Basement Remodeling

Lets face it, lots of homes have basements, and a lot of them are unfinished or semi-finished spaces that do not get used a lot due to that!  Basements can be dark due to either no windows or small windows up high on the wall.  How to give this space a warm inviting feeling?

Makeover for a basement

Start with the floor; no, I don’t mean refinish the floor first, but think about how much space the floor entails.  Other than the ceiling it has the largest square footage in the basement.  Since we tend to look down more than we look up, it gets seen a lot.  It should have a color and texture that we find appealing and for my personal preference, is easy to clean.

http://www.basementremodelingideas.org/ This website has some sound counsel for basement remodeling.  I’ll list some of their advice here:

“ask yourself what you want. If you are living with other people or with your family, you may have to consult them to find out what they would want too. Some of the common ideas for remodeling include:

– game room with mini bar
– extra bedroom or guest room with bathroom
– soundproof music room
– gym or workout room
– office or study area
– children’s playroom or activity area
– theater room or second living room”

“There are also other reasons for getting a contractor besides dealing with technical problems. Contractors can help you assess if your plans are workable.  A contractor can modify your ideas to arrive at an acceptable compromise that will fit your space structurally.”

“One other important role of a contractor is to evaluate your budget. Before beginning your project, you would most likely already have an amount set aside for it. Discussing your plans with an expert builder will give you an idea of what you can really afford or if you need to add to your budget to get what you want.”

So, research what you think you want, huddle with the fam and work out compromises.  Then get a reliable contractor, go over everything again with the expert, check your budget and then proceed!