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Obtaining a Basement Permit
**EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY The City Of Saratoga Springs Building Department Is Now Paperless For Building Permit Submittals And Re-Submittals.*
~For Future SUBMITTALS And RE-SUBMITTALS Please E-Mail All PDF Document Files To: BuildingApps@SaratogaSpringsCity.com
~Please E-Mail All Of The Submittal And Re-submittal Documents That Are Required At The Time Of Submittal. If The Submittal Is Not Complete We Will Not Be Able To Start The Plan Review Or Complete The Approval For Re-submittals.
~After The Permit Is Approved And Building Permit Is Issued We Will Provide You A Digital Copy Of The Approved Plans And Permit Documents For You To Print.
~See Applications and Forms for the Building Permit Application and Owner Builder Certification. Plan requirements are below:
Basement Plan
The plan should show the type of room (bedroom, family room, etc.) to be finished including the location of lights, outlets, smoke detectors, and Carbon Monoxide detectors. It should also show the dimension of each room, location and sizes of doors and windows, location of the utility / mechanical room, and location of the electrical panel.
Please read through all of the following items carefully. The following items are minimum code requirements that you will need to be aware of for proper compliance. This list is not all inclusive and other code requirements may apply. Owner and/or contractor are responsible for compliance with all minimum codes and City ordinances. (Adopted Codes are: 2015 International Residential Code)
Requirements
- Bedrooms: minimum 70 square feet with a minimum 7 feet dimension
- Ceiling height: 7 feet minimum measured from the finished floor to the finished ceiling. At beams, girders, ducts or other obstructions, the ceiling height shall not be less than 6 feet 4 inches from the finished floor
- Water closet: 21 inches clear space in front and 15 inches to each side from center of closet bowl
- Showers: 900 square inch shower floor area, 30 inches least minimum dimension, temperature, glass, door shall swing out. The shower opening shall have a finished width of 22 inches
- Hallways: 36 inches minimum finished width
- 6 feet 8 inches headroom shower or tub space
Requirements
- 36 inches minimum finished width
- 6 feet 8 inches minimum finished headroom (measured from tread nosing straight up to ceiling or fixture)
- Minimum tread length measured from nose to nose is 9 inches
- Maximum riser height is 8 inches
- Maximum variation allowed on rise and run shall not exceed 3/8 inches
- Handrails shall be installed on at least one side of stairs with more than three risers. Height of railing shall be 34 inches to 38 inches measured from the nose of the treads
- Guardrails required shall be 36 inches minimum height with spindle design set such that a 4 inch sphere cannot pass through at any point along the rail. Elevations more than 30 inches in height require a guardrail
- Enclosed, usable space under stairways are to be 1/2 inch sheet rock for the full inside walls and ceiling of the enclosed usable space
Requirements
- All sole plates resting on concrete slabs must be redwood or pressure treated
- All beams to be properly sized and supported for loads carried
- Insulation shall be 15/19 continuous/cavity or R13 cavity + R5 continuous. Per table N1102.1.2 . Above grade framed exterior walls shall have a vapor barrier on the warm-in-winter side. Below grade walls are not required to have a vapor barrier
- Maximum stud spacing is 24 inches o.c. for non-bearing walls
Requirements
- Size of windows must be 8% of room area from natural light unless specifically approved otherwise
- Each bedroom window must have a minimum net opening of 5.7 square feet with 24 inches minimum height and 20 inches minimum width. The sill height shall not be more than 44 inches off the floor
- Bedroom window wells must extend a minimum of 36 inches out from the building
- Bedroom window wells greater than 44 inches deep require a permanently affixed ladder
- Tempered glass required when windows are within 18 inches of floor level or within 24 inches of door
Requirements
- All fixtures must be plumbed to meet the current International Residential Code
- No lead or acid bearing solders are allowed
- Tubs, showers sinks and lavatories must have P-traps
- Water closet: 21 inches clear space in front and 15 inches to each side from center of closet bowl
- Showers: 900 square inch shower floor area, 30 inch least minimum dimension, temperature glass, door shall swing out. The shower opening shall have a finished width of 22 inches
- Air Admittance Valves: Installed per manufacturer’s specs, Access must be provided,and installed to allow air to enter. Branch type 4” above fixture drain, Stack type 6” above highest fixture flood level rim.
Requirements
- Furnaces or water heaters shall not be located in bedrooms, bathrooms or similar confined rooms
- Access to furnace and water heater shall not be through bedrooms or bathrooms
- The furnace or water heater must be removable without moving the other
- The furnace must have 30 inches of clearing working space in front, 6 inches to combustible from the front and as per attached specifications plate for side and back clearances to combustibles
- Mechanical equipment must be provided with outside combustion air. Size all ducting per current International Residential Code
Requirements
- Must be installed with clearances to combustibles as specified in their listing requirements. All wood stoves and fireplaces must be listed and labeled units. Consult with building inspector for special circumstances or requirements
Requirements
- Receptacle outlets must be provided so that any point along a wall is not over 12’ in distance measured from one outlet to another and within 6 feet of door openings
- Wall sections 2 feet and wider (i.e. between doors) require an outlet
- Basement shall have GFCI protection in bathrooms on kitchen countertops, for jetted tubs, and for all outlets in unfinished rooms in basements
- Label all circuits in panel box
- Panel box shall not be located in clothes closets or similar spaces where easily ignitable materials may be present
- The electrical panel must have a 36 inches deep and 30 inches wide clear working space in front of the electrical equipment
- A switch controlled lighting outlet must be provided at hallways, stairways, exits, and in each room
- Provide a smoke detector for each bedroom, guest room, in access area to all bedrooms, and at least one smoke detector on each floor. C.O. detectors required on each level of home. Detectors shall be placed in existing bedrooms when any work is being done that requires a permit for the remodel. Exception: If finish wall or ceiling materials would have to be removed to install wiring for smoke detectors, a battery detector will be allowed. R314.4 Interconnection, Wireless interconnection allowed, hardwired power still required.
- Provide GFCI outlet on kitchen countertops 12 inches or wider. There must be at least 2 dedicated countertop outlets (minimum)
- Bathrooms, water closet compartments and other similar rooms shall have not less the 3 square feet of window with 1.5 square feet of open-able area or an exhaust fan capable of 50 cfm (determined by listing and duct length). Fan must be exhausted directly to the outside
- All receptacles (outlets) must be Tamper-Resistant, unless +5.5’ off floor.
Requirements
- All wood sole plates that are placed on concrete slabs must be pressure treated or redwood
- Provide fire stopping as required by the 2015 International Residential Code R302.11
- All framing shall be plumb and true
- Non-bearing stud walls shall not exceed 24 inches o.c.
- Sheetrock backing required on ceiling corners and wall corners as required
- Holes shall not be drilled in the top or bottom 2 inches of floor joists
- Do not notch floor joists
- Holes drilled in studs closer than 1 ¼ inches to edge for piping or wiring must have nail guards installed
- Holes shall not exceed 40% of stud for bearing wall
- Holes shall not exceed 60% of stud for non-bearing walls
- R602.6.1 Drilling and Notching of Top Plates, Interior/exterior load bearing 50%,
Requirements
- Approved insulation shall be properly installed in all exterior walls
15/19 continuous/cavity or R13 cavity + R5 continuous. Per table N1102.1.2
- Insulation should be neatly fit into place with minimum amount of compression
Requirements
- All sheet rock joints shall be properly backed
- Sheetrock installed in tub and shower compartments shall be water-resistant type. Do not use a vapor barrier in these locations
- Enclosed usable space under stairways shall be 1/2 inch sheet rock.
- Sheetrock shall be properly attached to the studs. Screws shall be placed not to exceed 12 inches max. spacing and should penetrate the stud 5/8 inch minimum.