Murray Basement Finishing plans basement apartments, kitchens and wet bars, bathrooms and egress windows for homes in Midvale, about 3 miles from Murray by road. Ask Midvale City which office issues permits and for its checklist before drawing plans, since Murray’s checklist is Murray’s.
In Midvale about 50 percent of housing units are one-unit homes, 41 percent sit in buildings of five or more units, and about 57 percent of homes are renter-occupied. This page speaks to owners of the houses and smaller homes in that mix.
White cabinets on one wall, a range under a hood, a refrigerator and a tile backsplash
Table
A small round table for two under the window
Floor
Vinyl plank
Cost
$22,000
In this example, the owners of a 1970s house in Midvale have a relative who will live in the lower level. They want a kitchen there so that person can make a meal without going upstairs.
A basement apartment depends on an owner who lives on the property, and only 43 percent of Midvale homes are owner-occupied. State law limits what a city can restrict about an internal unit, and the page on basement apartment sets out the rules.
Basement Kitchen and Wet Bar
A wet bar or second kitchen for the family is a smaller job than a whole unit. Whether Midvale wants a covenant or form when a kitchen is added is for its planning office; the basement kitchen and wet bar page covers the rest.
Basement Bathroom
A bathroom has to meet the residential code’s 6 ft 8 in ceiling, ventilation and GFCI items wherever it is built. The page on basement bathroom goes through them.
Egress Window Installation
Egress windows follow the state size rules wherever the house is. The egress window installation page has the numbers.
Homes and basements here
Midvale counts about 36,000 residents. Of its homes, 40 percent date before 1980, about 8 percent before 1950 and 46 percent from 1950 to 1989, with 1987 the median year. Detached houses are 36 percent of units and one-unit homes of all kinds about 50 percent. Owners occupy 43 percent, and the median owner-occupied value is $436,600.
Year built does not show foundation type, so the first visit finds out whether a basement is there and how it was built.
Permits and rules to check in Midvale
The code behind a Midvale permit is Utah’s adopted 2021 International Residential Code with state amendments. It also says it does not require modification of building components that are not being altered, so the review concerns the work being done.
Two things state law lets a city do about an internal unit: refuse it on a lot of 6,000 square feet or smaller, and make owner occupancy a condition of renting. Ask Midvale City for its checklist and ADU rules before plans are drawn; this page does not repeat them.
It depends on the home and on who owns it. A townhome is a one-unit attached home, and the same code items apply, but rules set by an association or a landlord are not covered here.
Does Midvale use the same basement checklist as Murray?
Not necessarily. The Murray checklist is Murray’s; ask Midvale for its own before you plan.
Can I add a basement apartment in Midvale?
State law lets a city set some limits on internal accessory dwelling units, including lot size and owner occupancy. Midvale’s own rules are the ones to check.
Which Midvale address is it? Tell us the age of the house, whether the basement is bare or partly finished and which rooms you want. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.
