We want to add a kitchen to our Panorama Hills basement for a suite. Does that trigger commercial exhaust rules?

Adding a kitchen to a basement suite in Panorama Hills is considered residential use and follows residential exhaust requirements under the Alberta Building Code, not commercial exhaust rules. However, you'll still need proper ventilation and multiple permits for this project.

For a secondary suite kitchen, you'll need a range hood that exhausts directly to the exterior (not recirculating) with minimum 100 CFM capacity. The exhaust must terminate outside with a proper wall or roof cap, and cannot exhaust into the basement, crawl space, or attic. This is standard residential ventilation - much simpler than commercial kitchen exhaust systems with fire suppression and grease management.

Key permit requirements for your Panorama Hills basement suite kitchen include a development permit (since you're creating a secondary suite), building permit for any structural changes, electrical permit for new circuits and outlets, plumbing permit for water supply and drainage, and HVAC permit for ventilation modifications. The City of Calgary requires secondary suites to have separate entrances, proper egress windows in bedrooms, fire separation between units, and interconnected smoke alarms throughout.

Calgary-specific considerations include ensuring your basement has adequate ceiling height (minimum 1.95m/6'5"), proper drainage for potential flooding (Panorama Hills has some areas with clay soil drainage challenges), and compliance with the R-CG zoning that now allows secondary suites city-wide. Your kitchen will need GFCI outlets, proper spacing of receptacles, and potentially a dedicated 20-amp circuit for appliances.

Professional guidance is essential here - while you might handle some finishes yourself, the electrical, plumbing, and gas work (if adding a gas range) must be done by licensed contractors and inspected by Safety Codes Officers. A mechanical contractor should design your ventilation system to ensure proper makeup air and integration with your home's existing HVAC system.

Next steps: Apply for your development permit first through calgary.ca/development, then coordinate with licensed electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contractors who can pull the necessary permits. Budget $25,000-$45,000 for a complete basement suite kitchen including appliances, depending on finishes and any structural modifications needed.

Find verified contractors experienced with Calgary basement suites in our directory at Calgary Construction Network.