If you’re lucky, your home has an unused and open space that you can renovate to satisfy your needs. It’s your basement, and it could be a lot more useful than you realize. With precise planning, your basement might become one of your property’s most appealing and sought-after areas.
Things to Think About Before Renovating Your Basement
A basement renovation project can not just add extra living space, but it is also much more affordable than adding another level or addition to your home. It is also possible to improve the energy efficiency of your home with proper insulation and air-sealing. Listed below are some things to think about before renovating your basement:
1. Air quality.
If you have moisture problems in your basement – and unless you’ve just moved in, you most likely do, you’ll need to fix them before you start the renovation. First, inspect your foundation walls and floor for any cracks that might be causing the problem. If you don’t already have one, a dehumidifier will come in handy during the warmer months.
2. Heating.
Ensure your current heating unit can take the additional load. If it can’t, you’ll need to repair it before you start working on the basement.
3. Structural concerns.
Basement renovations can be complicated by supporting posts, low ceilings, and flooring below the community sewage line. However, a professional renovator can handle it all. Learn more about basement in law suites & spare bedrooms here.
4. Design and building plans.
When you’re ready to start designing and planning your basement renovation, take a look around to see how much area you have and how many rooms you’ll be able to develop. Consider your family’s needs and what would work best. If you’re like most people, you’ll have no trouble creating ways to fill the area: a guest bedroom or entire guest suite with a small kitchen and dining area, a home office, an entertainment center, a game room, a family room, a crafts area, a home gym, and etc. When prioritizing your list, remember that spaces such as playrooms must be designed to quickly be transformed into something else as the children grow.
Make a detailed blueprint of how you wish your finished basement to look, even down to furniture positioning, so you know how everything will fit together. After that, spend time with the drawing to think about all of the alternatives. It’s a lot easier to alter things on paper than when the walls are up. Visit Better Built Basements for more information.
5. Make a budget plan.
You’ve most likely been thinking about money since you first considered renovating your basement, now is the time to find out how much your plans will cost. To get an estimate of how much your designs will cost, talk to contractors or go to the hardware shop – or both. Then, either change your initial idea or do it when you can afford it, finishing one room each year as more money becomes available.
As a general guideline, it’s advisable to rough in all of the connections now for later installations and handle things like air vents and replacing or enlarging windows before drywalling, installing the flooring, or adding lights. Then save the actual designing and furnishing until the last minute.
Conclusion
Your project could be as easy as a fresh coat of paint on shabby walls or as big as a total room remodeling. In any case, they are the basic things you’ll need to consider and assess before you begin. If you want to improve the comfort of your home by adding more space or upgrading the space you already have. In that situation, a basement renovation is a viable option for achieving this goal while also increasing the worth of your home.