Basement Renovations Improve Your Home, Improve Your Life

1. BASEMENT RENOVATIONS IMPROVE YOUR HOME, IMPROVE YOUR LIFE

2. SYNOPSIS  Is Refinishing Your Basement Worth the Cost?  How To Warm And Cool A Finished Basement  4 Awesome Basement Renovation Ideas  9 Fantastic Basement Renovation Ideas  Heating the Floors in Your Basement: Your 3 Options  Deciding on Drop Ceilings or Drywall for Your Basement Ceiling  6 Awe-Inspiring Design Ideas for Your Basement Renovation  4 Intelligent Benefits of Renovating a Basement  Safety Concerns to Consider When Renovating Your Basement  Consider Adding Windows to Finished Basement

3. IS REFINISHING YOUR BASEMENT WORTH THE COST? Will a Basement Remodel Retain its Value at Resale? • Every year Remodeling Magazine puts together a Cost vs. Value report for remodeling projects. One of the projects included in that 2016 report was a basement remodel and in that report it showed that the project retains approximately 70.4% of its value during resale. That’s an excellent figure for a remodel project and it shows that you can invest a serious amount of cash into your home basement without losing it all if you decide to sell your home later on. • A Cost Effective Option • A basement remodel is one of the most cost effective enhancements that you can make to your home. It retains more of its value than adding a two-story addition, a bathroom remodel, a kitchen remodel or adding on a variety of rooms. If you’re looking for a way to get the most out of your home, with a reasonable investment, there are few options that are as good as finishing up a basement as long as you have the space for it. If you’re thinking of putting an addition on your home, or doing another remodeling project that you could do in the basement instead, you would be better off making the modifications to your basement if you can. •

4. HOW TO WARM AND COOL A FINISHED BASEMENT Upgrade Your Current System • If you have an older furnace, or you don’t like the quality of your furnace that much, you will probably just want to go ahead and upgrade it to the capacity that you need to warm your basement as well. Make sure that you hire professionals to come in and size out your home properly for the furnace change, so that you can get just the right amount of power to keep your home running smoothly and to give you all the horsepower you need for nice warm conditions throughout the year. Upgrading your existing furnace system is a desirable choice in some situations, but if you just had a new furnace put in, chances are good you won’t want to replace it for your basement, instead you’ll want to add on a supplementary system. • Adding on Another System • Sometimes it just makes more sense to add another heating and cooling system to your home for the basement itself. This comes with a few different benefits. The first is that you can set your heating and cooling levels independently of one another, meaning that you don’t have to keep that finished basement space as warm as the rest of your home if you don’t want to, and you can adjust down the temperatures if the area isn’t being used that often. Not only that, but you can go with a ductless system in your basement and minimize the amount of additional ducts that must be run for your space to work properly. • A mini split unit is often the option of choice when it comes to adding heating and cooling to a basement. You can add one or more of these units to your space and forget all about ducts and a bunch of extra work that comes with most other heating systems. They’re simple to install and highly efficient as well. •

5. 4 AWESOME BASEMENT RENOVATION IDEAS Playful and Creative Kid-Friendly Area • If there are children in your home, they likely play inside of your home on most days. In the majority of cases, kids leave any room they play in a mess. If you are like many parents, you often worry that certain items will break or walls colored on, wanting to have an alternative play area provided for them. You can easily transform your basement into a roomy, creative, and playful kid-friendly area. • Organized and Large Laundry Room • Nobody can deny the importance and desire of having a large space to complete their laundry. Having a cheerful and roomy laundry room area, not only allows you to enjoy significant convenience but it also helps motivate you to complete this chore. • Relaxing Family Room • Create a relaxing family room by renovating your basement. This will allow your family to not only relax but bond as well. A transformation such as this adds valuable living space to your house, which may increase your properties value. • Area for Entertaining • For those of you who entertain often, additional space can be helpful to ensure a joyful time. This unused area can be remodeled, making sure to add a bar and kitchenette in your basement. You can change it into a comfortable home theater room, installing a projector, speakers, and a cushy couch. •

6. 9 FANTASTIC BASEMENT RENOVATION IDEAS Children’s’ Area • To ensure the children do not interrupt you while you are enjoying some relaxing time in your renovated basement, section-off a fraction of it. Make sure to measure an area spacious enough for their favorite games and toys. Design a kids’ area as a place they can do what they enjoy best, be it Pokémon or dolls. • Game Area • Transform your basement into a stimulating game room complete with all your family’s favorites, such as shuffleboard, air hockey, ping pong, and pinball machines. A game area can be enjoyed by everyone in the family and is a wonderful place for parties. • Kitchen Space • Another area in your basement that can be appreciated by your entire family is a kitchen. This kitchen space can be completed with oven, stove, microwave, refrigerator, and sink. Create a pantry to store food and snacks used to prepare all your families favorite dishes. • Media Center • Add a big 4K television, Blu-ray player, DVD player, speakers, stereo system for the whole family entertained. Include comfortable furnishings such as plush sofas and chairs, the table used to place food and drinks, as well as additional seating for unexpected guests. •

7. 9 FANTASTIC BASEMENT RENOVATION IDEAS Steam Room • A steam room or spa is a terrific way to relax after a long day’s word. Also, the value can be added to your home as well. Numerous home improvement stores have the capability of building either a sauna or steam room. • Workshop Area • If you take pleasure in word working or perhaps another hobby or craft, consider adding a special area dedicated to working on these projects. Whether it is with worktables and shelves for materials or a cozy space for sewing or scrapbooking, be sure to add a table and chairs and add a closet used to store equipment. • Health and Beauty Center • Transform your basement into a health and beauty center complete with massage tables, exercise machines, and shower stalls. Also, to do make-up and hair set up a vanity area as well. • Wine Cellar • I any adults in your home are a wine aficionado, create a built-in wine cellar to ensure your favorite stock is always readily available and refrigerated properly. Perfect for a fine drink with your loved one or when guests come for a visit. • Main Themes • Consider the main theme for your basement. If you are boating fanatic, think maritime. If the great outdoors brings you pleasure, consider using earth tones, many plants, and the proper artwork. Ideas for main themes are endless. •

8. HEATING THE FLOORS IN YOUR BASEMENT: YOUR 3 OPTIONS Hydronic Floor Heating • A hydronic heating system relies on narrow pipes and hot water to warm up the basement. You’ll enjoy nice even heat from the floors of your home throughout the day that keep the space feeling comfortable and make the floors very enjoyable to walk on. The system uses a large boiler that maintains the temperature of the water to keep your floors at the optimal temperature at all times. This flooring option must be installed by professionals and it isn’t cheap, but the right system can give you excellent control of the temperature of individual rooms and help make your basement very enjoyable to be in indeed. • Electric Radiant Heat • Another way to heat up those floors in your basement is through electric radiant floor heating. This type of heating system is super thin, and can be installed under most types of flooring. It’s a series of wirers that are put underneath the floor all around the room. These special wire systems rely on electricity to warm up and give heat off to the rest of the room in the process. They work really quickly and you can adjust them to provide heat when you need it. They are often paired with solar panels for more cost-effective heating throughout the year. • Heating Mats • Floor heating mats are another electric-based option that is designed for simplicity. These mats are simply installed underneath the flooring in the room, and there temperature can be adjusted with a thermostat. They are very thin and simple to put in, and they put out a whole lot of heat into your space. These mats aren’t very cheap, but they work well and can be put in quickly, making them an ideal solution for your home. •

9. DECIDING ON DROP CEILINGS OR DRYWALL FOR YOUR BASEMENT CEILING Benefits of a Drop Ceiling • The main reason homeowners and business owners rely on this type of ceiling is to provide convenient access to the ceiling and all the components of that space. With drywall you have to cut away the ceiling to get to pipes and other fixtures, and for many people this isn’t ideal. Work takes longer and becomes more expensive if you run into any issues. A drop ceiling also creates a more intricate pattern on the ceiling as compared to drywall, which can make things look more interesting. • Benefits of Drywall Ceiling • While drop ceilings have long been the ceiling option of choice in finished basements, they are becoming much less popular over time. That’s because they look outdated and often less attractive than drywall alternatives. Not only that, but they take away some of the precious height in your basement. Drywall is low profile and leaves you with as much height as possible in your home. That means that you can create the tallest basement possible with drywall. A good drywall ceiling also looks more modern than a drop ceiling, which is a nice benefit to homeowners that are trying to update their space as much as possible. •

10. DECIDING ON DROP CEILINGS OR DRYWALL FOR YOUR BASEMENT CEILING Choosing the Right Option • There’s no right or wrong option for how you want to finish out your ceiling, only the option that you favor the most. Make sure that you are taking the time to choose the option that you like the best for your home’s ceiling. Don’t rush to make a decision, and take some time to really think about the pros and cons of both finishing methods when you are looking at your basement. If you aren’t sure what you should do, take the time to consider both options and try to look at basements that have been finished each way as well so you can decide which one you like the best overall. Only by comparing the options in person should you be able to tell for sure which one you like the best out of them all. • Working with Professionals • No matter what option you choose for your basement’s ceiling, it’s vital that you take the time to really consider which is going to be best for you and how you can get the most out of your space. Talk with professionals about which is going to work well for you, and also ask for quotes for the two options. You should never make a final decision until after talking with professionals, because they can provide you with some insight that you might not have even considered in the first place. •

11. 6 AWE-INSPIRING DESIGN IDEAS FOR YOUR BASEMENT RENOVATION Additional Bedroom and Guest Room An extra bedroom is always useful in any house. Whether your family is growing and an extra bedroom is needed, or family and friends often visit from out of town making a guest room essential, an additional room is necessary. Consider a roomy closet space, a reading nook, and an adjacent bathroom. Neutral tones are great for everyone. • • Fun-Filled Game Room Growing families or ones with older children can benefit from a game room. This space can provide an area great for entertaining. Consider a functional game room by also having a half bath, kitchenette, in additions to a comfortable selection of seating, and an entertainment center for video games and movies. Depending on the size of your space, consider table tennis, ski-doo, or table hockey. • • Music Area • Are any aspiring musicians residing in your home? A basement renovation can create an area where jam sessions can take place. Install plenty of shelving and storage for equipment and instruments. If possible, design a music area with soundproof walls as well as flooring to ensure peace is maintained. •

12. 6 AWE-INSPIRING DESIGN IDEAS FOR YOUR BASEMENT RENOVATION Home Office Space Many people today have decided to ditch the five o’clock traffic and stress associated with driving to and from work, by beginning to work from home. Renovating a basement to provide you with a peaceful, cozy office where you can work comfortably is a perfect idea that you will be thankful for. Be sure to include powerful task lighting, bookshelves, a built-in desk, and proper wiring to connect all your technical devices. You will wish your basement was renovated years ago. • • Creative Art Studio Do you enjoy painting, drawing, or crafting? Transform your basement into a spacious crafting space or art studio complete with big workstations, custom storage, and ample task lighting. No matter your hobby, a remodeled basement provides versatility, functionality, and a designated place for anything and everything needed to fulfill your artistic talent. • • Custom Storage Space Taking an unfinished basement and remodeling it to enhance your home’s storage spaces is the very least you can do. This is a very affordable option and everyone can use a little more organizing. Consider open shelving and custom built-ins, allowing you to use every inch of space even the area located under the stairwell in the basement. • •

13. 4 INTELLIGENT BENEFITS OF RENOVATING A BASEMENT Adding an Additional Bedroom • Homeowners can increase the square footage of their home with basement renovations. By finishing their basement space, they can possibly add one or more additional bedrooms to their home. • Adding an Additional Bathroom • Rather having only one bathroom, having a two-bathroom home can be appealing to those in the market for a new home. Of course, adding a bathroom to your basement requires more than just drywall making is costlier. • Property Value Increased • Renovating a basement will increase the value of your investment property. This is considered a great return even though it is possibly not considered “livable square footage” by Market Listing Service. • Income Property • Whether you have plans to quickly sell an investment property or maintain it as a multifamily, you can add a rental unit with basement renovation. This is dependent on zoning department approval in your area, however. •

14. SAFETY CONCERNS TO CONSIDER WHEN RENOVATING YOUR BASEMENT • Lighting • First, a light must be installed at the top of the stairway, if one is not located there already. You may not have considered this because newer homes tend to have one, but many of the older homes have never had this necessary feature installed. Installing this needed light is an easy fix for a licensed electrician. Also, while considering lighting, it is a good idea to install a light switch at the base of the stairwell to help make it easier to shut the lights off when needed, such as when you are watching a movie. Furthermore, to turn the lights bask on to ensure safety while walking back up the stairs case. These are safety measures that are often overlooked. • Black Mold and Waterproofing • Often times, basements produce condensation, they leak, and flood which can result in a buildup of mold in addition to other allergens that may affect those who reside in the home. Once the mold is allowed to spawn and inhabit a location, it can easily spread throughout the basement if not monitored properly.

15. SAFETY CONCERNS TO CONSIDER WHEN RENOVATING YOUR BASEMENT The homes air quality in the home can be a factor of childhood asthma. Regularly changing HVAC filters and professionally cleaning air ducts are necessary steps, however, if your basement is dank and wet, general house mold and black mold may become impossible to fight if you neglect to waterproof your basements as well as removing any mold. • • Windows and Window Wells • To allow people to escape should there be a fire, basement windows must be a certain height. To ensure people can get out easy at all times, a safe and smart renovation of your basement should include contractors digging around areas located around all basement windows so to allow larger sized windows to be installed in your basement. With today’s new home, these “window wells” are standard. Usually, the tops of window wells have removable window well covers attached to them to keep pets and debris from falling. In addition to being a useful safety feature, window wells also help to create natural light.

16. CONSIDER ADDING WINDOWS TO FINISHED BASEMENT • How Can You Add Full Sized Windows? It’s entirely possible to add full sized windows to your basement, they are known as egress windows. Even if your basement is fully underground you can have these large windows put in, and they will draw in sunlight from outside while offering some fresh air as well. These windows come with large holes in your yard around your home that are often dug out with staircases and other additions to make them accessible. These holes or bays are designed to draw in sunlight and to make it possible to climb up out of the basement if you need to in case of an emergency. Egress windows aren’t cheap to add, but they are an important enhancement for a basement environment that you want to dress up as much as possible, or that you want to turn into an actual living space. •

17. CONSIDER ADDING WINDOWS TO FINISHED BASEMENT • The Benefits of Basement Windows Egress windows can transform a stuffy basement space into a truly open and airy place to be. Not only can these windows often be utilized to draw in fresh air throughout the year, but they bring in natural light, help create a healthier living space down in the basement, and they make your area more welcoming and enjoyable to be in. • • Basement Bedroom Windows If you plan on making your finished basement into a bedroom space, or an area where anyone will sleep, it’s vital that you have safe exit options for that person. Egress windows are mandatory in that instance. These large windows open up and provide you with a way to crawl out if the house catches on fire and you are trapped down in the basement. Not only are they a good way to brighten up your basement space, but they are excellent for safety purposes as well, which is a valid consideration for you to make as a homeowner looking into finishing your basement. •

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