Redwood Basement Apartment

Design-Build Basement Apartment

Challenges & Objectives

The Redwood Avenue project involved converting an old, dark basement into a bright, functional, and fully legal basement apartment. This transformation not only added value to the home but also created a comfortable and modern living space. The project required lowering the basement floor and separating the unit to meet legal apartment requirements, while also overcoming challenges posed by extremely fine dirt that necessitated the use of specialty equipment.

This project presented unique challenges and clear objectives:

 

  1. Basement Lowering: Increase ceiling height to make the space livable and comfortable.
  2. Legal Compliance: Ensure the new basement apartment met all safety and building code requirements for a legal secondary suite.
  3. Soil Removal: Handle and remove extremely fine dirt, requiring specialized equipment and careful management.

 

Our objective was to deliver a safe, modern, and fully compliant basement apartment that maximized the space’s potential.

Design Solutions

To meet the project’s goals, we implemented strategic and practical solutions:

 

  • Basement Lowering:
    • Excavated and lowered the basement floor to achieve adequate ceiling height.
    • Reinforced the foundation to ensure structural integrity during and after the process.
  • Legal Apartment Compliance:
    • Installed fire-rated materials, proper egress windows, and separate utility systems to meet code requirements.
    • Created a private entrance and separated the unit for independent use.
  • Specialized Soil Removal:
    • Used specialty equipment to safely and efficiently remove the fine dirt without compromising the worksite or schedule.

Construction Process

The Redwood Avenue basement transformation was completed in the following phases:

 

  1. Excavation and Structural Work:
    • Carefully lowered the basement floor while maintaining the integrity of the home’s foundation.
    • Addressed challenges posed by the fine dirt, using specialized tools to manage its removal safely and effectively.
  2. Legal Apartment Conversion:
    • Built out the new basement unit with a functional and stylish layout, featuring proper ventilation, fire safety measures, and separate utilities.
    • Installed a private entrance and upgraded finishes to ensure the space was modern, bright, and inviting.

Results

The transformed basement on Redwood Avenue is now a fully functional, legal apartment that meets all safety and building code standards. The space feels spacious and modern, offering a significant upgrade from its original state. The client was thrilled with the results, especially the seamless handling of the excavation and compliance process.

Our clients' experiences say it all

At Woodsmith, we believe our clients’ experiences highlight our commitment to exceptional customer service. Explore what real homeowners say about partnering with us to achieve their home renovation goals.

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