Use these great tips on how to remodel your basement, and turn it into a fun and useful space for your family.
If you have been living in your home for some time, it is likely that the basement has become the repository for boxes of stuff that you have cleaned out of your living quarters.
Perhaps it is time to look at your basement differently and consider all the possible uses for that space that would enhance the life of your family.
Begin by throwing out what you don’t need and getting a storage locker for what you want to retain.
Getting Started
Take a hard look at the space and image the possibilities.
Do you want to create a family gathering place?
Or perhaps it can become a workshop for the many projects that you have wanted to do around the house. Maybe it can be a game room or a place for parties and events.
You can add a wet bar or even a full second kitchen there.
It can become a private space for older children who are not quite ready to leave home.
It may be well suited to be a media center with a large screen television and top of the line audio equipment.
Or maybe you want to create a spa or workout room with a hot tub or sauna and steam room.
For the wine connoisseur, it can become a wine cellar for your treasured bottles.
All of these uses and more are possibilities for your remodeling project. And if you need some ideas on how to buy good furniture you can check out this furniture guide here.
Examine the Fundamentals of the Space
Once you have cleaned out your basement, the first thing to do is to give it a thorough examination.
Make sure there is no water seeping in anywhere and if there is, locate the source and repair it.
Since you are about to convert your basement into some kind of living or working space, make sure that you have sufficient electrical outlets or plumbing for your application.
If more are needed, hire an electrician to install them to your specifications.
Think about the climate down there and consider whether you need to install windows or to route heat and air conditioning to the basement.
Contact the appropriate contractors and get at least three estimates for each task.
Create a Budget
Now you can put together a budget for your remodeling and make a determination if it is financially feasible.
If it is, then go ahead and bring in the contractors to get the work done.
“Make sure to get any building department approvals that may be required for this work,” states Sugar Land property management.
Have all work properly inspected when it is completed.
Flooring
Starting from the bottom up, you need to consider what to do about flooring.
Most basements have concrete flooring, and if you are converting it to a work space then that should still work.
But for a family living space you should consider carpeting or wood.
Carpeting or carpet tiles are simple and add warmth and comfort to the floor.
Wood flooring is beautiful, but you should put down an underlay to soften the surface and to prevent it from feeling too cold on your feet.
In either case, make sure the floor is clean and flat.
Patch any holes or flaws before laying the flooring that you choose.
Walls
Moving upward, you must consider walls.
It is easiest to keep the space open but if you want to put up partition walls, make sure that they are properly reinforced as the weight of the house will be on them.
You can use rebar reinforcement.
They must also be properly waterproofed for the basement environment.
For the structural walls which are most likely concrete, you can either paint them colors appropriate for your use or you can panel them with wood.
For paneling, select hard woods that are treated for water resistance.
Ceiling
One of the most inexpensive ways to manage your basement remodeling project is to install a dropped ceiling.
This will create a drop space for wiring, plumbing or ductwork for applications that require them, such as a kitchen, wet bar or work space.
It will also create interesting lighting choices as well.
And it will make any new applications that you decide on down the road easier to install.
For a more durable finish you can dry wall the ceiling.
If your basement has limited head room, this might be the best option.
It will give the room a more finished look as well.
Finally, if you are going to create a media room, you will want to install acoustical tile. This is easy and inexpensive.
Follow these easy tips and get professional help when needed.
You will create a wonderful new living or working space and, at the same time, add value to your home.
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