Basement finishing in York Township
York's most populous suburb, and a township that spells out its finished basement permit in detail.
York Township had 29,740 residents at the 2020 census, making it the most populous suburb of York. It covers about 25.8 square miles south of the city and includes the communities of Queens Gate, Spry and Tyler Run. The township stayed mostly rural until after World War II and is now largely suburban, so most basements here are mid-century or newer.
The township's finished basement packet
York Township publishes a step-by-step guide for finished basement permits. According to that packet:
- You submit a residential building permit application with two sets of floor plans of the finished basement and a plot plan
- A plan review fee is paid at submission, and review can take up to 15 business days
- The permit fee is based on construction cost, with separate electrical and plumbing permits
- The form asks for wall framing size, stud spacing, ceiling height and type, and the second way out of the basement, a walkout door or an egress window
- Receptacles have to be within 12 feet of each other, and smoke detectors are required
- Inspections are booked through the township with at least a day's notice, and a certificate of occupancy is issued after the final
Plumbing is local here
York Township requires plumbing work to be done by a plumber holding a York Township license, and a master plumber must apply for plumbing permits. That matters if your project includes a basement bathroom or wet bar sink.
Typical homes
Postwar ranches and split-levels often have partial basements with ductwork running low across the ceiling, while newer two-story homes may have full-height basements with a bathroom rough-in already in the slab. Either can usually be finished well with the right plan.
Questions people ask
How long does York Township take to review a basement permit?
The township's finished basement packet says residential plan review can take up to 15 business days.
Does York Township require an egress window for a finished basement?
Its permit form asks you to identify a second way out of the basement, either a walkout door or an egress window. A bedroom needs its own escape opening.
Services in York 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.