AskCodeMan

I have a single family home in Brooklyn NY. I am about to go into contract to sell my home. My question is a few years ago I had removed my interior staircase leading to my fully furnished basement(mother daughter set up, with 7ft ceiling height, which is common to area), but on C of O is listed as a cellar. If I go to sell this home will the appraiser note down that an interior staircase must be added to bring it up to code? Keep in mind that I have a seperate exterior entrance to basement, along with multiple windows etc.

With your Certificate of Occupancy listing that as a cellar/basement ... you could very well find a cost far greater than just a stairway.

My first thoughts were:
- work without a permit
- bringing the downstairs apartment to code:
- - electrically
- - plumbing-wise
- - HVAC-wise
- - egress
- - structure
- - smoke alarms
- - taxes
- - and the list goes on

I recommend contacting your local AHJ (Building Department) and finding out what they say needs to be done.

Better now than part way through a sale and the deal falls apart because of it.

Once you get your permit and do what your AHJ says, then all is legal and you will have your paperwork in order so it doesn't put a crimp in selling.