Houses With a Basement Listed Across the Lower Mainland

Check the Basement Height, Windows and Permits

Basement space in a Greater Vancouver house can add a suite, a workshop or a moisture problem, so check the height, the windows and the drainage before you write an offer.

Three measurements decide what the space can legally be. Ceiling height from floor to the underside of the joists, the clear opening of the windows, and whether a separate exit exists together determine whether a room down there counts as habitable, as a bedroom, or as a permitted suite. Ask the listing agent for measured dimensions rather than reading the room count on the MLS® listing.

Then ask what the municipality has on file. A finished lower level with a second kitchen may be permitted, or it may be work no inspector ever saw. The difference affects your insurance, your risk and how much rent a lender will count when you qualify, so request the permit history for the address and speak to your mortgage professional early.

Inspect for Moisture Before You Remove Subjects

Water is the recurring problem in this market. Look for staining low on the walls, efflorescence on concrete, a musty smell behind fresh paint, and flooring laid directly on slab with no break. New paint on the lower half of a wall is worth a question rather than a compliment.

Work outward from there. Have your inspector report on the perimeter drain material and age, the sump and its backup, the grade against the foundation, and where the downspouts discharge, because most water arrives from outside rather than through the slab. Ask whether the property sits in a low part of the block and what the water table does in winter.

Then price it. A house listed with an unfinished lower level and dry conditions is often a better buy than one finished quickly over a problem, because you can improve the first and only discover the second. Compare against recent sales of similar homes rather than against the asking price, and put your repair estimates into the offer.