Finishing basements

[pixy0stix]

I feel like we're moving at warp speed right now. We figure one of the first things we'll do is finish the basement.

Currently there is a bedroom and a bathroom downstairs. The rest of the basement is storage. Both the bedroom and bathroom would be completely gutted (really, they're very basically put in).

Has anyone finished their basement from scratch? Any words of advice?

[lilac05]

We didn't DIY, but we finished 600 sq ft of our basement a few years ago. We added a bathroom, three closets, a storage room (unfinished), and a big entertainment room. From Day 1 on the job to 99% complete was 5 weeks.

[pixy0stix]

Oh, I should mention we're not DIYing it. We'll be hiring someone.

[lilac05]

May 20, 2015 22:39:12 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Oh, I should mention we're not DIYing it. We'll be hiring someone.

I initially wanted to do laminate or other non-carpet flooring down there, but ultimately decided on a thick, semi-shaggy carpet.  I'm so happy with my choice because it's so much warmer.  Plus, I'm half-teenager & like to lay on the floor.

As with any reno, plan on 10-20% over budget.  I knew what we wanted to spend, so I subtracted that from the budget I told my contractor.

I had a firm deadline & kept reminding them of it.  (They were to be finished before Thanksgiving...I was hosting family from out of town.  It NEEDED to be done, and it was.)

I don't know how much work you've had done around your house, so ignore if you've done a lot...Talk to several contractors, preferably ones who have worked for friends, co-workers, etc.  Ask to see/talk to references.  Always check their work.  Don't assume that they're professionals & will always do their job correctly.  (I learned that the hard way when I realized our painter did a pretty crappy job.)

Good luck!  Our basement finish was a breeze!  I hope the same for you.

[pixy0stix]

OMFG. I just realized that we can put in a custom craft room. Holy balls.

We already have a contractor in mind. My dh is a building inspector so he's talked to his coworkers a bunch to see who the good contractor's are. Plus we had a friend use them and they did a phenomenal job.

[emoflamingo]

I would have said I was following this post last week but not now.

Good luck!!

[downtoearth]

We haven't started our basement remodel, but we have started planning. I think one thing to consider is updating the house to solar/different heating or going with on-demand water heaters. If you are gutting and starting over, don't feel bad about moving the furnance/boiler/water heater/etc. to a place that is out of the way even if you have to upgrade or pay a little more for duct work.  Also consider if you want radiant heating upstairs b/c if you're pulling out the basement ceiling, you can often add radiant heating between the floors or you can add more insulation to help with sound dampening.  But if your DH is an inspector and you're the environmentalist, I'm guessing you've both probably thought of all of these.

[elcjet]

We finished one almost two years ago..... Aside from picking the best contractor, I'd also say it's okay to spend a little more money than you would want to. The basement is personal -- it's sort of your space to add things that are going to add to your quality of life. It's going to get you $15K more value on a home assessment (at least in my county and you know we're in the same state), tops, so no matter what you aren't going to make all your money back on it. Think about lighting.......practicality.....spend a lot of time with the plans and imagining living with them.

We went with nicer carpeting, lots of extra lighting, and a very large bedroom to accommodate guests. I feel like it's a super nice basement and I totally love it. We spend every night down there watching TV together, and it's a great space for guests to feel like they have room of their own. And since we didn't skimp, they don't feel like they are staying in a crappy basement.

So think about the use. Embrace it. Go for it. My advise. So helpful, I know!

[Deleted]

On my phone now but we are nearly done with a DIY project and are so pleased with the results.

We spent a LOT of time on the layout. It is, consequently, perfect LOL. In all seriousness - we went through 5 floor plans in the year we were planning (before construction).

We also installed a beautiful bronze drop ceiling (check out Ceilume online) it covers some of the areas we thought we might want access to in the future.

If you have any specific questions please let me know, we are soooo happy with ours now!

[pixy0stix]

Just an update - the deal fell through. Oh well. We're still looking for a new house.

[lilac05]

Sorry the deal fell through. Hopefully something better will come up for you soon!