Finished Basement Designs

Finished basement designs are as varied as the houses they are in. No matter what you might need extra space for in your existing home, there are finished basement designs out there that can help you make the most of your underground areas. No matter your needs, or level of construction knowledge, a finished underground living area is within your reach, and budget, so the answer to "can I finish my basement" is definitely a yes.

Stand Alone Living Space

Probably the most complicated of finished basement designs, this is ideal if you are looking to convert unused space into income. This is also great if you have an elderly family member moving in who wants to maintain an independent living situation. A small rental unit or stand alone mother-in-law apartment is perfect in a medium to larger unfinished area.

When planning for this type of installation downstairs, there are a couple of key points to keep in mind. First, there is the issue of an egress requirement. This means that if there is a bedroom in an underground area there needs to be a door or window that leads directly to the outdoors from that finished bedroom. For a smaller area that will be turned into a studio style apartment, the requirement is the same. If you intend someone to sleep in the finished space, you need to have egress. Different local governments have different requirements for the measurements and dimensions of the egress. If you have a finished basement that is completely underground, you can install an egress window in a window well. This will add expense to the project, but common sense should prevail here. The designs of this egress exit are for the safety of your family in case of an emergency, like a fire.

To reduce cost for this style of finished basement designs, look for existing fixtures. Plumbing designs should be fairly straightforward for example, and the kitchen and bathroom areas should be close to existing plumbing fixtures.

For a stand alone rental, you may need to install a door to the outside, if there is not one already. Consider drainage issues carefully when doing this. It is best to get a professional contractor with experience with this type of remodel, especially if you don't know how to do certain construction skills.

Expanding Family

When your family has outgrown its current living space, even a smaller basement area can be converted into a bedroom or two. These are less complicated finished basement designs than a complete stand-alone apartment, as you will not be installing a kitchen, and depending upon size restrictions, maybe not a bathroom either.

When looking at designs for new bedrooms, be sure to take the proper moisture control precautions. Mold and mildew cause serious health problems, and once started, is very hard to get rid of. Treat the basement before construction with the best moisture blocking products formulated for your area. Use green board drywall, which is especially made for bathrooms designs, and controls moisture well. If you can find it in your area, there is a new wall board out that is made of fiberglass instead of paper, and is also excellent at prohibiting mold growth.

As in the stand alone apartment above, make sure you are allowing for the egress designs when planning your finished basement designs for this application.

More Living Space Designs

Perhaps you would like the living room to be for the adults again. Or maybe you dream of a home theater and entertainment room, with the TV, game system and toys all in one area. Perhaps you want to move the home office out of the dining room, or need dedicated storage for a hobby. Finished basement designs take all of these applications, and more, with ease. When you finish a basement into a main multi-purpose room, you are basically insulating and finishing the walls and other structures that already exist.

This would be a perfect time to use a basement finishing system. These all-in-one systems take a basement from dark and dingy to a finished comfortable and livable space in a little over two weeks. It uses insulated and moisture resistant panels that click together, leaving access to the original structure. Select lighting fixtures, and run wires for any outlets, and your project is finished.

As you can tell, finished basement designs are varied. Do your homework and determine what exactly would be the best use of your underground space. Feel free to pursue pictures to find ideas. Once you have your own finished basement designs in mind, and worked out a possible budget, you are ready to begin shopping. Fill out our easy-to-use form to get prices sent to your inbox from vendors in your local area. Getting multiple quotes in this fashion will save you time and money.