Mahogany, Calgary: more basement developments than anywhere

In Mahogany, the basement is usually finished for the household upstairs, not for a tenant. The City of Calgary's open data counts 329 basement development permits in Mahogany from January 2023 to 29 September 2026, more than any other community, against 151 suite permits that converted existing space. Owners here also built 105 decks and 418 detached garages, and new houses had a median of 2,183 sq ft.

What are Mahogany homeowners building?

Mostly new houses, then the basements, garages and decks that finish them. The 865 new single-detached houses lead, followed by 418 detached garages and 329 basement developments.

Permits issued, excluding cancelled ones. "Share of Calgary" is this community's part of the citywide count for the same project type and years. Declared value is what the applicant wrote on the permit application. It is not a quote and runs below real costs. Medians are shown only where a category has at least 5 permits. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

The basement numbers stand out for how steady they are. In several of Calgary's busiest new communities, plain basement permits fell year after year as suite permits rose. Mahogany's stayed close to 85 a year. The median basement permit took 7 days from application to issue, the quickest of any project type here, and its median declared value was $32,169. That's what the applicant wrote on the permit; real costs run higher, as the basement suite guide shows with builders' published prices.

Why do Mahogany owners finish basements without a suite?

The data can't say for certain, but the household figures point one way. The 2019 civic census found 3,465 of 4,507 dwellings (77%) owner-occupied, and in 2021 29% of residents were aged 14 or younger.

Population and household figures are from the 2021 Census of Canada as published by the City of Calgary; dwelling types are from the City's 2019 civic census, the last one it ran. Newer communities have grown since. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

That suggests a basement here is more often a playroom, a guest room or a home office for the family than a rental. If that's your plan, the questions are about the family: where the kids' room goes so it gets an egress window, and how much headroom you have under the ducts. The egress window guide and the basement ceiling height guide cover both.

The average household was 2.9 people in 2021, and only 13% had five or more, so a fourth or fifth bedroom downstairs is usually for flexibility rather than need.

How many suites does Mahogany have?

Fewer than its permit volume would suggest. The City issued 151 suite permits for altering existing space and 51 classed as new construction (its New work class), 2.1% and 2.2% of Calgary's totals.

Development permits applied for from 1 January 2023; many home projects in Calgary need only a building permit, so these are a subset of all work. The registry lists suites the City has confirmed meet the rules, not every suite that exists. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

The registry still lists 785 Mahogany suites, the fifth most in the data, and 262 were added in 2024. Of 263 development permit applications since 2023, 67 were for suites. Land use is more mixed here than in many new communities: R-1N covers 19.2% of the area, R-G 15.6% and R-1 9.3%, and R-2M's 5.7% is the second-largest share of that district among the 97. As of October 2026, a secondary suite is a permitted use in all four, according to the site's suite guide. A backyard suite is permitted in R-G but discretionary in R-1N, R-1 and R-2M; the backyard suites guide explains what that means. One backyard suite permit was issued here in the period.

The share of the community's districted area in each land use district, from the City's district and community boundary maps intersected exactly. Districts change by lot and by amendment: check a specific lot on the City's land use map before you plan. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

How big are new houses in Mahogany?

Mid-sized, with a long tail of big ones. The median was 2,183 sq ft, close to the middle of the communities profiled here, but 67 houses were 3,000 sq ft or more.

The floor area the applicant entered on the building permit, for new single-detached houses issued in the same window. It usually excludes the basement. Source: City of Calgary open data (building permits, development permits, secondary suite registry, census 2021 population, census 2021 households, civic census 2019, land use districts), retrieved 5 October 2026.

Mahogany is built around a lake (Mahogany, 2026). The permit data doesn't show which houses sit near the water, so check the lot before you assume a walkout. New house permits had a median declared value of $353,011 and a median of 16 days to issue.

Decks and garages

Mahogany owners took out 105 deck permits, with a median declared value of $5,226 and 13 days to issue, and 418 garage permits at a median of $46,291 and 10 days. Deck permits ran 22, 29 and 33 in the three full years. A deck changes how the kitchen and dining room open to the yard, so it belongs in the plan, not as an afterthought.

Walking a Mahogany basement at full size

A basement plan is hard to judge on paper because the posts, ducts and the stair landing aren't where the drawing makes them feel. On the studio's LED floor, the basement is drawn at full size with room names and dimension lines, so you can stand where the sectional goes and see whether a TV wall clears the stair, or walk the kids' bedroom with a bed in it. Elevations go up on the wall screen behind.

You can move a wall on the spot and see the change right away, and the session is recorded. Send a PDF or DWG three days before. A free quote is based on the plan's size: see pricing, book a session, or browse the communities hub.