Cellar or Basement? How to convert it to legal habitable in Weehawken? (homes)

[ttmwdf]

Hi All,

I bought a two fam in Weehawken NJ with a finished basement (has a 3/4 bath with standing showering and 2 storage rooms). Currently I'm considering remodeling it next year and try to make the best use of the basement. I tried to look up the local zoning rules but found nothing on weehawken's township website...

1. are cellars and basements differently regulated in weehawken? I saw rules in NYC say basement should have at least 50% above the joint ground curb, and am not sure if it is the same in weehawken. If that is the case, then I have to give up the idea of converting my cellar (probably only 30% above ground) to habitable space with bedrooms labelled -- it is not habitable anyway;

2. If it is cellar, can I the owner family occupy it? I am trying to remodel the first floor to 2b2b, so it definitely will run out of bedrooms once we have kids/visitors

3. I probably can create egress window wells for the basement rooms to assure my family's safety. But haven't seen many examples around, wondered how difficult and why people seem to dont like this idea.

Thanks in advance!

[jaymoney]

Egress window wells are less about your family and more about a fireman wearing all their gear carrying one of your family members out said window.

So, they always have to be much larger than people think they need to be, which is why they seen as are difficult. Most homes are simply built too close to the property line to then add 3' of egress window space.

First thing you need to do is contact the building department and see what their requirements are for habitable space in a basement, they are the only people who can tell you the reality of where you live, NYC laws, people on the internet, all of these things are irrelevant. Your best bet is a phone call, building department websites are notoriously underfunded/unmaintained. You'll never find the information there.