Finishing a basement: outlets, circuits, alarms and the sump pump

Basement rules at a glance

Outlets in finished rooms

1.8 m and 900 mm

Along the floor, no point on a usable wall may be more than 1.8 m from an outlet. And any usable wall space at least 900 mm wide, between two doors for example, gets its own outlet. A furniture plan helps put them where you’ll need them.

Arc-fault and tamper-resistant

125 V outlet circuits of 20 A or less in a dwelling are arc-fault protected, with no more than 10 outlets per circuit (a Québec rule), and outlets are tamper-resistant. When outlets are added to an existing circuit without this protection, an arc-fault outlet installed as the first added outlet is enough: the whole circuit doesn’t need protection.

Laundry and utility room

• At least one duplex outlet where the plumbing is planned for the washer, and at least one more duplex outlet in the laundry room.
• At least one dedicated circuit for the laundry room outlets.
• Outlets within 1.5 m of a laundry tub are protected by a Class A GFCI, except the one behind the washer or dryer if it is inaccessible.
• The dryer has its own circuit, sized for it: it is a continuous load.
• The utility room gets at least one duplex outlet, on a circuit dedicated to it.

The sump pump

A single outlet reserved for the pump, on its own circuit and permanently marked as a sump pump outlet, may do without arc-fault protection.

Flood zones: what the 2026 Code adds

The 2026 Code covers installations in flood-risk zones for the first time:

• circuits below grade get ground-fault protection;
• the sump pump outlet is above the flood level, or marked as suitable for immersion;
• service equipment must not be placed below the flood level.

A zone is at risk of flooding under the Code only if the competent authority has designated it: the municipality’s zoning or planning bylaw, or a provincial map. The RBQ recommends checking with the municipality or the RCM.

Heating

• Each enclosed room containing a heater has its own thermostat, rated at least for the heaters it controls.
• Baseboards are installed so that framing doesn’t block the heat.
• Heating circuits are used only for heating. A heating load is continuous: it is limited to 80% of the breaker, unless the breaker is marked for 100%.

Lighting and wiring

• Under an insulated ceiling, a pot light in contact with insulation must be IC-rated. A non-IC fixture needs 13 mm of clearance from combustible material, and insulation must stay at least 76 mm away.
• Since the 2026 Code, every switch location controlling a fixed light fixture has a neutral conductor, ready for an electronic dimmer or a smart switch.
• In an unfinished area, non-metallic sheathed cable isn’t run along the underside of joists without protection, such as a board.

Smoke alarms

In new work, smoke alarms are hard-wired and interconnected on every floor and near bedrooms: when one sounds, they all sound. With a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, a carbon monoxide alarm is also required near bedrooms. They go in during rough wiring; our smoke alarm guide says more.

A basement apartment

Under the Code, a dwelling is one or more rooms where people can prepare and eat meals, live and sleep. If the basement becomes one, the dwelling rules apply, and the circuits from its panel feed nothing in the other dwelling. We discuss it at the estimate: it changes the plan.

Panel capacity

In the load calculation, the basement counts at 75% of its area. A bedroom, a kitchenette or extra baseboards can change the result, and panel space matters too: a sub-panel often solves the lack of room, without adding capacity to the service.

Before closing the walls

1. The plan: rooms, furniture, laundry, heating and alarms.
2. The load calculation and the panel: capacity and space.
3. Rough wiring: walls open, before insulation and drywall.
4. Finishing: devices, cover plates, thermostats and tests.

According to the RBQ, this work must be done by a contractor holding the appropriate licence, even in your own home.

With LTE Électrique

• We plan the basement with you before the walls are closed; the estimate is free, within 24 hours.
• Price announced in advance, fixed or hourly depending on the project; anything unexpected is done only with your approval.
• Drop cloths, shoe covers and a clean site.
• 2-year labour warranty.