Basement In-law suite in Westmount

Create sufficient headroom. For most codes, 7-ft. 6-in. finished ceilings are the minimum. If that’s not what you have, you must either raise the house or lower the basement floor. Either approach is a big undertaking. Lowering the floor typically involves supporting the house, removing an existing slab, excavating, and augmenting or replacing all or part of the foundation and drainage system. Raising a house is a big project, too, but, in general, it’s the better strategy because it creates more height for windows, and thus allows more natural light to enter the space. If you also must replace a failing foundation (which requires supporting the house), then your choice is even clearer: Up she goes