Cost to Finish Basement

Cost to finish basement is one of the more effective home remodeling projects, price-wise. If you finish your unfinished basement, it will provide you and your family lots of extra living space at a relatively inexpensive cost. Depending on your house's configuration, your living space can double! Whether you are looking for a home office, a play room, an extra bedroom or two, a mother-in-law or rental unit, or a home theater and entertainment room, the cost to finish basement will be less expensive that almost any other home addition. Consider this; the basement already has walls, a floor and a ceiling, so the project is half done before you even pull out your wallet and start writing checks. The main cost in this type of home improvement is the finishing of the area and moisture-proofing.

Renovation Cost Planning

Your first step in determining the cost to finish basement remodels is deciding how to use your finished room or rooms. Different uses will impact the design as well as the materials you will need, and all this ties into cost. A kids' playroom will have different requirements than a contained rental unit, so it is good to have clear ideas of how you are going to use that new living space. Look for pictures of finished basements in books and home improvement magazines for inspiration.

Now that you know how the space will be used, who is going to do the work? If you are handy, there may be quite a bit that you feel comfortable doing yourself, thus reducing the cost, and saving the more technical bits for a contractor. Keep in mind, finishing any room 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 cost to finish basement between $19-25 a square foot for project costs. This price does vary geographically.

Also, take into account time spent. As a do-it-yourselfer, to finish a basement is probably going to take several months of evenings and weekends. A general contractor would probably complete the job in under a month. The cost to finish basement can be reduced dramatically by handling the construction work piecemeal. Have a contractor do the electric and plumbing, while you drywall and paint, for example. Another option is to investigate a new Basement System, which are basically one box solutions for basement remodels. There are several different designs available, based on individual needs.

Once you have a good idea of what you are going to use the space for, and who is going to do the work, measure the area you want to finish. Walk off rooms, if there are going to be any, and determine existing plumbing. The cost to finish basement will be more, for example, if you try to install a new bathroom away from existing pipes. Consider where fixtures such as entries, windows, walls, and so forth are going to be. Don't forget to measure the height of the ceilings as well, and keep in mind you may have more than one measurement, such as floor to ceiling joints in one part, and floor to duct work in another.

When you finish your homework regarding what your new living area will look like, draw a detailed, to scale plan of your project. Include all existing door, window and electric fixtures, as well as support posts, duct work or pipes that can't be moved. Include a materials list (many home improvement centers have computer programs that can help with this) that includes everything from the wall sealant, to studs for framing, sub-floor, vapor seal, ceiling, electrical outlets, wiring, paint and finish pieces. Leave nothing out! This plan will help you determine exactly the cost to finish basement.

In many municipalities, a plan of this nature is also required to get the building permit. Consider the permit process in the total cost to finish basement. A building permit can cost from $20 to several hundred dollars, depending upon where you live. However, a home update without a building permit can be a very expensive proposition, even voiding your homeowner's insurance if something destructive happens that is later determined to be your fault as result of undocumented construction.

Local Basement Finishing Quotes

After you have decided what cost to finish basement you are willing to bear, developed a good plan for the space, and decided the most appropriate person to do the work, you are ready to begin shopping. Fill out our easy-to-use form to get multiple price quotes from vendor in your local area. Requesting quotes in this way is convenient, time saving, and easy, with the informational price quotes being delivered to your email box. By reviewing multiple quotes you will be able to keep the cost to finish basement as low as possible, while enjoying the final results.