Here's what to consider before adding a rental unit to your home

With the cost of living rising, you may be looking for ways to make extra money, and adding a rental unit to your home is one of those options.

However, before you do so, you should be aware of the rules for adding a rental unit. CTV's Morning Show explores what needs to be done with To Do Done's Tonya Bervin. He says you can take advantage of current economic conditions, such as the housing shortage and affordability crisis, by using your basement as a rental unit.

"If you can make room for another family, that's great," he says. "We have done a few of these things."

Berwin points out several important points:

Separate entrance: Having a separate entrance to a basement unit is the most important factor, he says, and it can be difficult to add. "You can add a separate entry. There are many ways to do this, depending on how the house is designed, such as a back yard or a side yard."
Basement ceiling height: When thinking about adding a basement as a secondary unit, you should consider lowering the ceiling, he says, noting that some older homes have low ceilings. "If you're lucky and your basement ceiling is fairly high, that's even better."
In-unit washing machine: Having an in-unit washing machine is important, he says, and emphasizes that it has become a standard that tenants expect. However, adding a washing machine comes with additional costs, including the cost of plumbing.
Service meters for each unit: He says that electricity meters should be added to the secondary unit. “When people know they're paying for their energy, they're more likely to save on it. "It's good for the landlord and good for the environment."
Parking: Having extra space for a car is also important, as renters look for places to park their cars while house hunting. If you're close to public transportation, you can attract a tenant who doesn't own a car.
There are other key points to consider, including zoning laws, building permits, inspections, and building code compliance.

In Ottawa, you should use the geoOttawa tool to see if you are allowed to own a secondary unit. According to the City of Ottawa website, secondary basement units must have a separate entrance from the ground floor.

In April, the City of Ottawa released the first draft of a new zoning bylaw that seeks to allow quadrangles on all residential lots across the city, eliminate minimum parking regulations, ban new surface parking in the downtown core, and Make for more trees in the new zoning rules. The city council will approve this new law by the end of 2025.

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