Basement Finishing Cost

Basement finishing cost is estimated to be up to 90% recoverable when the house is sold, according to many home improvement experts. Consider that when deciding whether or not to finish underground living areas. In addition, the structure such as the floor, ceiling, and walls, are already there. This means basement finishing cost is mainly in completing the existing space, versus building a frame. That makes it one of the most cost effective remodeling projects.

If you family has grown out of your existing living space, moving downstairs makes a lot of sense. The newly finished area can be used for a kid's play room or freeing the living room and existing bedrooms for their original purposes. It can be used as a home office, an entertainment room, or storage area.

Finishing Cost Factors

Basement finishing cost will be different if you plan to finish the area yourself, plan to use a contractor, or plan to split the work. The more work you can do on your own, the more you will save. However, finishing a basement is not a weekend project, and spreading the work out over evenings and weekends means it will take six months or more to complete and increase the cost to finish basement work. This can be frustrating for the average homeowner. Basement finishing cost will be more if you were to hire a contractor, but this project would then be complete in a month to six weeks.

Also, you need to be honest with yourself about the skills you know how to do, or are comfortable learning, versus the ones you don't have, or have no interest in. For a contractor, basement finishing cost will include framing, moisture control, drywall, paint, electric and plumbing work, and well as finishing the new rooms with carpet, flooring, trim pieces and so forth. It requires a fairly complete knowledge of various aspects of construction. If you are handy with a paint brush, and not much else, shop around for a good contractor.

If you do decide to have a contractor finish the underground space, you will spend $25 and up per foot. These prices will be adjusted depending upon the quality of fixtures you use, where you live, and what the purpose of the finished basement will be. A kid's play room will be a less expensive project than a home theater room to finish. A fancy soaking tub will cost more than a standard bathtub. In this, prices are highly subjective, and the $25 quote is for the basics in most part of the country.

When meeting with a prospective contractor for the first time, make sure you are clear about his or her labor costs and the estimated cost of the complete project according to your project plan requirements. Ask contractors for pictures of past projects. Also ask for a timeline for the project. This will give a good idea of your contractor's skill level.

Many homeowners split the work. Don't be afraid to get help only on what you are not comfortable in doing. As an example, have an expert install the wiring and do the plumbing, while you hang drywall and paint. This will allow you to save some basement finishing cost while easing any possible frustrations from you trying to do something you are really not qualified for.

Another option is a complete finishing system. It is an all-in-one system of finishing a basement that cuts project time to about two weeks. It is not available for do-it-yourselfers. It is installed by certified technicians, and any extra up front expense is somewhat mitigated by the quick turnaround time of the project.

Other Basement Considerations

A large part of the final cost of the project, after contractor labor, will largely be dependent on what ideas you have for using your newly finished space. If you use high end fixtures, upgrades to carpet, tile, and the like, and install a wet bar to make the ultimate man cave, your basement finishing cost will be high. If you intend to use the basement as new bedrooms, where you are dividing the area and installing rooms, the basement finishing cost will be less. The cost for installing a mother-in-law or rental apartment, with kitchen and bath areas, probably makes the most costly project, but can pay you back with possible rental income.

No matter what you decide, finishing your basement is a sure way of increasing the value of your property. The basement finishing cost can be controlled somewhat by getting numerous quotes and comparing prices. Start this process by filling out the simple to use form at the top of this page. Provide some basic information about your proposed project, and you will receive quotes and possible designs for your project direct to your email inbox. It's convenient and easy!