Basement renovation

Basement Renovation Contractor in Calgary, AB

Your basement is finished. It just does not work anymore.

15+ Years of experience

Renovation contractor

When the lower level needs more than paint

Maybe it is wood paneling and a drop ceiling from another decade, a bedroom too dark to sleep in, or carpet that never smelled right after the water heater let go.

Alberta Elite Construction is the basement renovation contractor Calgary homeowners call when the lower level needs more than paint. For more than 15 years, our crew has opened up cramped layouts, rebuilt tired bathrooms, enlarged bedroom windows, and corrected old work that never saw a permit. We take your existing basement down to what is worth keeping and rebuild the rest properly.

Call Alberta Elite Construction at (587) 332-2255 or request your free consultation online. We answer from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and you get fixed written pricing before any wall comes down.

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Finished Calgary basement with living room, fireplace, and wet bar

What we do

What does a basement renovation contractor do?

A basement renovation contractor updates or rebuilds a basement that is already finished. The work can include moving or removing walls, replacing bathrooms, enlarging windows for egress, new flooring, ceilings, and lighting, repairing water damage, and bringing past unpermitted work up to code with City of Calgary permits and inspections.

Starting from bare concrete instead? That is a basement development project, and we build those too.

Warning signs

Signs your finished basement needs a renovation

A basement finished 20 or 30 years ago was built to the expectations of its time. Families change, codes change, and materials wear out. If two or more of these sound familiar, a cosmetic touch-up will only hide the problem for a while. A proper renovation fixes the cause.

A layout that fights you

Small rooms, a hallway to nowhere, or a furnace room sitting in the middle of the best open space.
Dated finishes

Paneling, popcorn or drop ceilings, worn carpet, and dim fluorescent lighting.
A bedroom that is not legally a bedroom

The window is too small to climb out of, which matters for safety and when you sell.
An old or missing bathroom

A cramped shower, failing fixtures, or no bathroom at all on the lower level.
Past water damage

Stained drywall, swollen baseboards, or a musty smell after a leak or sewer backup.
Work done without permits

A previous owner finished the space themselves, and nobody knows what sits behind the drywall.
Plans for a suite

You want rental income or room for family, and the current layout cannot get there.

Included

Basement renovation services in Calgary

Every renovation starts with what is already there. We assess the framing, wiring, plumbing, and moisture conditions behind your existing finishes, then plan the new space around what the house can support.

Layout changes and wall removal

We take down walls that chop the basement into small rooms and reframe the space around how you live now. Where a wall carries load, we plan the beam and post work with an engineer before demolition. Moving or removing walls requires a City of Calgary building permit, and we handle that application for you.
Basement bathroom renovation

We gut and rebuild outdated basement bathrooms with new waterproofing, tile, fixtures, ventilation, and lighting. If your basement has no bathroom yet, we tie a new one into the existing drain and supply lines under a plumbing permit. Bathroom doorways are framed at a minimum of 30 inches wide to meet City guidance.
Egress window upgrades for existing bedrooms

Many older basement bedrooms have windows far too small for emergency escape. We cut or enlarge foundation openings, install compliant windows, and build new wells. A bedroom window needs an unobstructed opening of at least 0.35 m² with no dimension under 380 mm. Larger foundation cuts need review by an Alberta-registered engineer, and we coordinate that step.
Flooring, ceilings, and lighting updates

We replace worn carpet with durable flooring, take down drop ceilings and paneling, and add pot lights and new circuits. Old drop ceilings often hide ducts and pipes, so we plan bulkheads to keep as much ceiling height as possible.
Water damage repair and moisture fixes

After a leak or sewer backup, wet drywall, insulation, and flooring need to come out, not get painted over. We remove damaged materials, find and correct the source, and rebuild with moisture-conscious wall assemblies suited to Alberta foundations.
Fixing unpermitted basement work

If a previous owner finished the basement without permits, the City lets you apply for permits after the fact. Concealed wiring and plumbing must then be checked by a licensed contractor, and an inspector may ask for drywall to be opened. We manage that process, open what needs opening, and correct anything that fails.
Converting a finished basement to a legal suite

A developed basement can often become a legal secondary suite with a kitchen, private entrance, smoke-tight separation, and interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. We assess what your current basement already has, price only the upgrades it needs, and file the suite permits.
Wet bars and entertainment spaces

A wet bar with a sink and fridge adds a lot to a family room. In Calgary, a basement wet bar cannot include a cooking appliance such as a stove, cooktop, oven, or microwave unless the space is permitted as a suite. We design the bar to fit the rule you are building under.

Basement framing and stairs before drywall

Permit Guide

Based on the City of Calgary's home renovation guidance

The City of Calgary separates cosmetic updates from work that changes structure, openings, or systems. For homes built before 1990, the building permit application also needs an asbestos abatement form. We prepare the drawings and forms, file the applications, and book every inspection.

Which basement renovations need a permit in Calgary?

Painting Usually no permit
New flooring Usually no permit
Replacing fixtures in the same spot Usually no permit
Moving or removing walls Building permit
Adding or enlarging windows Permit required
Adding a basement entry Permit required
New electrical or plumbing work Permit required

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Process

Our basement renovation process

1

Assessment

We walk your basement, look behind access panels, check for moisture, and confirm what was permitted.

For homes built before 1990, we flag the materials that need asbestos testing before anything is disturbed.
2

Design and written price

You receive a layout and finish plan with fixed written pricing.

The price you approve is the price you pay, and any change gets written down before work proceeds.
3

Permits

We file the City of Calgary building and trade permit applications that your scope requires.
4

Demolition and rebuild

We protect the rest of the house and remove what is coming out.

Framing, trades, insulation, drywall, and finishes then run as one sequence.
5

Final walk-through

We walk the finished basement with you and close every outstanding item before final payment.

Older and newer homes

Renovating older and newer basements across Calgary

The age of your home shapes the renovation as much as your design does.

Homes built before 1990

In established neighbourhoods such as Haysboro, Acadia, Brentwood, and Thorncliffe, many basements were finished decades ago. Those homes predate 1990, so drywall mud, vinyl floor tiles, and some insulation can contain asbestos, and Alberta guidance treats pre-1990 buildings as higher risk. Testing comes before demolition, not after.

Homes permitted since November 2016

If the original building permit for your house was applied for on or after November 1, 2016, renovations must meet the energy efficiency requirements in Section 9.36 of the Alberta Building Code. That affects insulation values and mechanical choices, and we spec them correctly from the start.

Older basement suites

The City's Secondary Suite Amnesty Program runs until December 31, 2026 for suites built before March 12, 2018, and it waives development permit charges and registry fees. If your finished basement already has a kitchen and bathroom, renovating it into a legal suite now can save you money.

Where we work

Our shop is in southeast Calgary, and we renovate basements within a 20-mile radius covering every quadrant of the city plus Chestermere, Langdon, Shepard, De Winton, Conrich, Indus, and Rocky View County.

Alberta Elite Construction, 3536 46 Ave SE, Calgary, AB, T2B 3J2. Phone: (587) 332-2255. Email: Sales@albertaec.ca. Hours: 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM.

15+ Years experience

20 Mile service radius

1,000+ Satisfied customers

2-yr Workmanship warranty

Why choose us

Why choose Alberta Elite Construction as your basement renovation contractor

Renovation is harder than new development because you are working around someone else's decisions. Here is what you get with our team.

One contractor for the whole job

Demolition, framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finishing scheduled as one project with one point of contact. When the work reaches upstairs, the same team handles home remodeling too.

Fixed written pricing

Every change is approved in writing first.

Permit handling

Including after-the-fact permits for past unpermitted work.

2-year workmanship warranty

If a deficiency tied to our labour appears within two years, we return and correct it at no charge.

Licensed and insured

Licensed and insured for residential contracting in Alberta.

Code-compliant construction

Built to the Alberta Building Code and City of Calgary permit requirements.

Our services

Built for every space in your home

Kitchen Remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling

Basement Development

Basement Renovation

Home Remodeling

Garage Development

Deck Installation

Fence Installation

Video Surveillance Installation

Roof Repair