Selling house - need to know if basement is legal

[r2guy]

Hi, I am not an appraiser; just a home-owner in Chicago. Figured I'd ask the professionals -

I have a gas stove connected in the basement. Can anyone point me to literature that would help me decide if I have a legal installation? I was told I might have a problem if a buyer's appraiser or inspector points it out. So I would like to get educated on the rules to see if this is something I really need to take care of.

My question is related to this (closed) thread: appraisersforum.com/showthread.php?t=189451 . However, I did not get a consensus on what would be the outcome in my scenario. I heard it referred to as a 'summer kitchen'...but I still don't know if it's legal.This is a single-unit home, & though the basement is finished, it's not being used as an apartment.

Thanks!

 

[Lee Lansford]

Without getting into great detail and effort on your part and to ease your concerns--why not just disconnect and move the stove?

 

[Mike Kennedy]

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bldgs/supp_info/learn_when_a_permitisneeded.html

Types of Projects That Require Permits​

• Basement – finish, renovate

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bldgs/provdrs/stand_plan/svcs/building_permit_status.html

http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicago_il/title13buildingsandconstruction/chapter13-196existingbuildings-minimumre?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:chicago_il$anc=JD_13-196-440
13-196-440 Gas-fired appliances.

"All gas-fired heating, cooking and other appliances and gas-fired water heaters, shall conform to the requirements in Sections 13-152-390* through 13-152-440* and 13-180-100* and 13-180-230* of the building provisions of this Code concerning installation, vents and flues.
(Prior code § 78-42)"

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/e.../inspect/svcs/chicago_buildingcodeonline.html
Title 13
Chapters 13-12, 13-32, 13-36, 13-196-440 (<link above)

13-12-050 Construction, alteration, installation, repair or razing without permit – Penalty.

 

[r2guy]

Without getting into great detail and effort on your part and to ease your concerns--why not just disconnect and move the stove?

Yes, that would be step number one if the stove was an improper installation. But then I would have to worry about if the gas line was proper. For example, even if the extra addition was capped off, would it still be against the rules to have that extra addition to the gas line there.

Types of Projects That Require Permits​

• Basement – finish, renovate

13-196-440 Gas-fired appliances.

"All gas-fired heating, cooking and other appliances and gas-fired water heaters, shall conform to the requirements in Sections 13-152-390* through 13-152-440* and 13-180-100* and 13-180-230* of the building provisions of this Code concerning installation, vents and flues.
(Prior code § 78-42)"

Title 13
Chapters 13-12, 13-32, 13-36, 13-196-440 (<link above)

13-12-050 Construction, alteration, installation, repair or razing without permit – Penalty.

Thanks alot. I had searched the code for the word "stove" but "gas-fired" appliance was the term I really needed. I will go through this & see if I can make a determination.

I guess my secondary question would be: is adding a tap to the gas line considered to be one of the terms in "construction, alteration, isntallation, repair, razing". So that you need a permit just for adding a gas line?

Also, my apologies if this is heading more into "inspection" territory. But I also would like to know how an Appraiser would think about this situation....like if you guys would look that closely & point it out for the buyer or their lender.

(links removed from Mike Kennedy's quoted post since forum says I need a minimum number of posts to post links)

 

[Pat Butler]

r2- I don't how the city of Chicago would interpret their regs, but think about the things that could fall under "alteration"-- changing a furnace filter or under-sink water filter, replacing a thermocouple.

I think ultimately you'll have to contact the City, but if I ever lived in their city limits I certainly wouldn't be concerned about capping off a gas line so long as it was done correctly.

You would be given time by any inspector or appraiser if they require something like this to be done. Why not wait to see if you are required by someone to make those changes?

 

[Lee Lansford]

r2- I don't how the city of Chicago would interpret their regs, but think about the things that could fall under "alteration"-- changing a furnace filter or under-sink water filter, replacing a thermocouple.

I think ultimately you'll have to contact the City, but if I ever lived in their city limits I certainly wouldn't be concerned about capping off a gas line so long as it was done correctly.

You would be given time by any inspector or appraiser if they require something like this to be done. Why not wait to see if you are required by someone to make those changes?

Nicely done.

 

[Deleted member 80407]

Hi, I am not an appraiser; just a home-owner in Chicago. Figured I'd ask the professionals -

I have a gas stove connected in the basement. Can anyone point me to literature that would help me decide if I have a legal installation? I was told I might have a problem if a buyer's appraiser or inspector points it out. So I would like to get educated on the rules to see if this is something I really need to take care of.

My question is related to this (closed) thread: appraisersforum.com/showthread.php?t=189451 . However, I did not get a consensus on what would be the outcome in my scenario. I heard it referred to as a 'summer kitchen'...but I still don't know if it's legal.This is a single-unit home, & though the basement is finished, it's not being used as an apartment.

Thanks!

Do you just have a stove in the basement or is there an apartment (in-law)???? If you have a finished basement without bedrooms and a bath, I do not see any appraiser calling you this an issue.

 

[r2guy]

r2- I don't how the city of Chicago would interpret their regs, but think about the things that could fall under "alteration"-- changing a furnace filter or under-sink water filter, replacing a thermocouple.

I think ultimately you'll have to contact the City, but if I ever lived in their city limits I certainly wouldn't be concerned about capping off a gas line so long as it was done correctly.

You would be given time by any inspector or appraiser if they require something like this to be done. Why not wait to see if you are required by someone to make those changes?

Thanks for your input & I was kind of thinking the same thing as far as resolution. Just trying to be proactive since I'm not too familiar with real estate issues. Just don't want something to come up last minute & be a huge expense (time and/or money).

Do you just have a stove in the basement or is there an apartment (in-law)???? If you have a finished basement without bedrooms and a bath, I do not see any appraiser calling you this an issue.

It's just a stove...no apartment. The basement is finished but as far as what's been left behind, it's just an open exercising area with a bath. The person who used to live here was an exercise nut who I guess would cook in the basement from time to time.

I just had never seen a stove in a basement before & was worried I might have a problem come time to sell. There's a million other things wrong with this house, so I'm just on quest to discover 'what else' could pop up so that there are no surprises and so that I can also take necessary steps to protect my liability.