Basement renovation is a quick and easy way to add more rooms to your house without the need for expensive home additions. The large space provides a wealth of remodeling and design possibilities. Your cold and dark basement can quickly turn into a cheerful family room, and entertaining area for your friends, a den with a built bar, a play room or an extra bedroom. You might even find using a finished basement as a home office enhances productivity, and allows you to spend more time at home. If you have a hobby that needs a separate working area like wood work or sewing, or if you run a home business that requires a large production space, look no further than your finished basement for your new work center.
The first element of finishing your basement is taking care of waterproofing. A damp basement will not only ruin your furniture and furnishings, and produce that awful smell, but it can also decrease the value of your home by up to 25%. A completely dry basement is entirely possible by installing proper insulation that prevents condensation and moisture problems. After water proofing is done, look at ways to brighten your basement. Dull gray and brown colored paints are absolute no- nos. Look at light pastel shades like cream, ivory or yellow to bring in the light, and create an illusion of spaciousness. Open up existing windows to increase the brightness, and ensure good circulation of air. If you plan to use your basement for more than one purpose, like as a family room and an extra bedroom, demarcate these areas to establish boundaries, and to ensure proper flow in your basement. If you intend to continue using the basement as a storage area, designate a special storage closet or storage room to hold all your junk.
Before you begin on your basement remodeling project, plant out your floor space to visualize what your finished basement will look like. Changing minds mid way through the project will result in loss of money and time. Also, consider the age of the people who will use the basement most often. For instance, if you are finishing your basement to use as an extra bedroom for your parents when they come to town, you will need a fully outfitted bathroom with a bath tub. If your local building quotes call for an emergency exit for all bedrooms, you will have to provide for this too. Once you have a floor plan for your finished basement, it's easy to design the new space to reflect your tastes.
Replace garden tub and sink-vanity with walk-in shower, 200 s.f. Travertine and 24 s.f. glass block. Water tower fixture. Replace old vanity with pedistal sink. Old Stand up shower needs to be demoed as well as garden tub and existing 32 s.f. of floor tile.
Jed B
Moving to KC (looking to buy a home in Parkville). The house we are considering is new construction with about 1200 sq ft of unfinished basement. What is the ball park square footage price to finish with framing a bedroom, installing a bath and the rest as media room with bar? I realize this is general, but I want a general idea of costs. Thanks so much. Look forward to hearing from you.
Sandra S