Converting CO from Cellar to basement

Three floor two family house. CO lists top floor as dwelling, middle floor as dwelling, and lower level as cellar. What would be involved to attempt to change lower level to basement on CO, still keeping CO as two family. Ceiling height in lower level is over 7 feet, and top of ceiling is right around 50% over curb height, there is exterior access (doors) from front and back of lower level.

rhjmem

in About Brooklyn 9 years and 10 months ago

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germaineson73 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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An architect can answer this for you. What are you doing with the space? There are restrictions to creating occupied space and most deal with health and safety issues. If the basement is for storage, it would probably be easier, although, drain modifications like a backflow preventer and perimeter drains may come into play. Egress is also the question when defining your space. Remember, changing the CO can lead to a new assessment and tax increase. The building department is a wealth of information when considering a change. Questions are free.

Lurker | 9 years and 10 months ago

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This is a link from the city that specifies some of the general issues and also a bizarre loophole that exists in the system. http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdf/PreservationSvcsBrochure_BasementCellar.pdf According to this pamphlet, if you live in a single family home, a basement may be rented to a single family/party (meaning not borders) with minimum 7 foot ceilings, so long as light/air, height above grade, and all other code requirements are met. Or in 2 family it may be occupied only by members of the family or families. It points to how stupid and contradictory our building code is: If you have a two family, it would be illegal to have someone live in the basement if ceiling is less than 8 foot. But if that house is a one-family, then?presto!?all safety concerns that inspire the restrictions on a two family are magically waived. The city could magically put a big dent in the housing shortage problem if these 7 foot ceiling basements were to be made legal for 2-family houses. To wit: Can the basement of a one-family dwelling be lawfully rented? Yes, but only if all of the following conditions are met: ? Compliance with the requirements of the Housing Maintenance Code for rooms not located in the cellar or basement, e.g., minimum room size. ? There is a minimum ceiling height of seven feet. ? The walls,as high as ground level,must be damp- and water-proofed if HPD determines that subsoil conditions on the lot require such damp- and water- proofing. ? The basement is occupied by one family and does NOT include boarders. ? Every room must have at least one window complying with the requirements of Housing Maintenance Code § 27- 2062. ? The bottom of any yard or other required open space cannot be higher than six inches below the window sill of any required window in the room. May the basement of a one- or two- family dwelling be lawfully occupied? Yes, but only by members of the family or families occupying the dwelling and only if the following conditions are met: ? The room complies with the requirements of the Housing Maintenance Code for rooms not located in the cellar or basement, e.g., minimum room size. ? There is a minimum ceiling height of seven feet. ? The walls, as high as ground level, must be damp- and water-proofed if HPD determines that subsoil conditions on the lot require such damp- and water- proofing.

mario71 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Changing the C of O is difficult, and you can’t predict what the DOB will think. Even with a basement C of O it is not easy to have approved use for a bedroom. In my case, for example, the DOB was not happy with the 7′-6″ ceiling height in the drawing and we’ve had to excavate, which is very expensive and may require you to replace columns, etc., depending on the quality of your foundation. And still it cannot have a completely separate bedroom because of airflow requirements. It has to be a large studio. It is an uncertain project.

mk2100 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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It would be better to consult a professional window replacement services toronto who can replace the window with the door as you have decided and make an ease of access to your backyard. I had called them for such a kind of situation at my house back in Canada. They can provide you with the right option adaptable at your place, if needed stairs too. I got mine done without stairs, rather I got the door frame fixed accordingly.

greenmountain | 9 years and 10 months ago

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This link regarding radon levels in Brooklyn shows 11 % of locations have higher levels than are considered safe for habitation. Only in rare cases would that be a problem on upper floors. http://county-radon.info/NY/Kings.html

resident2 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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What would be involved? A lot of wasted time & money. If you are using your cellar for your use, what you use it for: IE storing a bedroom set down there, is your business. You can finish it and store your office in it, or sleep down there if you feel like it. No you cannot rent it out separately or make the second apartment down there, in order to do that you should legalize it as a residential space. If you can legalize it as residential space will depend not only on the legal light (window space to floor area and grade levels, but also zoning; can you create more square feet of living space? or are you over built already?) But if you do want to legalize it as additional bedroom space etc. beware that it is opening a huge can of worms these days. How much is it really worth?