Short answer: Yes, and plan on a permit. If the house is inside Tega Cay city limits, the City of Tega Cay's own building department reviews plans and inspects work on one- and two-family homes, including modifications and enlargements, and it builds to the 2021 International Residential Code, the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. The city requires electrical, plumbing and HVAC work to be done by a contractor with the matching South Carolina licence. If your address says Tega Cay but is outside city limits, York County issues the permit instead.
Why people get this wrong
Two mistakes come up. The first is treating a bonus room as "just drywall and carpet". Once you add outlets, lights, a supply duct and insulation, you are doing electrical, mechanical and energy-code work, and the city inspects all of it. The second is filing with the wrong office. Tega Cay is its own city with its own building department, which says it reviews plans and inspects work on one- and two-family homes, including additions, modifications, relocations, enlargements and replacements. Turning attic storage into living space is a modification that adds conditioned floor area, so treat it as permitted work and confirm the scope with the department before you start. Addresses outside city limits are York County's.
Which codes apply
Tega Cay lists these on its building page:
- 2021 International Residential Code, with South Carolina modifications (2021)
- 2020 National Electrical Code
- 2021 International Mechanical Code and 2021 International Plumbing Code
- 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, which governs the insulation in knee walls, sloped ceilings and the attic floor next to the room
What is actually going on in a bonus room
These points are general practice for rooms over garages, not city requirements. Ask the plans examiner what applies to your plan.
- Heat. Bonus rooms run hot because they are surrounded on three sides by attic: knee walls, sloped ceilings and the floor over the garage. Gaps in that insulation are the usual cause. See why one room is always hotter.
- HVAC. Adding a room to a system that was not sized for it, or running one long duct to it, usually gives you a room that never gets comfortable. Decide early between extending the existing system and adding a separate one.
- Bedroom or not. If you want to call it a bedroom, ask what the code requires for a sleeping room (such as an escape window and smoke alarms) before you frame. It is cheaper to plan a window than to add one later.
- The garage ceiling. The ceiling between the garage and a room above generally has fire-separation requirements. Do not open or replace it without knowing what is needed.
The honest DIY version
Measure the space, check whether the stairs and headroom work, and find out how the HVAC reaches it today. If the room is already finished and only uncomfortable, try the cheap fixes first: check the supply register is open, check for a return, and look behind the knee-wall doors for missing or fallen insulation. You may not need anyone. For new work, Tega Cay requires electrical, plumbing and HVAC work to be done by a contractor holding the matching South Carolina licence, and says a specialty contractor can only get a permit for the specialty on its licence.
When it is serious
- Sagging floor or ceiling joists in the space: the framing may be attic-storage framing, not floor framing. Have it looked at before you load it with a room.
- Water staining on the roof deck or rafters: fix the leak before you close it in. We do not do roofing, so that is a roofer's job first.
- Scorched wiring, or extension-cord circuits from an earlier half-finish: turn it off and have an electrician look.
What is left after the trades
The electrician, HVAC contractor and insulator each do their part. What nobody owns is the rest: the permit and plan set, framing knee walls and ceilings, making sure insulation is done before drywall, the drywall, trim, flooring and stairs, and getting each inspection passed in the right order. For work over $5,000, Tega Cay requires a residential builder, general contractor or bonded specialty licence. We hold South Carolina general contractor licence CLG.127339. See our Tega Cay page.
Tega Cay notes
- City Hall is at 7725 Tega Cay Drive, Tega Cay, SC 29708, (803) 548-3512.
- Business licence. The city requires a City of Tega Cay business licence for all contractors, on top of the state licence.
- HOA. An interior finish is between you and the city. If the plan adds a dormer or window, your neighbourhood's architectural review may also apply; see our Dominion and Windward Bluff ARB guide.
Sources
- City of Tega Cay — Building (codes, City Hall): tegacaysc.org/1880/Building
- City of Tega Cay — Contractor Licensing Requirements Guide (PDF): tegacaysc.org/DocumentCenter/View/20750/BL…
- York County SC — Residential Permits (unincorporated areas): yorkcountysc.gov/598/Residential-Permits…
General guidance for homeowners in Charleston and York County, South Carolina, written from what we see on jobs. Conditions vary house to house; anything structural, gas or electrical is licensed work in South Carolina and should be looked at in person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to finish a bonus room in Tega Cay SC?
Plan on one. The City of Tega Cay building department reviews plans and inspects modifications and enlargements to one- and two-family homes, and a bonus room adds wiring, HVAC and insulation. Confirm the scope with the department before you start.
Who issues building permits in Tega Cay?
The City of Tega Cay for addresses inside city limits. Addresses outside city limits are permitted by York County.
What building code does Tega Cay use?
The 2021 International Residential Code with South Carolina modifications, the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, among others listed on the city's building page.
Can a handyman finish my bonus room in Tega Cay?
Not all of it. Tega Cay requires a state licence for residential work over $500, a residential builder, general contractor or bonded specialty licence over $5,000, and a matching licence for electrical, plumbing and HVAC work.