Basement Remodels

Basement remodels are one of the most effective and quick ways to improve your home. Basement remodels provide you and your family with extra space at a more than reasonable price. Consider this, this area of your house already has all of the structure built, it just needs the walls, insulation, and fixtures to make it comfortable. It only makes sense that basement remodels would be cheaper than building an addition to an existing home.

If you were to hire a contractor to meet your basement remodels needs, you would be paying somewhere in the range of $20 to $25 per square foot (this depends on design, geographic location, and materials chosen). You can't build an addition at anything close to that, with an average addition price of about $200 per square foot! If you do even a little bit of the work yourself, you will save yourself even more funds in the long run. This makes basement remodels one of the most cost-friendly of home improvement projects.

What to Consider

If you need more space in your home, and are trying to decide between purchasing a new house and home remodels of any magnitude, but aren't sure which way to go, there are several factors to consider in the decision making process. First, if you've been in your home long enough to have some equity built up, the paperwork process alone with your bank will probably make it easier to finance basement remodels with a home equity line of credit than to secure a mortgage, which is no small consideration!

Once you have decided that basement remodels are a viable solution for you, you need to decide how you would use your new finished area or rooms. Different uses will impact the design as well as the materials you will need, and all this ties into how much to budget for this project. A kids' playroom and storage area will have different construction requirements, and budget, than a home theater and entertainment system, which will have different needs and budget from a contained rental unit.

It is good to have concrete ideas of how you are going to use that new living space. Look for basement remodeling pictures of finished designs in books and home improvement magazines for inspiration. Take your time considering how you would use your extra space, and how that extra space might change the purpose of some of your existing rooms.

Cost Effective Remodel

Basement remodels can be especially helpful for owners of older homes, many of which have large unfinished areas under their homes. You need more space, but for one reason or another, you aren't looking to move. Because of a small in-city lot, municipal building codes, or current income level, you are not looking to increasing your home's square footage with a costly traditional addition at this time. Many are doing so without the cost and mess of building an addition. Instead, they're turning existing areas into usable, attractive and comfortable living spaces. Basement remodels are a perfect way to accomplish this. The expense of this project will come from finishing this space, not starting from scratch.

Once you know what you are going to use the basement for, you next need to decide what, if any, of the work you are comfortable with doing yourself, thus reducing the cost. Finishing any underground area requires quite a bit of construction knowledge and skills in carpentry, moisture control, wiring, plumbing, insulation, drywall and paint. Having a contractor take the job from start to finish will probably bring remodels costs between $19-25 a square foot for project costs. This price does vary significantly based on geographic location.

Also, take into account time spent. As a do-it-yourselfer, basement remodels will take several months of evenings and weekends. A general contractor would probably complete the job in a month to six weeks, depending on the scope and size. The remodel's price can be reduced dramatically by handling the construction work piecemeal. Don't pay someone to do things you know how to do. Have a contractor do the basement electric and plumbing, while you drywall and paint, for example.

Local Basement Finishing Quotes

Once you have decided basement remodels are a great solution for your particular home, determined what portion of the work you are willing to bear, developed a working plan for the space, and come up with a budget, you are ready to begin shopping for a general contractor and vendors. Fill out our easy-to-use form to get price quotes from vendor in your local area. Requesting multiple quotes in this way is convenient, time saving, and easy, with the information being delivered to your email box. By reviewing multiple quotes you will be able to keep the basement remodel's cost as low as possible.