Removing a window?? Canadian building code??

[Ivan]

I'm remodeling a room in the basement of my 35 y/o bungalow. One of the windows is along a wall where eventually an attached garage will be built. For my part, I wouldn't mind keeping the window there for additional fire escape if nothing else. However, given the requirement for a firewall between the garage and the existing house, I'm wondering if a window would be allowed in our building code.

On the same topic, I'm going to be enlarging the opening of another window in the same room. I plan to extend the window down to the next block level. Has anyone had experience with a project like this?

1) do you use a chisel to knock out the blocks below? 2) the old window frame is set in mortar, do you still do that or is there another way of securing the window in the opening? 3) any recommendations as far constructing the window well?

thanks, Ivan

[Specter]

I would think the presence of a window would greatly compromise the intent of a firewall. You should speak to your local authorities before proceeding, because, even though there is a national building code, each local governing body is allowed to establish additional requirements of their own. You'll need to comply with those local requirements.

Same answer as above. Your local authorities can be enormously helpful in providing these sorts of answers. FWIW, I'm in Manitoba, and have never even seen a cinder block foundation (they wouldn't survive our extreme climate or shifting ground), so you can see where local adaptations to national standards are a necessity.

Good luck with your renos.

Rob

[default]

Stick an 8'-12' shed between the garage and the existing house, and it won't matter.

[Ivan]

Rob: I'm in rural Saskatchewan. I'm in a sandy area, and I DO MEAN SANDY. Pure sand. Actually the cinderblock basement is in amazing condition. I completely gutted the entire basement down to the furnace and water heater. Except for a minor horizontal hairline crack above ground level...where the original builders plunked an monstrosity of a front step, the walls are perfect. The basement floor has not one crack. It must be the sandy soil...no shifting at all. Now my dads house built on clay is another story.

Thanks for the reply, Ivan

[Ivan]

No-can-do. I'm restricted by the property line. As it is I can only add on

15 feet of width.