Where To Start When Finishing Your Basement
Finishing a basement space can be highly rewarding for the entire household.
When preparing to finish a basement the most important considerations come long before any of the actual work begins. Before you pick up the phone and call a contractor, there are some important steps to take first.
Step One: Come up with finishing ideas
Before you can have a beautiful finished basement furnished with all the desired bells and whistles, you first have to have a solid plan for the space itself. There’s no shortage of options when it comes to uses for a finished basement.
Some examples include:
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Basement bedroom or a fully furnished apartment
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Laundry room
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Basement bar
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Game or rec room
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Basement media room
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Basement office or classroom
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And more!
To begin planning for a basement finishing project, you should first have an idea of what type of space will be the most useful or enjoyable. Take into account the area that you have, including if you’d want to erect partition basement walls or cover over the basement ceiling to hide pipes and ductwork. Everything, from the basement walls all the way down to the basement floor will need to be considered.
When you meet up with a basement finishing contractor, they will be able to help you go through local building codes which will tell you how much headroom you’ll need for a basement ceiling, and if the space is going to be used for a residence, be it on a temporary or permanent basis, there will need to be a point of egress along one of the basement walls. Egress windows and window wells or a door to the outside, depending on the type of basement that you have, will be required for anyone to sleep in the basement.
Step Two: Formulate a plan with your Basement Finishing Contractor
When starting on a basement finishing project, you should always reach out to an experienced professional. There are lots of things that could go wrong when finishing a basement, so it’s always best to have a contractor to do the heavy lifting.
A basement finishing contractor will also perform an inspection of the basement walls and the basement floors. They’ll look for things like cracks and bowing basement walls as well as moisture penetration through the slab of the basement floor. To ensure that the basement will be finished properly and will remain in good condition, a professional will make sure that there are no leaks or faults with the foundation or basement floor.
Once those issues are dealt with, work can begin in your basement. The space will be emptied and prepped for the remodeling work. Around this time, you should have a good idea of what products you’re looking for within your basement.
The best choice for a below-grade space is waterproofed materials. The basement walls, floors and even the ceiling can all be finished with waterproof products. Here at Total Basement Finishing, we have a selection of waterproofed materials for basement finishing such as:
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Basement Ceiling Systems
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Basement Window Systems
These products are mold resistant, water resistant, noise canceling and provide a measure of insulation against the chill of the basement walls and basement floors. This way, the materials you use in your basement will be able to hold up against the below ground conditions.
Step Three: Basement Finishing Project begins
With the plan of action in place and the space prepped for work to begin, the remodeling process can get underway.
Left in the capable hands of a professional, you’ll be able to sit back and relax, knowing that you’ll soon have a beautifully finished space that will add to your home's resale value, as well as boost functionality, space and enjoyment within the home.
The finishing process will include:
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Insulating the basement walls, and sometimes the basement floors as well, as concrete can radiate the cold of the ground underneath.
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The basement flooring will be laid, and the basement wall material placed over the insulation.
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The basement ceiling can be dealt with in one of a few ways, but the most common is a drop ceiling. Before this is installed, the basement finishing contractor will insulate the pipes to prevent condensation and the possibility of frozen pipes.
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Once all the finishing materials are in place, it’s time for decoration. Whatever you chose to utilize your new space for, it’s all up to you how to furnish and decorate it. Now is the time to let your creativity flow, and have a little fun with your new square footage.
Total Basement Finishing are the Basement Finishing Experts
Total Basement Finishing was founded with the goal to formulate products that were both water and mold-resistant, but also could create a comfortable, inviting space for families to enjoy. The basement is a wealth of typically unused space, inefficiently used to store boxes and belongings.
If you’re looking for more space within your home and have been considering beginning a basement finishing project, reach out today for a free, no obligation estimate!
