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City of West Allis Department of Inspection & Neighborhood Services Informational Bulletin Basement Remodeling BINS 2/2016 for One and Two Family Dwellings

Basic Code Requirements at least 50% of the ’s has at least 7 foot All new construction, materials, equipment, appliances height. Any area with a ceiling height less than 5 and elements shall meet the requirements of the feet is not considered floor area when calculating Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC). The UDC may ceiling height. be purchased by calling Wisconsin Department of  Beams and girders or other projections such as Administration Document Sales & Distribution at ductwork or piping may not project more than 8 inches below the required ceiling height. (608) 266-3358  Dwellings originally constructed prior to June 1, The UDC may also be viewed online at the following link: 1980 may vary these requirements when approved http://dsps.wi.gov/programs/industry-services by the building inspector.

Zoning Requirements - Parking Natural Light and Ventilation Requirements  A one and two family must have enough  in the basement must have natural light paved off street parking spaces for 2 vehicles, plus by means of of at least 8% of the net floor one additional space for every over three. area.  Bedrooms in the basement must also be provided Stairway and Guardrail Requirements with natural ventilation by means of openable  New, remodeled and existing stairways must meet windows of at least 3.5% of the net floor area of the the requirements for new construction under the room, or by balanced mechanical ventilation, UDC. provided the system is capable of providing at least  Existing stairways in dwellings originally constructed one air change per hour of fresh outside air. prior to June 1, 1980 may vary these requirements  Net floor area does not include any floor area with a when approved by the building inspector. ceiling height less than 5 feet.

Exiting Requirements Mechanical Ventilation Requirements  Basements with no sleeping areas require one  Distribution systems must be designed to satisfy the means of egress. This is typically accomplished with heating of each conditioned space. one interior stairway.  Habitable without natural ventilation must be  Basements used for sleeping require two means of provided with a balanced mechanical ventilation egress. system providing one air change of fresh outside air o Enclosed rooms with a are when the room is occupied. considered bedrooms regardless of the  Rooms with toilets, tubs or showers must be intended original use of the room, due to provided with exhaust ventilation capable of their future potential as a bedroom. exhausting 50 c.f.m. intermittently or 20 c.f.m.  For a basement with a sleeping area, the typical continuously. All exhaust must terminate outside the interior stairway to the first floor counts as one exit. dwelling. The second exit must be another interior stairway,  Existing heating and cooling appliances should be an exterior , or an egress located in evaluated to determine if they can accommodate the each bedroom or sleeping area. Windows used for additional load of the basement. exiting must meet the requirements of the UDC.  Combustion air requirements must be maintained for (See Informational Bulletin for Egress Windows.) or area. Refer to the manufacturers instructions and/or UDC,SPS 323.06. Ceiling Height Requirements The most restrictive requirements apply.  All habitable rooms, , hallways, , and corridors must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet. Rooms may have reduced ceiling height provided that

City of West Allis Department of Building Inspection & Neighborhood Services 7525 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, WI, www.westalliswi.gov/BINS Phone: (414)302-8400 FAX: (414)302-8402 Miscellaneous Requirements  HVAC Permit. The replacement or installation  Smoke Alarms. A listed and labeled multiple-station heating or cooling appliances is required to be done smoke alarm with battery back-up must be installed by a registered HVAC contractor that has obtained a inside and outside of each sleeping room and in permit from this department. common areas on that do not contain sleeping o The owner of a dwelling may obtain an rooms. They must be continuously powered by the HVAC permit if they reside in the dwelling or electrical service, and must be interconnected intend to reside in the dwelling upon so that the activation of one alarm will cause completion of alterations. activation of all alarms. o An owner may service existing heating,  Carbon Monoxide Alarms. A listed carbon ventilating, equipment in monoxide alarm with battery back-up must be properties owned by the person, regardless installed in the basement, outside of each sleeping of where they reside. No permit is required. room and in common areas on floors that do not o Ductwork extension to remodeled areas is contain sleeping rooms. They are not required in the included under the scope of the Building , or storage rooms. They must be Permit. continuously powered by the house electrical  and Electrical Permits. Only licensed service, and must be interconnected so that the plumbing and electrical contractors may obtain activation of one alarm will cause activation of all permits and perform plumbing or electrical work. alarms. This section does not apply to a dwelling that has no attached garage, no and no Plan Submittal fuel−burning appliance.  An application for building permit must be o Battery operated smoke alarms and carbon accompanied by three sets of scaled plans, monoxide alarms may be permitted if specifications, engineering details, and other alterations do include removal of and/or information as required to provide sufficient detail for ceiling finishes. The Building Inspector shall review in the issuance of a permit. Basic information make the final determination in these cases. should include the following:  Requirements o An existing floor plan of the basement o Unheated crawl spaces must be provided showing current use of each room or space. with ventilation. The area of ventilation o A proposed floor plan, indicating must be at least 1/1500 of the floor space, details, area dimensions and use, room and at least 50% of the ventilating area must finishes of and , door and be located on opposite ends of the crawl window sizes, egress window details, space or as far away as possible. location of smoke and carbon monoxide o Floors above unheated crawl spaces must alarms and location of plumbing fixtures. be insulated to a minimum of R-19. Plans should also show location of heat o Crawlspaces with 18” of clearance or more registers and exhaust fans providing must be provided with an access opening of mechanical ventilation. at least 14 inches by 24 inches. o Any other information pertinent to the  Access Panels. Access panels and clearance for remodeling. Insufficient information may maintenance must be provided when enclosing delay permit submittal. water meters, plumbing clean-outs and water shut- offs.

Permit Requirements  Building Permit. In order to obtain a building permit, This informational bulletin is not intended to be a the applicant must possess a Dwelling Contractor design manual. It is intended to highlight some of the Certification (DC) and a Dwelling Contractor basic construction and life safety issues that will be Qualifier Certification (DCQ). The DCQ may be in required to be addressed in your remodeling project. the name of a current employee. For further information, please contact the Department o The owner of a dwelling may obtain a of Building inspections and Neighborhood Services at building permit if they reside in the dwelling (414)302-8400. or intend to reside in the dwelling upon completion of alterations.

City of West Allis Department of Building Inspection & Neighborhood Services 7525 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, WI, www.westalliswi.gov/BINS Phone: (414)302-8400 FAX: (414)302-8402