finishing a basement

Finishing a basement is not always easy. Here are some expert tips to make your renovation more smoothly.

Flooring

The basement is below ground, so it will get a lot of coolness and moisture. Therefor you need to warm up the space.

Put down a vapor barrier to protect the space between the wood and the cement. Lay a strip and then, place an insulation board and then a piece of plywood on top.

Laundry Room

You can leave the boiler room and the laundry room unfinished and save money. There is code to framing around those items, but a certain clearance has to be maintained between the wall and the unit. Generally there should be at least 2 feet of space all the way around the unit.

Baseboards

Baseboard heating is an great choice for heating a basement, so choose a heating method wisely.

Lighting

Recessed lighting is a wise choice for a basement, since you don’t want any fixtures hanging from a ceiling that doesn’t offer much head room. Because there’s limited natural light, the lighting in a basement is essential to brighten up the place.

Ceiling

If you need to have access to electrical and plumbing systems in your ceiling, a suspended ceiling may be a good choice; otherwise, with a drywall ceiling, you’d have to provide access panels.

Vapor Barrier

Polyurethane sheeting is great for keeping the moisture from seeping in; there is also insulation that’s completely enclosed in a vapor barrier.

Furring

You can use a metal furring strip that’s about a half-inch thick, or regular wood strips. Install the furring on the wall, and you’ve got a half-inch of space between whatever you’re going to put on top of the furring and the moisture to the outside wall.

Codes

After checking for moisture, and once you have a design plan, the next thing you should is find out whether you need to get a permit for the proposed renovation. Also, you must make sure that everything pertaining to electrical work is done to code.

Moisture

Before you do any kind of finished work on a basement, make sure there won’t be any water issues that could cause damage. Check to see whether the earth is sloped away from the foundation wall. Also check the downspouts.

So take these advices when finishing a basement.

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This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Finishing a Basement

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Do I need a permit to finish my basement?

Generally, a permit is not required for the installation of interior wall finishes or the construction/alteration of non-load bearing walls/elements. However, if there is new plumbing for a basement washroom then a plumbing permit is required.(Please check local regulations as well.

How long will it take to finish my basement?

Depending on the size of your project, it will take between 7 and 12 weeks. Ask for a schedule before starting any project. In that schedule the bidder described the daily activities and the completion date.

Projects are broken down into four (4) phases. The first phase is the initial appointment. The second is the design – where selections, scheduling and permit process begins. The third phase is site preparation and construction of project based on Phase I and II. The fourth and final phase is Phase IV – Quality Control.

What things should I take into consideration when planning to finish my basement?

If you are thinking of finishing your basement to provide additional living space, you need to take into account every major system that is going to be impacted or modified (eg. walls, plumbing, light, floor, air …).

Can I make changes to the design as we go?

Yes – some changes are almost inevitable in the course of remodeling your home. Be aware that the cost of the extra work is added to the final price of the project.

Is it dusty to have a remodeling project done or a basement finished?

Yes it is, but the constructor can take extra care to reduce the amount of dust that can travel to the rest of the house. One of the many ways is to create a negative air flow by temporarily installing fans in the window wells, pulling fresh air through the basement and pushing dusty air outside of the house.

From these frequently asked question you can see some of the main considerations how to finish a basement.

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

How To Finish A Basement

But how can you find proper remodeling companies?

Just Google it! Type basement remodeling companies into Google, and you get a list of possible companies specializes in different kind of remodeling projects.

What you should see on the websites of these companies are the next:

• Are these basement remodelers specialized for certain kind of projects? Is it fit to yours?
• Do they have proper licenses?
• Do they have enough experience?
• Do they have referrals or testimonials?
• How easy to have a preliminary proposal from them?
• Are they easy to contact?
• Is the designing process of the basement remodeling company transparent?
• What cost level do they apply?
• Are there basement idea pictures on their website? Are there before and after photos of earlier projects?
• Do they have risk free design? Are there enough guarantees?
• What kind of material do they use?
• Do they have on-time guarantee?
• Is there a staff introduction on their site?
• Are they work nationwide or locally?

These are just the basics but extremely important aspects before choosing from basement remodeling companies.

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Basement Remodeling Companies

Basement Decorating Ideas

Basement decorating is a nice way to switch your old looking or ugly basement into a whole new room.

It’s always a good idea to apply carpet padding when installing new carpet no matter what type of floor you‘re applying it to. The padding adds comfort.

You can improve the interior appearance of your basement by building boxes around pipes and wire junction boxes.

Basement Lighting Ideas

Maximize natural light. If parts of the basement are above the ground, try to add new windows or enlarge existing ones. If that isn’t possible, another option is to dig window wells.

If natural light is not an option of your basement, use indirect lighting that splashes large pools of light on the ceiling. This opens up the space and make rooms appear higher than they are.

Mirrors, mounted on the walls or even ceilings, can also amplify and reinforce lighting effects.

Basement Renovation Ideas

The first step in coming up with practical basement renovation ideas is to decide how you wish to use the space and the current use of this particular space.

The TOP trends in basement finishing are the next:

1. gym
2. basement home theater
3. children’s playing room
4. basement office
5. billiard room
6. music room

Basement Waterproofing

Effective below ground waterproofing will include both drainage and sealers. Waterproofing is needed anytime a structure is built at ground level or below ground.

Keeping the water out of your basement will limit the amount of mold and mildew that can occur in your basement area.

Insulation is the first key point, then if a well insulated basement still shows problems consider using a dehumidifier.

Basement Ceiling Ideas

You can go for a suspended ceiling if you have an unfinished, open ceiling. It is ugly to see all the wires and hoops of the other side of the floor above you. Suspended ceilings are hassle free to install.

Dry wall is another option. Ceiling art is another popular idea in which, art or paintings are used to decorate the ceiling.

You can apply mirrors as well.  It gives an enlarged appearance for your room. You can use lighting effects, too.

Basement Carpet Ideas

Carpet may be installed, of course, but consider using alternative, more water resistant floor coverings such as tiles, vinyl or area rugs.

So these are just some basement finishing ideas you can consider before starting your project.

photo credit: MNgilen

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Basement Finishing Ideas

Consider if you want to be handled everything from the beginning to the end by the company or you want to do some steps yourself.

Before discussing the details with anybody else,  have a basement  designer software and do some preliminary plans. Decide  your target (what you want to do with your basement) and start planning with the software.

When you have one or more basic plan variants,  find some local designers and ask for proposals. Ask them to enclose pictures of earlier finished basements and do not forget to see their qualifications.

When you have the proposals back, check the reference as well. Go to the reference works premises with the designers and discuss the pros and cons of your upcoming project with the earlier customers and the designers together.

That way you will have a wide spectrum of considerations besides you will know the experience of the earlier customers and see their finished basements as well.  With these visits, you can value the quality of the work of the designers.

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Finished Basements

Basement remodeling with the award winning Owens Corning Basement Finishing System increases the living space in your house and provide the possibility to turn your basement into a perfect room that your family can enjoy.

Remodeling your basement with the Owens Corning Basement Finishing System can be completed in no more than two weeks!

Cost Effective
The average cost per square foot to remodel your basement is less than the cost to put on an addition to your city home.

Removable Wall Panels
The removable wall panels allow easy access to foundation, pipes and electrical parts.

Built-in Acoustic and Thermal Insulation
The rigid fiber glass core provides R-11 thermal performance

Resists Moisture, Mold and Mildew
The components of the Owens Corning Basement Remodeling System are designed specifically for basement conditions.

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Owens Corning Basement Remodeling System

Basements generally have concrete floors, which serve as good footings for pools.

While most installations are inexpensive in terms of site preparation, some can be quite costly and difficult, especially if the basement floor is not suitable to support the added weight.

There should be a sump pump to help with draining and plumbing. Some kind of dehumidification system should be used to avoid moisture buildup on walls.

The operational costs are often lower than the pool’s outdoors. It needs smaller amount of water and less heating.

Keeping the interior of your swimming pool fresh and clean doesn’t demand intensive labor, but it does take a steady commitment.

Do not you think it is a good idea to make a swimming pool when you finish a basement?

credit: MarViniz

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

Finish a Basement

For a sauna in your basement make sure you had good drainage and ventilation.

Polar and Harvia saunas are both great choice and excellent quality.

Some words about wood in the sauna:

Aspen: Good choice for benches, low heat absorption, difficult to keep clean.

Cedar: Rot resistant, aromatic (smells like pencils), soft, good choice.

Cedar Red: Rot resistant, very aromatic (smokey smell), soft, good choice.

Fir Light color, widely available, will bleed pitch if heated (less knots means less pitch), inexpensive.

Oak : Hardwood, doesn’t hold up to moisture, very high heat absorption, poor choice.

Obechi (Apache): African soft wood, great for benches, very low heat absorption, might have strange smell, will not bleed, expensive.

Pine: Inexpensive, bleeds pitch, weathers gray, good for a tight-budget sauna.

Redwood: Rot resistant, weathers dark, soft, availability is limited, good choice.

Spruce: Light color, won’t bleed pitch, good for walls.

Make sure the saunas come with building plans so that all of your construction questions will be answered and you will have a perfect basement sauna.

credit: Toprural

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

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So before you start remodeling yours, here are some strategies for beating basement humidity.

To control basement humidity, keeping windows, doors and any other direct openings to the outside closed is the simple first step. Close the door to the basement and close the window vents. Keeping windows or window vents open will allow humidity to flood in as quickly as a humidifier can remove it.

Do not close the combustion air opening. That’s the opening to the exterior that assures a minimum air supply for the operation of the water heater and other combustion appliances. Closing this opening can cause the water heater or other appliances to malfunction.  Be sure you have a functioning carbon monoxide alarm or detector.

The best way to prevent moisture in the crawl space is to lay down a sheet of polyurethane material that is resistant to acid in dirt.

The next step to protecting your basement from humidity is with the subflooring under your main flooring. After the subflooring is laid, apply a thin layer of insulation. Also, cover the subflooring with a layer of polyurethane to prevent moisture evaporation from seeping into the main flooring.

Finally, protect your basement from humidity is with a nice dehumidifier unit. If the basement is large, get one that holds a lot of water so you don’t have to empty it as often. The dehumidifiers are excellent for helping to reduce the amount of humidity in your basement.

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

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One of the most trendy idea is to create a home theater in the basement.

Where to put the home theater

Your basement is better place for the home theatre than any else in your home. Controlling light is easy here, because of less outdoor light interference.

The insulation of the walls and ceiling can keep out a lot of distracting sounds.

Here in the basement there is enough place for the central equipment and the loudspeakers. The larger the screen, the farther the distance must be between it and the sitting area.

Typical home theater setup

Most components of a typical home theater system will sit in cabinetry in the room, with the main three speakers to the side, under, or on top of the cabinets. The surround speakers often mount on walls, on stands, or rest on furniture.

Additional considerations

1. Try to imagine what will you do when maintenance is required. The main question is how the components can be reached from behind for cabling.
2. Another question is how can you ensure optimal audio and video performance?
3. Finally, the appearance of the whole setup is an important consideration

Come on, it it not so hard to create, so take home theater into considerations in case of finishing basements.

credit: mtneer_man

This post via the Basement Design blog where you can get basement remodeling tips, ideas and informations.

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