Basement Finish

A BUILDING PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR FINISHING A BASEMENT

Thank you for your interest in pulling a permit from the Vineyard Building Department. Provided below is information to get you started on your project, but please don’t hesitate to contact us at 801-226-1929 or building@vineyardutah.org if you have additional concerns or questions.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO PULL A BUILDING PERMIT FOR YOUR BASEMENT FINISH?

A permit will ensure that your basement is built to code compliance and it will protect your family’s health and welfare. 

Having a code compliant basement finish may help you with any insurance claims should any mishaps take place in the future of your home. You also can’t sell your house for the full appraisal value unless your basement was finished with a permit.

Don’t want to do the work twice? Be aware that inspecting a basement finished without a permit requires that the drywall and insulation be removed in order for our inspectors to see the original work done. So it is more cost effective in the long run to pull your permit before you start your basement finish.

HOW TO SUBMIT FOR A BASEMENT FINISH PERMIT IN VINEYARD.

Submittals
The Vineyard Building Department accepts submittals both online and over the counter. You may submit online through the Building Portal or print a Building Permit Application and submit it in person. 

Parcel Information
If you are having difficulty locating your parcel information, you can find your lot #, subdivision, and phase on the Utah County Parcel Map. Just enter your address and city on the left-hand side and then click the little blue “land info” link.

Valuation
A valuation is required for federal and state agency reporting requirements. This valuation is the estimate of the cost of your labor + materials to finish your basement. 

Basement Walkout
If you are planning an exterior exit from your basement you will need to provide an engineering letter. You can contact any engineering company for this. Anytime you impact the foundation of your home, the City needs to ensure the structure will be engineered to support the load of the house above. 

Your permit submittal will also require a detailed plan of your stairs leading to the basement walkout, as well as a site plan indicating the location of your walkout in regard to your property lines. For questions about property lines and setbacks, please contact the Vineyard Planning Department.

Owner/Builder Certifications
An Owner/Builder Certification form is necessary if the work is being performed by the sole owner of the property. 

Plan Requirements
In order to expedite your plan review, please check your plans, supporting documents (such as engineering calculations), and application to be sure you have all the required information. 

Plans and supporting documents submitted online must be in a pdf file format. Plans submitted in person should be on pages no greater in size than 11" x 17."

Any plans reviewed or drawn by an Engineer must be sealed and signed by the Engineer.

Your plans do not need to be drawn by an architect. However, below is a good list of what needs to be shown on those plans.

PLAN REQUIREMENTS FOR BASEMENTS: (*Note: Any plans requiring Engineering must be sealed and signed by the Engineer.)

  • Dimensioned floor plans showing all wall openings, stairs, doors, closets, and other spaces.
  • Label the use of each room and space.
  • Include all spaces in the area you wish to finish with this permit
  • Identify load bearing walls. Typically, these are walls already constructed in the unfinished basement.
  • Identify any bearing walls being replaced by beams and provide the engineering for each.
  • Show all windows and give window size.
  • Identify all bedroom window well dimensions (i.e. 4 1/4’ wide by 3’ deep by 4’ tall) measured to the top of the well from the window sill. All bedrooms with window wells taller than 44” will need an attached escape ladder.
  • Show furnace, water heater, and other utility equipment.
  • Show smoke alarms in each bedroom and one in the area adjacent to the bedrooms.
  • Show a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm outside bedrooms. All smoke alarms and CO alarms must be wired in series to all alarms on all levels.
  • Show layout of electrical outlets in the rooms.
  • Show location of electrical panel serving the finished basement areas.
  • Show all plumbing fixtures, fireplaces, and other added equipment.

Plan Review Process

  • Plans are reviewed on a first come first serve basis regardless of complexity.
  • The review for a basement permit submittal is typically completed within one week from the time it was submitted, but is subject to workload.
  • At any time you may check on the status of your plan review by going to the building web portal.
  • For any questions on how to navigate the web portal please see the portal handout.         
  • Plan review communications (such as comments, corrections, or approvals) will be sent to the email provided on the building permit application. 
  • Once the review is complete and the plans have been approved the building fees can be paid and permit can be issued.
  • For questions on permit fees please contact the Building Department.

Additional Information to Consider

  • If you currently have or are planning to have a second kitchen in your basement, a Second Kitchen Acknowledgement form will be required to be recorded. This will be covered in more detail by the Plans Examiner during the plan review process. 
  • If you are finishing your basement for the purposes of using it as a rental unit please contact the Vineyard Planning Department for instructions on how to apply for Accessory Dwelling Unit Accessory Dwelling Unit license.
  • At this time, we can accept cash, check or card as forms of payment. Please be aware that all card transactions will have an additional 3% charge.  

Please contact the Vineyard Building Department with any questions throughout the process.