The pre-purchase inspection
For any home marketed with a suite, hire a home inspector who specifically flags secondary-suite items — egress dimensions, drywall thickness on the ceiling, alarm interconnection, HVAC crossovers. A generic inspection will miss most of these.
The right contractor
Ask three questions before signing anything:
- How many secondary suites have you legalized in Calgary in the last 24 months?
- Will you pull the permits, or will I?
- Will you attend the inspections in person?
A specialist has fielded every inspector's quirks and will schedule trades so no permit sits open for months. A generalist "renovator" often subs out permits and disappears at inspection time.
When you need a structural engineer
Any new egress window that requires cutting the foundation, any load- bearing wall removal, and most garage-suite additions require a stamped engineer's letter. Budget $800–$2,500 depending on scope.
Our directory
Coming soon. In the meantime, the City of Calgary maintains a list of registered professionals and the Alberta Real Estate Association can refer suite-experienced REALTORS®.