Basement Finishing

If you  have decided to undertake a basement finishing project, you’re in for a lot of work, some tough decisions but in the end you will end up with a fantastic amenity in your home as a reward for your time and any money spent.

A basement finishing project provides virtually unlimited opportunity to add living space within your home for your family. It will increase the value of your home should you decide to sell it.

Getting basement finishing ideas and suggestions is a fairly simple process if you utilize magazines and the internet.

Prior to setting out with tools in hand on your basement finishing project, there are some details you will need to attend to

• Check for the presence of radon gas.
• Check for dampness, leaks, mold or fungus.
• Check for cracks within the floor and walls and seal any that you find.
• It is good construction practice to apply a sealant to the concrete or other building material utilized to construct your basement.

Now you are ready to start with the design your basement finishing project. It can save a lot of time, money and problems if you start your design by sketching out the floor space inside your basement and mark your floor plan to show essential things you will require to take into account inside your style

1. Show where any windows are situated.
2. Indicate an exterior door.
3. Indicate the point(s) of access from the principal floor.
4. Locate and indicate on your drawing, the location of your fuse box or circuit breaker box, shut-off valves for water, gas, etc. You may will need to arrange your basement finishing plan around these essential items to keep them accessible.
5. Indicate the location of any plumbing access pipes.
6. Indicate the location of appliances, furnace, heat pump, water heater, laundry.
7. Indicate the location of any support poles or beams
8. Your plan will need to make concession for any essential heating or hvac ducting.

Now that you are ready to use the basement finishing list items above and develop the design for your basement remodeling project. Here are some time money and labor saving ideas:

1. Place any new bathroom, kitchen, laundry room or any item that needs a water/ sewer access, as close as is possible to existing plumbing. This will save you some time and money.
2. Do you need a second means of egress (stairway) to satisfy local code guidelines or just to facilitate privacy for a family member or tenant.
3. Figure out how you are going to work around and still offer access to shut-off valves, circuit breaker boxes, etc.
4. Discover a creative way to work with supporting columns or beams.
5. Don’t forget to try to integrate a storage area in your basement finishing project as you will most likely be losing a large storage space by remodeling your basement into family living space.
6. Remember that it may be necessary to insulate any walls that separate living space in your basement from utility rooms like furnace rooms that produce noise..

Some of the most best reasons for finishing a basement space are:

1. Play room for young children.
2. Residence office space.
3. Teen or in law suite
4. Guest bedroom.
5. Movie/theater room.
6. Games room.
7. Personal computer or homework room.
8. Hobby or craft room.
9. Carpentry workshop.
10. Storage.

If you put together a comprehensive basement finishing plan before you start work carefully gathering ideas and suggestions, you will be rewarded with a beautiful functional addition to your homes living space for a surprisingly low outlay of money and effort.