Your unfinished basement is a great place to store boxes of junk, but why waste all that square footage in your home? A professionally finished basement remodel is an excellent way to increase your home’s liveable space and insert a value into your property when it’s time to sell. A basement project could be the best renovation decision you ever make as it gives your family more room to entertain friends and relax together.
In this blog, we’ll review the steps to finish a basement, from creating a basement floor plan to all the finishing touches that make the space truly yours.
Why should you renovate your basement?
If you take the steps to finish a basement, you will achieve two main goals. The first is giving your family that extra living space. Now, you can add a washroom, extra bedroom, rec room, or home theatre.
You could also consider adding office space, a home gym, or even a small apartment to rent out for some additional income. The second goal of a basement renovation is to add value to your home.
Prospective homebuyers are always willing to pay more for a basement that’s already finished since many people don’t want to deal with the cost or hard work that goes into a home renovation.
Create a Detailed Basement Floor Plan
If you want to renovate your basement, start by drawing detailed basement design plans of how you want your basement to remodel to look.
Think about where every appliance, receptacle, window, and piece of furniture will go. Once you have this plan drawn up, show it to your contractor or local building inspector who can advise you on whether anything will need to be moved around.
It’s always easier to have this plan in place before construction begins because making a change midway can be both costly and time-consuming.
Look for signs of moisture
Carefully inspect your basement for any signs of leaking or excess moisture.
Before the major renovations begin, this is your chance to address any issues with the foundation and get everything properly waterproofed.
Taking care of these issues now will ensure you don’t get moldy drywall or rotten wood down the road – you’ll be grateful you took this extra step!
Conduct basement inspection
Besides waterproofing, you might also need a professional building inspector to ensure that your basement supporting beams and posts are in good condition.
It’s also a good idea to have your sewer line and city water lines examined before everything is covered up by your new flooring and drywall.
Consider electrical and plumbing requirements
Nearly every basement needs good artificial light because natural light is usually tough to obtain. Traditionally, you’ll see lower ceiling heights in basements so it’s best to invest in recessed lighting or pot lights. To avoid a shadow effect here’s an easy tip: make sure your pot lights are at least one meter away from any wall.
Plumbing is another important factor. If you want to add a bar sink or a bathroom, you’ll need to designate where the “rough-in” will go. A rough-in is the drainage and supply lines you need to make a fully operational kitchen/bar/bathroom. It’s important to consult a plumber during this phase of planning because they’ll let you know what’s practical and if you need a sewage ejector pump.
Choose insulation, flooring, and drywall
Choosing the right insulation is important during any basement renovation. Whether you choose spray foam, mineral, or one of the many other options available to you, ensure that it’s a moisture-resistant project.
Even with waterproofing measures taken, basements can still get very humid in the summer especially if you live in Southern Ontario.
Before you install any drywall, ensure that you’ve hung up a vapor barrier, a special sheet of plastic, stapling it to all of the studs over top of the insulation.
This will ensure no moisture is absorbed by the drywall. When picking the drywall itself, you can choose from a variety of products specially engineered to resist moisture should your basement get humid or flood.
And speaking of flooding, there are certain types of flooring you never want to install in a basement. Hardwood looks great, but if your basement ever floods, the floors would be warped and permanently ruined.
This would end up costing you thousands of dollars to replace. The best options for a basement are tile, vinyl, or laminate options.
Set a budget
Now that you have a rough idea of what you need to build your ideal basement, you can start coming up with a budget and applying for the necessary permits. How much you’ll spend on the project should be determined by how long you intend to stay in the home. Are you doing this to maximize your return on a sale or are you trying to create a comfortable space for your family in your forever home?
Here are a few tips for creating your basement renovation budget:
Contact Us
There is a lot of planning involved in a basement renovation, but if you’re ready for the challenge, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at Luxe Home Renovation. Whether it’s a basement, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, or full home renovation, you can contact Luxe Home Renovation for a consultation. Our team’s core values of integrity, hard work, and genuine customer care are embedded in every project we take on. Call today and get started on your next home renovation project.
