Basement Legalization — Free Consultation & Quote

Legalizing finished basements is one of the most common jobs we do. Many Nassau County homes have basements that were finished years ago, by a previous owner or a contractor, without a permit. It usually comes up at the worst time: when you're selling, refinancing, or when a violation notice arrives.

We legalize basements across the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, the Cities of Glen Cove and Long Beach, and the villages.

An outside entrance to the basement is its own permit item. We handle proposed new cellar entrances with stairways, and existing ones that were built without a permit. Like other exterior work, a cellar entrance typically needs a current survey and a site plan. We order the survey for you with no markup; surveys typically run $650–850 for lots under 10,000 sq ft, and larger or irregular lots vary.

Whether a basement apartment can be legalized depends on your town's zoning, and every municipality is different. A common path is removing the extra kitchen (with a plumbing permit) and legalizing what remains as finished space. If your property needs a variance or a zoning hearing, we'll flag it early and can refer you to a zoning/land-use attorney.

Bought a home with a mother-daughter? Mother-daughter permits don't transfer when ownership changes. All owners must get their own permits, and we do these.

Can my finished basement be legalized?
In many cases, yes. We review your property records and the work in a free consultation and tell you what the town will likely need.

Why do I need plans for something that's already built?
Towns usually require a current survey and drawings that show what was built. We coordinate all of that for you.

I got a violation for an illegal basement apartment. Can you help?
Yes. We review the notice and handle the permits, plans and inspections needed to cure it. Once you hire us, we can provide an engagement/retainer letter you can bring to court to show you're working to cure the violation. We don't go to court.

Do you handle the electrical and plumbing sign-offs?
We coordinate them, along with the town inspections.