Basement finishing in Manchester Township
North of the city around Emigsville, one of the faster-growing townships in the York area.
Manchester Township grew from 12,700 residents in 2000 to 19,514 at the 2020 census, a sign of how much housing has been built there in recent decades. It covers about 15.9 square miles north of the City of York, wraps around the borough of North York on three sides and includes the village of Emigsville. The township was laid out in 1742 and was farmland for most of its history.
Newer basements, easier finishes
Homes built since the 1990s often have full-height basements with poured walls, a sump pit and sometimes a bathroom rough-in in the slab. Those are ideal starting points for a full finish. The main planning questions are usually where to put the stairs-side family room, whether to add a bedroom (which means an egress window if there isn't a walkout), and how to route ducts to keep ceiling height.
Walkouts and daylight
Where lots slope, some homes have walkout or lookout basements with full-size windows and a door at grade. A walkout makes a basement bedroom much easier, since an exterior door can serve as the escape opening, and it brings in natural light that makes the space feel like a main floor.
Permits
Basement finishing in the township needs a building permit under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, issued by the township or its appointed code agency, plus electrical and plumbing permits where that work is included. If you live in North York borough, which the township surrounds, the borough handles your permits instead.
Questions people ask
Is North York part of Manchester Township?
No. North York is a separate borough that the township surrounds on three sides, so permits there come from the borough.
My house has a walkout basement. Do I still need an egress window for a bedroom?
Not necessarily. An exterior door can serve as the escape opening if the bedroom's layout gives direct access. The contractor and the code official can confirm.
Services in Manchester Township
- Full basement finishingTurning a bare concrete or block basement into heated, drywalled living space from start to finish.
- Basement remodelingUpdating an older finished basement: paneling, drop ceilings, tired carpet and layouts that no longer work.
- Basement bathroomsAdding a full or half bath below the main sewer line, with the pump, venting and exhaust it needs.
- Basement bedrooms and egressMaking a lower-level bedroom legal: escape window, alarms, ceiling height and the permit.
- Home theaters and media roomsA dark, quiet room for movies or games, with wiring, sound control and lighting planned in.
Nearby areas
Ready to use the space under your house?
One call and a basement finishing contractor who works in York County will set up a time to look at it.