Five Important Things to Consider When Renovating Your Basement

If you’re lucky, your home has an unused and open space that you can renovate to satisfy your needs. It’s your basement, and it could be a lot better than you realize. With precise preparation, your basement might become one of your home’s most appealing and sought-after areas.

Things to Consider Before Renovating Your Basement

A basement renovation project can not just add additional living space, but it is also much more affordable than adding another level or addition to your house. It is also possible to improve the energy efficiency of your home with proper insulation and air-sealing. Below are some things to consider before renovating your basement:

1. Air quality.

If you have moisture problems in your basement – and unless you’ve just moved in, you probably do, you’ll need to solve them before you start the renovation. First, check your structure walls and floor for any cracks that could be causing the problem. If you don’t have one, a dehumidifier will come in handy during the warmer months.

2. Heating.

Ensure your current heating system can withstand the extra load. If it can’t, you’ll need to fix it before you start working on the basement. Are you looking to get your basement remodeled? Find out more here.

3. Structural concerns.

Basement renovations can be complicated by supporting posts, low ceilings, and flooring below the community sewage line. However, a professional renovator can handle everything. Learn more about in law suite right here.

4. Design and building plans.

When you’re ready to start designing and planning your basement renovation, take a look around to see how much space you have and how many rooms you’ll be able to build. Consider your family’s needs and what would work best. If you’re like many people, you’ll have no trouble creating ways to fill the space: a guest bedroom or whole guest suite with a little kitchen and dining area, a home office, an entertainment center, a game room, a living room, a crafts area, a home gym, and etc. When prioritizing your list, keep in mind that areas such as playrooms must be designed to easily be transformed into something else as the children grow.

Make a detailed plan of how you wish your finished basement to look, even down to furniture positioning, so you know how everything will fit together. After that, spend time with the drawing to consider all of the options. It’s a lot easier to change things on paper than when the walls are up.

5. Make a budget.

You’ve probably been considering money since you first considered renovating your basement, now is the time to know how much your plans will cost. To get an estimate of how much your designs will cost, consult with contractors or go to the hardware store – or both. Then, either change your initial idea or do it when you can afford it, completing one room each year as more money becomes available.

As a general guideline, it’s recommended to rough in all of the connections now for later installations and deal with things like adding air vents and changing or enlarging windows before drywalling, installing the flooring, or adding lights. Then, save the actual designing and furnishing until the last minute.

Conclusion

Your project could be as easy as a fresh coat of paint on dull walls or as big as a complete room transformation. In any case, they are the common things you’ll need to think about and assess before you start. If you want to enhance the comfort of your home by adding more space or upgrading the space you already have. In that situation, a basement renovation is a viable option for achieving this goal while also increasing the worth of your home.