Basement Remodeling
Ankeny, IA
Remodeling a basement that is already finished in Ankeny brings rules a first finish does not. Pull off old drywall and the city wants hard-wired smoke alarms. Add a bedroom and it needs a code egress window. This page covers what Ankeny requires when you rework a lower level.
- Ankeny at a glance
Ankeny homes by the numbers
Ankeny grew from 27,117 people in 2000 to 67,887 in 2020, across 30.26 square miles of land. About 71.3 percent of its homes are owner-occupied. Code facts below come from the city’s basement and egress handouts.
27,117 to 67,887
Residents, 2000 to 2020
30.26 sq mi
City land area, 2020
2,964
Population when declared a city
$331,000
Median owner-occupied home value
Hard-wired
Smoke alarms once finishes come off
10 years
Sealed battery life for alarms
5.0 sq ft
Egress opening near grade
$31.50 per sq ft
City valuation, existing basement
- Permits and rules
Reworking a finished basement: Ankeny's requirements
Any rework that changes walls, rooms or regulated systems needs an Ankeny building permit, and trade work needs its own permits. The rules below focus on what changes when a basement already has finishes, from alarms to ceiling height to what we find inside old walls.
Repair or remodel?
Ankeny’s permit handout covers any construction that physically changes your property or falls under city codes. Moving a wall, adding a room or changing wiring counts. When it sets the fee, the city values finish work in an existing basement at $31.50 per square foot. That is half the $63.00 rate it uses for a new home’s finished basement.
New bedrooms and new walls
A remodel plan shows existing walls and new walls side by side, along with each room’s new use. Turning a rec room into a bedroom changes that use. The reviewer also needs the size of every existing and proposed window, since a bedroom needs an escape opening.
Egress for an added bedroom
A new basement bedroom needs an escape window with 5.7 square feet of clear opening, at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches tall. Ankeny’s handout allows 5.0 square feet when the sill sits within 44 inches of the finished ground outside. Wells over 44 inches deep need a fixed ladder or steps.
Alarms when walls come off
If the remodel removes existing wall or ceiling finishes, Ankeny requires hard-wired smoke alarms. Leave the finishes in place and battery alarms are allowed, but each needs a nonreplaceable battery that lasts at least 10 years. CO alarms are still required outside each separate sleeping area.
What we find behind old walls
In older Central Iowa basements, our crews most often find mold, missing moisture barriers, poor insulation and old or unsafe wiring. We have also redone basements other contractors botched, including concrete spilled into a sump pit. Ankeny’s code sends footing drains to a sump whose discharge stays apart from the sanitary sewer.
Ceiling height in older basements
New finished ceilings need 7 feet, but Section 184.29 gives older basements a break. A basement that never had that height may still be finished. The ceiling can drop only by the thickness of drywall or acoustical ceiling tile. New soffits that hang lower fall outside that exception.
- Our process
How Busy Builders builds your Ankeny basement remodel
A basement remodel starts with a walkthrough, a written scope and the Ankeny building permit. Demolition comes after the permit is approved. Anything hidden behind the old walls gets a written change order before we fix it. If drywall comes off, the plan includes hard-wired smoke alarms, as Ankeny requires. New bedrooms get egress sized to the city’s handout. Our licensed electrical, plumbing and HVAC partners pull their own permits, and the city inspects framing, each rough-in and the final.
Basement remodels are a core service for us. Some customers come to us after a bad experience with another contractor. One had us build a deck before hiring us back for the basement. We hold Iowa contractor registration C140184.
- Written scope and permit before tear-out
- Hard-wired alarms when finishes come off
- Egress sized to Ankeny's handout
Scope to occupancy
- Achievement
Trusted Basement Remodeling Contractors in Ankeny
Since 2020, Busy Builders has completed 1,285+ projects across Central Iowa. We serve homeowners in Ankeny and the surrounding suburbs. Every project starts with a written plan and ends with a walkthrough that confirms every detail is right.
- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Basement Remodeling in Ankeny
What does a basement remodel cost in Ankeny?
It depends on how much comes out before anything goes back in. Tearing out old finishes, fixing moisture, adding a bedroom with egress and rewiring all change the total. We give a written estimate after we see the space. Ankeny figures its own permit fee from a valuation of $31.50 per square foot for existing basements.
Do I need a permit to redo a finished basement in Ankeny?
Yes, if the work changes walls, rooms or any system the city regulates. Ankeny’s code also removes the usual exemptions for small electrical, plumbing and mechanical jobs, so trade work gets its own permits. If you are unsure whether your plan crosses that line, the Building Division answers at 515-963-3550.
My old basement ceiling is under 7 feet. Can I still remodel it in Ankeny?
Yes, within limits. Section 184.29 lets an existing basement below the standard height be finished. The catch is that the new ceiling may sit lower only by the thickness of the drywall or ceiling tile. Boxing ducts or beams lower than that falls outside the exception, so plan those runs early.
Can I turn a basement rec room into a bedroom in Ankeny?
Yes, with a permit and an egress window. The plan has to show the room’s new use. The opening needs 5.7 square feet clear, or 5.0 square feet when the sill is within 44 inches of outside grade. The city also wants a smoke alarm in the new bedroom and a CO alarm outside it.
Who does the wiring and plumbing on an Ankeny basement remodel?
Licensed electricians and plumbers, each under a separate permit. Mechanical work, such as moving ductwork, gets its own permit as well. On our jobs, licensed subcontractors handle electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and we coordinate their schedules and inspections with the building permit.
What happens with the sump pump during a remodel in Ankeny?
Ankeny’s code requires footing drains to discharge to a sump pump whose discharge stays separate from the sanitary sewer. A remodel is a good time to confirm that, because it is hidden once walls close. We have also fixed basements where another contractor spilled concrete into the sump pit.
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