Greendale has a plan-review checklist written just for basement rec rooms.
Greendale's rec-room checklist
Under Municipal Ordinance 15.07, examples of permit work include finishing a basement, turning a room into a bathroom and converting a space into a bedroom [1]. Licensed plumbing, electrical and heating contractors install their own work under their own permits, and the basement gets hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup [2]. Habitable basement rooms need a finished ceiling of at least 6 feet 8 inches, or 7 feet if the home was built after June 1980 [2].
Do I need a permit to finish a basement in Greendale?
Yes. Finishing a basement is one of the examples of permit work listed under Municipal Ordinance 15.07, along with converting a space into a bedroom [1].
Can a rec room double as a bedroom?
Not under the rec-room checklist, which says the basement shall not be used for sleeping at any time [2]. Converting a space into a bedroom is a separate permit item under Ordinance 15.07, so it needs its own building permit [1].
Next steps
More reading: ceiling height and layout, egress windows and bedrooms or bars and kitchenettes. State code basics are on how it works, and nearby you'll find Milwaukee and Wauwatosa. All towns: service areas.
Ask for a quote on your Greendale basement project.
We're a referral service, not a contractor, and independent contractors may pay us for referrals.
Sources
- Village of Greendale, Permit Requirements. https://greendale.org/departments/inspection_services/permit_requirements.php
- Village of Greendale, Basement Rec-Room Checklist for Plan Submittal (PDF) https://greendale.org/departments/inspection_services/docs/BASEMENT%20REC%20ROOM-PLAN%20REVIEW%20CHECKLIST-website.pdf