Somewhere in the planning of most finished basements, somebody says it would be nice to have a sink down there. From that remark the idea grows: a small refrigerator, a counter, perhaps a microwave, perhaps a cooktop. By the end of the conversation the basement has a kitchen, and nobody quite decided that it should.
It pays to make that decision on purpose, because a bar sink and a second kitchen are treated differently by the people who review plans, and they place different demands on the house. This article sets out the range of options and what each one involves in the Alexandria area.
Three levels of basement kitchen
The beverage counter. A run of cabinets, a countertop and an under-counter refrigerator, with no plumbing at all. It needs outlets in the right places and little else. For a media room or guest space it does most of what people want.
The wet bar. Add a small sink and the project gains a water supply, a drain and a vent. The sink's position is governed by where the drain can run, which in a basement often means staying close to existing plumbing or breaking the slab.
The full second kitchen. A range or cooktop, a full-size refrigerator, a dishwasher and a proper sink make a room in which someone could cook every meal. That brings ventilation for the cooking appliance, dedicated electrical circuits, possibly a gas line, and more questions from the reviewer.
How Fairfax County sees the difference
For the Alexandria-addressed neighborhoods that lie in Fairfax County, the county's finished-basement guidance is specific on two points. A bar sink requires a plumbing permit, on top of the building and electrical permits that any finished basement needs. And while accurate, complete basement submissions are normally reviewed in two to five days, the county notes that a second kitchen can lengthen plan review.
The reason is what a second kitchen can turn a basement into. A space with its own areas for eating, sleeping, living and sanitation is how the county describes an accessory living unit, a secondary dwelling that is subordinate to a single-family detached house. Those are allowed, but under their own rules. An accessory living unit inside the main house can be approved with an administrative permit if it meets the standards: either the unit or the main dwelling must be owner-occupied, the unit can be no more than 800 square feet or 40 percent of the main dwelling's floor area, whichever is less, with no more than two bedrooms and no more than two occupants, and an additional parking space is required. Anything outside those standards needs a special permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
None of that prevents a family from having a second kitchen for its own use. It does mean the drawings should say plainly what the space is for, and that anyone who has a relative's apartment or a rental in mind should raise it at the start. The City of Alexandria has its own zoning rules, so houses inside the city need a separate answer.
What the house has to supply
Whatever level you choose, check four things before fixing the layout.
- Drainage. Find out whether the basement floor is above or below the level of the sewer line leaving the house. If it is below, fixtures need a pump, and the pump needs a home.
- Electrical capacity. A cooktop, a microwave and a dishwasher are substantial loads. Have the panel assessed before appliances are chosen.
- Ventilation. Cooking produces moisture and odor in the part of the house least able to shed them. A range hood ducted to the outside needs a route through the rim of the house.
- Ceiling height. Ducts and beams in a basement ceiling limit where wall cabinets and a hood can go.
The county's permit list reflects this. New or relocated sinks, wet bars, ranges, range hoods and ductwork, as well as new electrical circuits and outlets, all appear among the work that needs a permit.
Borrowing from the kitchen upstairs
A basement kitchenette works best when it is designed with the same discipline as a main kitchen, only smaller. Keep the sink, refrigerator and counter within a step or two of each other. Choose finishes that tolerate humidity. Put lighting under the wall cabinets, because basement ceilings rarely light a counter well. The layout principles described in this site's guide to kitchen layouts on a sensible budget scale down without much adjustment, and the notes on where kitchen money is best spent apply just as well below ground.
Where it sits in the whole basement budget
Plumbing is one of the larger variables in the cost of finishing a basement, and a kitchenette adds to it. To see how that fits with framing, insulation, electrical work, flooring and the rest, read What Finishing an Alexandria Basement Involves: Cost Factors, Planning and Layout Ideas. It gives a useful frame for deciding whether the sink is worth what it brings with it.
A contractor with the trades in house
A basement kitchen is mostly plumbing and electrical work wrapped in cabinetry. Vale Construction, a design-build remodeling company and general contractor in Alexandria, was founded in 2005 by Alfredo Esquivel, who holds a Virginia tradesman license as a master plumber and master electrician. The company holds a Class A contractor license and carries general liability and workers' compensation insurance on every project.
Groveton Elementary School to the Vale Construction office
From the Groveton side of Route 1, starting at Groveton Elementary School on Harrison Lane, the office on Alexander Avenue is reached as shown here.
Vale Construction
6020 Alexander Ave
Alexandria, VA 22310
(571) 474-1920
Before you add the sink
Is a wet bar always simpler than a second kitchen?
From a review standpoint, generally yes. From a construction standpoint, both need a drain, and the drain is the hard part.
Can a basement kitchenette be added after the basement is finished?
It can, but running a drain usually means opening a finished floor or wall. Roughing in the plumbing during the original project, even if the fixtures come later, is far less disruptive.
Does a second kitchen make the basement a rental unit?
Not by itself. Using it as a separate dwelling is what brings the accessory living unit rules into play. Ask the county's zoning staff if there is any doubt.