BasementFinishing

Basement finishing is an ideal way to add living space and value to your home. You can quickly and easily get free basement finishing and remodeling estimates to bring your dream to a reality. You can compare features, prices, costs and services from basement finishing and remodeling professionals. Getting free estimates on remodeling and finishing your basement is fast, easy and there are no obligations. Compare quotes from contractors and take the first step to finishing your basement today!

Plan Ahead

When you decide start your basement finishing project, you will want to do some research and planning before you start remodeling. First, consider ideas for what you want to use your new finished basement for. Do you want the completion of this remodeling done so you can put the space up for rent as an apartment? Or do you just want more finished living space? Are you interested in having a business office or more room for your children to play? Think about how much space is available for remodeling and what you want to use it for.

After you've consider your ideas, you will need to repair any existing damage to the foundation, flooring, stairs, windows and doors before you start with your basement finishing project. These minor problem, if not fixed before your basement finishing, could be large costs when it is finished. For example, if you have any cracks in the foundation or water damage, this could add more cost to fix after you've already invested time and money in the remodeling project. You will want to look at waterproofing products if there is not already sufficient waterproofing in place. You will also need to consider air circulation problems before you start your basement finishing and remodeling project. If these areas are not properly addressed before remodeling, you could need to deal with mildew or mold problems after the remodeling is complete.

Basement Finishing Ideas

To get basement finishing ideas, you can look at finished basement photos to spark some creativity. In addition to this remodeling adding value to your home with more finished living space, it can be used to create a separate living area for family members or multi-generational living. You can create a space that includes bedrooms, a additional bathroom, separate living room and even an additional kitchen or a bar. Finishing your basement can make an even greater return on your investment by having an additional apartment for rent. You can also make your basement finishing project for a specialized purpose, such as a home theater, home business, entertainment room with a bar or any other activities that you would like separate from the rest of the home. By adding an extra door or a walkout basement, you can give renters or multi-generational family members living with you more privacy. Adding a walkout basement in your remodeling plans also allows for more convenient meeting with clients or colleagues for your home business.

You can also add more room to the main living area in your house by moving your laundry room to the finished basement. If you do not have a laundry room, you can add one in your remodeling or basement finishing plans for greater convenience. If you have gym equipment cluttering your garage or upstairs living areas, you can create more space when remodeling by adding a home gym in your basement finishing design.

When you are thinking of ideas for your basement finishing and remodeling, there are a few items you will want to consider. When it comes to lighting ideas, you will want to make sure this area is more well lit than rooms in your house that are above ground. You will want to maximize your natural light from outside as well as your light fixtures inside. To allow more natural light, you can think of ideas for finishing your basement that include an open floor plan, large windows and French doors with glass rather than solid doors that will block out light. If you have a longview floor plan, you may want to break it up with creative remodeling ideas that will allow the room to seem more open rather than blocked off, small and dark. You can use light colored paint on the walls and strategically placed mirrors. When looking at photos, pictures and plans to come up with remodeling ideas, remember to look for bright or dramatic color schemes to add brightness to this naturally dark area.

Waterproofing Products

When you are making basement finishing plans, it is important to have quality waterproofing products to ensure your investment in remodeling is not destroyed by water problems. There are a few signs you can look for if you have waterproofing problems that need to be fixed before you start with your basement finishing project. Mold and mildew fungus grows in damp and dark areas. These cause musty odors, which is caused by the decaying process from the mold and dry rot. Dry rot is a black fungus that grows primarily on walls and wooden surfaced and causes the wood to decay. You may also notice discoloration, crack or damp spots on the walls, and peeling paint. If you see a white substance on your walls this could be a sign of structural deterioration, which is from a chemical breakdown of the bonding agent that holds your walls together. You may also see rust on appliances or furniture, which is a sign of a wet environment and waterproofing problems that need to be addressed before you start your remodeling or finishing basement plans.

Having water in your basement dramatically reduces the value of your home - as much as a 25% reduction in the sale price. In addition to decreasing the value of your home, having a damp or wet basement can lead to potential health problems from migrating moisture that creates a breeding ground for mold spores and mildew. Even if you rarely have issues with dampness or flooding, it is better to solve the problem before you decide on remodeling or finishing this area. By investing the money in a permanent solution before remodeling or finishing this area, it will not cost you more in the end. You need proper insulation when you are working on your basement finishing project. This is critical in creating a comfortably warm space, but it is also important in keeping it dry. Insulation prevents condensation, which stays cool year round and keeps the walls cool. When the warmer air enters the room and contact the cool walls, which gives off moisture in the form of condensation. Condensation is the main source of moisture that creates mold and mildew in basements. Proper installation separates the warm air and the cool walls, which prevents the condensation and moisture.   

There are some waterproofing products and techniques you can use to ward off these problems when you start your basement finishing and remodeling project. You can use a waterproofing concrete sealer, such as HyrdaLoc, which you can find for new or old concrete. It is an application process that is just sprayed onto the concrete with a low-pressure pump sprayer. This waterproofing product is non-toxic, no-hazardous and non-flammable. It is fast drying, water-based sealer that does not have an odor and can be cleaned up with tap water. Waterproofing is an important part when you are basement finishing, whether you are using the finished space as a living area or just for storage. Be sure to make this a priority before you start finishing or remodeling.

10 Common Insulation and Waterproofing Mistakes

Seemingly simple mistakes when finishing your basement can create devastating problems in the future. You can simply look at pictures and plans of finished basements and try to recreate these designs, but there are many aspects that go into remodeling an unfinished room that simply cannot be realized by photos. Rather than using your house as a guinea pig for your home improvement and remodeling aspirations, you will want to get estimates from a professional contractor before you start your basement finishing project. Below are the most common mistakes when waterproofing and working on insulation of basement finishing. 

1. One of the most common mistakes made when basement finishing without a professional contractor is not finding out the most efficient R-value for the room remodeling project and insulating accordingly. 
2. Good air circulation is critical between the roof and the insulation. Not providing enough is also a common mistake.
3. Proper installation of the fiberglass batting, or vapor barrier, is critical. Many people working on their unfinished rooms will have the paper side (vapor barrier) facing the outside rather than the toward the heated area.
4. Rather than installing the vapor barrier wrong, some will not install the vapor barrier at all. This can lead to the accumulation of moisture between the batting and the underside of the roof or wall.
5. Installation of a vapor barrier is tricky. Another common mistake is to puncture the vapor barrier unnecessarily or not puncture the vapor barrier at the top batt when you need the installation of two layers.
6. When waterproofing and insulating, it is a common mistake to get the fiberglass batt insulation out of shape by squeezing, compressing or distorting it.
7. When basement finishing, people will commonly use the paper-faced batting against a heat source, such as a heating duct or a chimney.
8. Insulation must also be placed in small areas and corners, which are commonly missed if a professional contractor is not used.
9. Proper ventilation is important when finishing and remodeling. When people are finishing their own basement with out using a contractor, they may cover the eaves vents with insulation, which cuts off ventilation.
10. Another common mistake is to not use closed-cell, or waterproof, rigid foam insulation panels on below grade installation projects.

Subflooring and Flooring

When basement finishing, there are many considerations for your subflooring and flooring. As with installing insulation and waterproofing when remodeling, the subflooring and flooring are must be done properly to have a quality finished basement. This is another area where it is advisable to not count on finished basement photos and contact a professional contractor.

When basement finishing, you must realize flooding and moisture can be a huge problem. Water always flows to the lowest point, which is your basement. You can proceed with the installation of carpet, but also consider other options that could be a more water resistant flooring choice. These may include tiles, vinyl or indoor/outdoor carpeting. If you prefer carpet for your remodeling design but do not think it is practical for your room, you can consider adding area rugs that can be placed over tile or vinyl. This is a great compromise because you can still enjoy the carpet look and feel but the rugs can be easily taken out and cleaned or dried. These options can minimized the costs of water damage.

When looking into how to finish a basement, one important area is subflooring. Subflooring is the material below your top flooring material that cannot be seen. Subflooring is added prior to finishing the floor to protect against moisture damage. Without subflooring, moisture can quickly damage or destroy your new flooring materials.

Subflooring can be added under concrete floors or over existing concrete flooring. Installation of subflooring can increase the value of your home and greatly improves the finished room. After adding subflooring, there are many options for finishing the flooring. If you decide on the installation of carpet for your flooring and/or stairs, you should consider a carpet pad. This will add thickness to your carpet so it is softer on your feet and can aid in insulation to keep your remodeled room warmer. A carpet pad will also help smooth out any of the dimpled concrete or small irregularities in the concrete, especially around the jackposts and walls. Although padding is great under carpet, you do not want to add it under laminate flooring. Some people will removed their existing carpet when remodeling to install laminate floors and decide to leave the carpet pad. Carpet pads are too thick and soft for laminate flooring and will make the new floor mushy. Only use a carpet pad while remodeling if you decide on the installation of carpet for flooring.

In addition to carpet and laminate flooring materials, there are other popular basement flooring options for your finishing and remodeling project. You can use tile, rubber, stone, bamboo, vinyl or hardwood. It is really depends on your personal preference and remodeling design. Look at many finished basement photos, plans and designs to get ideas. Think about what special touches and additions you want, such as another bathroom or a bar. Finally, be sure to talk to a contractor to figure out the costs and possibilities.

You can draw a rough diagram of what you would like your finished basement to look like and cut out pictures of similar room ideas you would like to integrate while remodeling and finishing your basement. You will want to meet with a basement finishing professional or a contractor to get more ideas and estimates on costs. They will be able to share ideas and point out potential problems with the space or remodeling design you are considering. A basement finishing professional or contractor will also be able to offer alternative suggestions for difficult remodeling design aspects. A contractor also has experience on items like plumbing, electrical outlets, waterproofing and insulation. You can get an estimate on costs for your basement finishing plans and meet your remodeling design needs. Take the first step towards you new basement. Get your free estimates from a basement finishing contractor today!