Learn major factors to consider before finishing your basement include budget, moisture control, layout, permits, and insulation. Planning ahead ensures a smooth process and a space that suits your needs.
The continuous growth of our population has also led to an exponential increase in housing demands. More and more homeowners are now reconsidering their house plans and designs to include additional spaces at home, but without having to build an entirely different and separate structure. And so, basements were constructed with that purpose in mind. It’s no surprise, therefore, why almost every house you come across today has a basement in it.
What Are Basements For?
Homeowners have varied intentions as to why they’d like to have a basement included in their house plan. But whatever they may be, basements are constructed for these general reasons:
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- Extra storage space – can be used to easily store all of your valuable items like holiday décor, recreational equipment, and other old souvenirs
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- Safe rooms – offers a safe shelter in dangerous times such as during hurricanes and tornadoes
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- Recreational space – a great spot where family can engage in other hobbies that cannot be done otherwise in the main living room
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- Guest Accommodations – a perfect solution when having guests coming over to your home for an overnight or weeklong stay
Important Things to Keep in Mind Before Finishing Your Basement
It’s no secret that a lot of homes have basements in them that are left unfinished. And, although an unfinished basement already works great as an extra storage space, how much more useful if it’s completely refinished and fully furnished, right? The benefits are indeed limitless!
So, if you currently have a basement at home but the whole place still needs some major work to do, read on to know more of the important things to keep in mind to successfully pull off this project.
1. Assess the State of The Foundation
For a basement that hasn’t been fully used for years, it’s highly probable for it to develop cracks and leaks on the wall. Other indicators of serious foundation issues in basements include bulging or curved outside walls, stuck windows, slanted floors, soft concrete, cracks in the flooring, and doors that won’t latch properly. If you don’t get them repaired, these can weaken the entire structure and may lead to irreparable damages.
2. Check the Ceiling
For remodeled basements, building codes usually require a ceiling height of 7 feet in compliance with fire codes. But more importantly, a high ceiling makes removing ducts, pipes, and other electrical lines much easier to do. However, since basement designs vary, make sure to discuss with your basement finishing company which ceiling option works best for the current structure of your basement.
3. Explore Different Flooring Options
There are a number of suitable flooring options in the market. But your choice should depend on what you will use the basement for. Concrete flooring, for instance, is durable, easy to maintain, and can be quickly constructed. But, if you’d like your basement flooring to be waterproof and moisture-resistant, materials such as vinyl planks, ceramic tiles, and engineered wood flooring are your best options.
4. Have an Exit Route
When doing basement finishing, always include an escape route in your remodeling plan. Local building codes require that egress windows should be built in basements for emergency purposes. Egress windows are designed as an escape route during fires, earthquakes, and other emergencies. They should be big enough to enable rescue volunteers to get inside the basement, and for occupants to safely escape if stairways are blocked. An experienced basement finishing company can help you in this aspect.
5. Don’t Forget the Lighting
As basements are typically situated below the ground floor, lighting is thus an essential element in it that will diminish its cave-like ambiance. Lighting the ceilings and walls can make your basement look bigger and more vibrant to look at. Aside from using lighting fixtures, there’s also another way to let natural light into your basement, and that is through creating additional doors and windows.
All the work that needs to be done to finish your basement can be accomplished seamlessly when you have the right contractor to work for you. Our team here at Newton Basement Finishing Company can accommodate all the crucial factors that you’d like to incorporate in your basement remodeling project. We can help you out in every step of the way! Call us today so we can get started right away!
