CAD 59 Edmonton legal suite decision check

Thinking about a legal basement or garden suite? Check the decision before you spend serious money.

A legal suite can mean permits, drawings, contractors, months of disruption, and CAD 40k-100k in spend. For CAD 59, get a decision-first scan that organizes payback, permit path, cost drivers, missing items, and next-step options before you decide what to do.

Check my idea first Already collecting quotes?

Free preview before payment CAD 59 report in 1 business day You decide. We organize the decision.

The decision you are really making Should I keep going?

Possible spend CAD 40k-100k

First check CAD 59

Report covers ROI + permits

CAD 59 scan answers

Does the idea make financial sense under your rent and budget assumptions?
What permit path and review workload should you expect?
Which blockers could turn a CAD 40k idea into a CAD 80k project?
Should you pause, gather facts, or prepare for quotes?

1 Decision

CAD 59 decision scan

2 Preparation

CAD 199 readiness packet

3 Execution

Quotes, drawings, City review

What the CAD 59 scan answers

Five questions before drawings, quotes, permits, and months of disruption.

The scan is for the first decision: should this legal suite project be explored further? It gives a structured decision packet with assumptions, source-backed public information, missing facts, and next-step options. It is not a quote, appraisal, permit approval, or contractor recommendation.

Is this actually a legal-suite path?

Checks whether your idea looks like a legal secondary suite, garden suite, regular renovation, or an unclear case that needs more review.

Do the cash-flow numbers make sense?

Uses your rent and build-budget assumptions to show rough payback before financing, tax, insurance, vacancy, maintenance, and appraisal effects.

What could make the project more expensive?

Flags separate entrance, windows/egress, ceiling height, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, structure, drawings, and inspection complexity.

How much permit work is likely?

Summarizes likely development, building, electrical, plumbing, gas, HVAC, document, and review steps based on your answers.

Could incentives or financing matter?

Flags case-specific options like CMHC refinance, clean-energy financing, solar, accessibility, senior, and disability-related paths to verify.

What should you do next?

Tells you whether to pause, measure key constraints, collect photos/drawings, prepare a readiness packet, or talk to a contractor or designer.

Free preview first

Answer five questions. See the first decision signal. Pay only if it helps.

Most homeowners do not need another long City page first. They need the right questions in the right order. This preview narrows the project into legal-suite path, cash-flow assumptions, permit workload, cost drivers, and missing facts.

1 Answer five questions

Tell us what you want to build, where you are, and which assumptions you want to test.

2 Review the live preview

See the likely decision path, cost-risk level, missing facts, and rough payback signal.

3 Order only if useful

Get a one-business-day report before paying for drawings, quotes, or application work.

What decision are you trying to make?

First we separate a rental-suite decision from a regular renovation decision.

What kind of property is it?

The property context changes what needs checking before drawings or quotes.

Where are you now?

Timing decides whether the next useful output is a decision scan, readiness packet, or qualified review.

4. Which parts may be involved? Separate kitchen Bathroom or plumbing Bedroom window or egress Separate entrance Electrical, gas, or HVAC Structural change Not sure yet

What number are you trying to test first?

The CAD 59 scan turns this into a short decision report instead of a generic search result.

Expected monthly rent Expected build budget

Neighbourhood or nearest intersection, optional

I already need a readiness packet

The preview updates as you answer. Payment opens only after this check; the paid report is delivered by email after payment and completed intake.

Live decision preview

Start with the suite-or-renovation question.

A few answers will show which uncertainty should be reduced first.

Project path Unclear

Cost risk Medium

Next output CAD 59 scan

Questions that narrow the problem fastest

Rough feasibility signal Payback estimate pending

Planning worksheet only. Not financial, legal, tax, appraisal, or investment advice.

Likely missing items

What the CAD 59 report adds

CAD 59

A small check before a large renovation decision.

Pricing

Start with the small decision. Prepare the bigger packet only if the idea survives.

First decision

Legal Suite Decision Scan

CAD 59

For homeowners asking whether the idea is worth pursuing before drawings, quotes, contractor calls, or application work.

Cash-flow and rough payback under your assumptions
Likely permit path and review workload
Cost-driver and missing-information flags
Financing, energy, solar, accessibility, senior, and disability options to verify

Next step

Readiness + Shortlist Packet

CAD 199

For projects that still look promising and need organized photos, documents, permit-readiness questions, provider shortlist, and draft outreach emails.

Permit, photo, and document checklist
Project brief for providers
Public-info provider shortlist
Draft emails you can verify and send yourself

See CAD 199 packet

What happens after the decision scan

If the project still looks worth it, prepare before you contact people.

The deeper packet does not sell your information or send your project to contractors. It organizes what a contractor, designer, trade provider, or City reviewer will likely ask for, so your first outreach is less vague.

How providers are shortlisted Public review rating and review count, service descriptions, website details, service area, basement-suite fit, and visible contact information.

Residential designer or drafter Floor plans, site plan support, drawing set preparation.

Secondary-suite contractor Project scoping, build planning, coordination, renovation execution.

Certified trade contractor Electrical, plumbing, gas, heating, ventilation, and related permits.

Structural engineer Potentially needed when beams, foundations, load-bearing walls, or structural openings are involved.

Verification prompts Ask each provider about licensing, insurance, recent secondary-suite work, permit experience, quote exclusions, timeline, and who applies for trade permits.

Planning guides

Answer the first questions before you apply or hire.

Permit path

Boundary

Organize the decision path. Do not replace official review.

This site helps with

Permit path organization
Document and photo checklist
Fee estimate and missing-item list
Project brief and local provider shortlist

This site does not provide

Permit approval or submission
Design, engineering, or code certification
Stamped drawings
Provider endorsement or hiring guarantee
City of Edmonton representation