Calgary asks of a secondary suite
The City lists these features for all suites:
- Bedrooms with proper egress windows
- A separate bathroom
- Separate cooking facilities
- A private entrance reachable from outside (a shared stairwell is acceptable)
Dates and programs to know:
- The City’s Secondary Suite Amnesty is scheduled to end on December 31, 2026. Until then, the City states that owners can avoid development permit and registration fees.
- The City states that applications to its Secondary Suite Incentive Program closed on September 28, 2026.
- Suites built before March 12, 2018 may qualify for reduced requirements, according to the City, but must still meet minimum life-safety requirements.
- Legal suites appear on the City’s public Secondary Suite Registry map.
Source: City of Calgary, Secondary suites, checked November 11, 2026. You can look up registered suites on the Secondary Suite Registry. This is a summary, not the full building code. Rules change, and other municipalities set their own. We confirm the current requirements for your address during the feasibility assessment.
What is in the scope
In a typical scope
- Feasibility assessment of ceiling height, windows, entry and layout
- Layout planning for bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living space
- Framing, insulation, drywall and finishing
- Coordination of electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation trades
- Fire and sound separation work required by your approved permit drawings
- Scheduling of required inspections
Options to discuss
- Kitchen layout and cabinet level
- Flooring type for below-grade conditions
- Separate laundry
- Sound-reduction upgrades beyond the required minimum
Your own scope is written for your house and may differ from this list.
What shapes the plan and the price
Cost drivers
- Whether windows need to be enlarged for bedroom egress
- Whether a separate exterior entrance has to be created
- Heating, ventilation and electrical upgrades the permit requires
- Existing finishes that have to be removed
- Kitchen and bathroom finish level
Permits and inspections
A legal suite needs approved permits and passed inspections from your municipality. Requirements differ between Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Cochrane, Chestermere, Strathmore and Rocky View County. We check the rules for your address and your scope states who applies for each permit.
We do not publish price ranges, because a range wide enough to be true is too wide to be useful. You receive a written estimate after a site visit, as a fixed price or a cost-plus contract.
How the work runs
Step 1 · First
Feasibility assessment
We inspect the basement and compare it with your municipality’s current suite requirements. You get a clear answer: feasible as is, feasible with specific changes, or not practical.
Step 2 · After the site visit
Written scope and estimate
You receive a written scope that lists the work, the materials and the allowances. The estimate follows the scope line by line, so you can see what each part costs.
Step 3 · Before any work starts
Contract and schedule
The contract sets the price structure, the payment schedule, how changes are approved and who is responsible for each permit. A written schedule comes with it.
Step 4 · Before construction
Permits
Permit applications are submitted with the drawings the municipality asks for. Construction is scheduled once approvals are in hand.
Step 5 · During the build
Construction and inspections
Work proceeds in the order the inspections require. You are told when each inspection is booked and what the result was.
Step 6 · At completion
Walkthrough and closeout
We walk the finished work with you, list anything outstanding and complete it. You receive the inspection records and warranty documents that apply to your project.
Legal basement suites: common questions
Does every house qualify for a legal suite?
No. Zoning, ceiling height, window size, entry and servicing all matter, and each municipality sets its own rules. The feasibility assessment exists so you find out before you pay for a build.
How much rent will my suite earn?
We are builders, not rental advisers, and we do not promise rental income. We give you a documented construction cost so that you, your lender or your accountant can work out whether the numbers make sense.
I already have an unpermitted suite. Can you make it legal?
Often, yes, but it depends on what was built. We assess the existing suite, list what has to change to meet current requirements, and price that work.
What happens if you find something unexpected?
Work stops on that item. We show you what we found, explain the options and give you a written price for each. Nothing extra is built or billed until you approve it in writing.
Can you give me a price over the phone?
Not an honest one. Cost depends on the size and condition of the house, the finishes you choose and what the permits require. After a site visit you receive a written estimate tied to a written scope.
Related services
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