I'm a seasoned DIY enthusiast, but this is my first time working with a general contractor (GC). I recently contracted the demolition of a poorly built 14x18 addition and am having a new room built with a full basement below to finish as a bedroom. The idea was to enhance my home's value, especially since the contractor included an egress window in our agreement, even though finishing the basement wasn't their responsibility.
Now, the challenge: the existing basement walls are at 7 feet high, which is fine according to Ohio regulations for older homes. The contractor confirmed that this height was approved for the new addition too. However, during the concrete pour for the new basement, the contractor mentioned that the existing floor was only 2.5 inches thick and they had to pour it to 4 inches, blending the two. So far, so good.
But now, I've measured the ceiling height, and it's only about 6 feet 10.5 inches because of the thicker new floor. I'm worried this may disqualify it as "habitable space" and diminish the value I hoped to gain from the full basement versus a crawl space. The project's already running about four months late, and I'm doubtful the GC will want to tear up the floor to fix this. While the space could still function, it likely won't meet the requirements for an official bedroom.
How can I fairly bring this up with my GC? Any other thoughts or suggestions on tackling this issue would be appreciated!
1 Answer
You should definitely talk to your GC about this soon. Since they’re the ones holding the permits, ask them to check in with the building department to see if they can get a variance for your ceiling height. If they can’t, you’ll want to know what their plan is to help you get the proper height you need.
I actually messaged my GC about contacting the authorities for a variance this morning. I just want to make sure I won't run into issues when I go to pull the permit myself for finishing the basement.