Basement Remodeling & Finished Basements in Yardley, PA

Yardley Is Two Different Governments

Many homes with a Yardley mailing address are actually in Lower Makefield Township. Yardley Borough is the small, historic town along the Delaware River, surrounded by Lower Makefield. Each one has its own permit office and its own rules, so the first step is knowing which one your home is in. We confirm this before any permit work starts.

Basement Permits in Lower Makefield Township

Most finished basements need a building permit, plus electrical and plumbing permits when that work is part of the job. Lower Makefield takes permit applications online and asks homeowners to allow up to 15 business days for residential permits. The permit fees cover the plan review and the rough and final inspections. One thing to watch: the township can raise permit fees by up to 100% if work starts without a permit. We pull every permit before work begins.

Yardley Borough and the Flood Zone

Yardley Borough sits right on the Delaware River, and parts of town have flooded many times, including 1955, 2005, 2006 and 2011. Homes in the borough's mapped flood zone fall under its floodplain rules. Before a permit is issued, the borough compares the cost of your project to the value of your house. If the work costs 50% or more of the home's value, it counts as a "substantial improvement," and the whole house may have to meet current flood rules. Past repairs on the home can count toward that total too.

Check Your Flood Zone Before You Plan

If your home is near the river or the canal, the flood map can limit what you are allowed to build in your basement. We check this first, before any design work, so there are no surprises at the permit office. For every Yardley basement, moisture comes first. Learn why in our guide on how to finish a basement.

Basement Bedrooms and Egress

Pennsylvania uses one building code statewide. If you want a bedroom in your basement, it needs an egress window so there is a safe way out. Read our guide to basement egress requirements.

What We Do in Yardley

We handle finished basements and basement remodeling for homes in Yardley Borough and Lower Makefield Township. Wondering about price? See our basement remodel cost guide. We also work in nearby Newtown and Langhorne.