Most basements are dark, gloomy, and simply serve as a storage area for old toys, clothes, seasonal items, and anything else that is not used on a regular basis. Most of us rarely go down into the basement unless it is to unload more clutter that we don’t want or need.

But, why not turn this gloomy storage room into something functional and useful? Remodeling your basement is a cost-effective way to significantly increase your home’s living space. Suddenly you could have a nice, cozy guest room, a playroom for your children, a home office, a game room; the possibilities are endless!

Below are five simple steps to a brand new basement.

1. Repair any Basement Water Problems First

Even if your basement hardly ever has issues with flooding or dampness, it’s best to take care of the problem completely before beginning any remodeling efforts.

Permanent solutions can take time to put into operation. A smart place to begin is to get in touch with a home inspector who specializes in waterproofing problems.

2. Decide What You Want to Use Your Basement For

This is where you can turn lemons into lemonade. Your Basement has poor lighting? Consider setting up a dark room or a home theater. Is your basement lonely and isolated? The isolation helps provide a nice sound cushion for noisy activities such as a teenager hangout, a game room, or a place for your kids to practice their musical instruments to their hearts content. Use your imagination and come up with something that will benefit your family’s lifestyle.

3. Consider Professional Advice with Your Basement Design

Even though your basement might not be much to look at now, you’ll want to end up with quality living space when the project is finished. An interior designer or architect can help you get the most out of the space. A little forethought and careful planning now can help you design a space that is attractive, comfortable and practical.

4. Consider the Air Circulation

Something important to consider is the air circulation of your basement. When your home was originally built, chances are that there were very few if any registers or vents installed in the basement. When you remodel your basement, you need to think about the need for good air circulation, adding openings where necessary.

To be on the safe side, install a carbon monoxide detector in your basement so that you’ll have an early warning of any problems with the venting of the furnace or any other major appliances.

5. Make the Most of Your Basement’s Natural Light

Depending on what you are using your basement for, you may wish to add more natural lighting. This can be done by enlarging your basement’s windows. Another benefit of larger windows is that they provide additional escape routes in case of fire.
Some may be concerned that by having basement windows that is providing easier access into the home by thieves. One way to lessen that risk is to install glass bricks instead of conventional windows at any location that is high-risk.

Take full advantage of the effect of regular windows by mounting some windows in the interior walls between rooms that open pathways for natural light to reach interior rooms.

By: Christine Griego

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Before doing some basement remodeling, there are some things you must do first to make sure you don’t experience any future problems with your newly finished basement. Things like moisture and leakage can subject your finished basement to damage that may even be harder to fix.

Moisture is the most typical basement problem. Moisture can get in your basement from external sources or can develop from the inside by the resident’s activities. The ground surrounding your foundations can have large quantities of moisture from surface water that is leaking inside via a hole or *****. During the warmer days, moist air from the outside can get in the house and eventually result in condensation on the cold basement floors or walls.

What you should do to prevent leakage is to caulk up or fill in the cracks and holes on your walls and/or flooring before basement remodeling. To keep your basement dry and comfortable all year round, you should then incorporate proper heating, air conditioning and ventilation. Make sure downspouts, eavestroughs and grading lead surface water away from your home’s foundations. Also make sure the window wells drain freely.

Prior to basement remodeling, consider fixing or replacing a leaky roof and installing drainage below window wells. Incorporate a concrete floor over a sealed polyethylene moisture barrier as well as a perimeter drainage system. Without a floor drain, any water that happens to be inside can’t escape. In this case install working sump pumps. Once you troubleshoot the common basement problems, you can move on to redecorating your basement.

By: Casey Torren

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When it comes to the numerous basement remodeling options out there, few projects can bring out the kid in a homeowner quite like installing a gameroom. In fact, developing a well planned game room remodeling project can be almost as fun as enjoying the games themselves, thanks to the unique creative freedom that a job like this allows. You’re only limitations are space availability, finances, and your own imagination!

Game Room Remodeling: Getting Started

Like any home remodeling job, a game room remodel starts with a desire to increase the fun and functionality of a room, and is followed by a determination to take all the steps necessary to bring your vision to life. The majority of game rooms are designed in basements, giving them a unique atmosphere and sequestering them from the quieter areas of the home, such as the living room and bedrooms.

For many homeowners, the basement is the ideal place to start a remodeling project. It’s a room that’s usually limited to a laundry room or storage area, but the basement– especially larger basements with higher ceilings– have huge potential. Before deciding to install a game room in your basement, carefully consider the logistics of the undertaking. If you have a relatively small basement space with low ceilings, designing a game room might require some serious reconstruction or deconstruction of walls, which can add a lot to your bill. A professional basement remodeling contractor can help you assess your remodeling plans and give you a cost estimate, which can be extremely helpful in determining whether a game room would be a practical choice for your particular basement.

Think In Specifics

Another major factor in planning your game room remodeling project is knowing exactly what types of games, entertainment, seating, and ambiance you wish to include in the design. Larger, popular game room games like pool, ping-pong, foosball, and air hockey all require plenty of open space for large tables. Table tennis, in particular, also needs plenty of perimeter space and higher ceilings for the best level of play.

Arcade games, video game consoles, pinball machines, and dart boards have their specific dimensions, as well. The key is to make a complete list of every game you’d like to include in your game room, plan exactly where each game table or console could be placed in relation to one another, and use the measurements of your basement to determine which games stay and which ones have to go.

If you’re thinking in a grand scale, and want your game room to capture the feeling of a real sports bar, you’ll need to carefully plan for the installation of a bar area, a flat screen television, a stereo or jukebox, and whatever other chairs, tables, and other furniture you’ll need to achieve your goal.

The more detailed and specific your game room looks on paper, the easier it’ll be for your home contractor to deliver the results you’re looking for in a quick and stress-free manner.

Have Fun!

By carefully planning your game room remodel, staying under budget, and embracing your inner kid, your home’s basement can go from a dreary storage area to a lively center for socializing and play. So, think practically, but never forget what the goal is: having fun! Challenge your spouse to a billiards game, teach your kids the art of foosball, or have your friends over to watch the big game! It’s all possible with a game room, and the possibilities are right under your feet!

By: Chip Baddaladucci

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In New York, where the housing crunch runs decades back, extending living space can be a real luxury. One practical way that many homeowners miss to consider is basement remodeling. Undertaking such a project saves your house from the unnecessary breaking down of walls and your pocketbook from the financial burden that a home addition poses. When done right, this would surely prove beneficial by affording you and the family more living area to make everyday life simply more enjoyable as well as increasing the value of the property letting you enjoy a recoup on your remodeling investment. So whether you are in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Long Island, or Queens; ensure these 3 essentials to a successful basement remodeling.

Basement Remodeling Plan

No matter what project you decide to take on, big or small, it is the plan that lays out success from the very beginning. This comes especially important with basement remodeling. Why? It does not qualify for your average renovation work and the job presents a set of unique challenges. With this said, your best and safest way to go about the project is through hiring a qualified contractor unless you are one yourself. With one, you will be giving the most value for your money with a completion that is within budget as well as timeframe. Your specification plan should cover everything from the major steps to the littlest of details. Take note of both your needs and wants and discuss with your contractor the best possible ways to achieve them considering your budget and what your basement can accommodate.

Basement Finish Idea

When it comes to ideas, there are a good number of options that you can explore. But whichever finish you opt to pursue, it is important that the result would complement well with the family’s lifestyle and that the idea will make the best use of the area. One great tip though that may come in handy is that you could take advantage of the ready access to plumbing by adding another bathroom or kitchenette in the plan. Aside from being practical, this an also add more value to your home.

Waterproofing

Originally constructed to not serve as a living area, there are factors that you should look into first to be able to maximize functionality and comfort. It would be best to let your hired contractor or other qualified professionals evaluate the area first to know the extent of problems and the appropriate solutions to implement.

When it comes to any basement, water and moisture issues can be considered a universal issue faced by homeowners. Other than the obvious signs such as flooding, here are other indications to be wary of:

damp spots
chalky white residues on your walls
rust on metal surfaces and dry rot on wood
peeling or blistering paint
mold and mildew, from obvious growth to moldy odor

Varying levels of moisture or water problems will require different methods of repair and waterproofing. But even if no signs have been spotted, preventive waterproofing should still be in place to ensure a long-lasting basement remodeling finish.

By: Eugene G. Makeev

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Surely there’s more than enough of a basement remodeling picture in the market today. Building a basement requires time well spent in planning. What makes this project more exciting is when you get to compare old dingy ones with the newly renovated ones. The best documentation are photos of it.

Another exciting advantage about a picture is that you’re actually helping others get some ideas from you. Sure you did it all by yourself from design planning to walling system and down up to the finishing touches. But not everyone is as talented and skillful as you. Most of them who fall short of ideas go to photo galleries online for reference.

Some can be so well-designed that they don’t look like they’re just basements at all. This is what makes it more challenging and interesting. On an old smelly and damp room, a good idea can make wonders. So take this route and aim for a basement that is just like what you see in a remodeling picture. Get your inspiration from it.

The first thing to do is to identify what you want to achieve with your project. Here are some commonly used purposes for such:

- As a Home Office – The basement is the perfect place for setting up a home office. Chose the best area to place your office tables and chairs. Make sure there’s enough light coming in from the windows. You won’t be working at night, will you? Not only does it make sense, it also saves you energy and therefore money.

- Basement Bar – If you have lots of friends, you might want to invite them for the weekend. You can set a bar in it. Look for a picture that falls under this category. You will discover that there are so many ideas that can help you.

- Entertainment Area – Some homeowners purposefully use it as an entertainment room since basements can be dark. If you look into a photo of an entertainment area, you’d be surprised how beautiful and cozy it can make you feel just by looking at them.

- Guest Rooms – If your family is huge and you thought the rooms are not enough to fill up all the members, set up extra rooms below. Some have fantastic interior designs of guest rooms you think of spending the rest of your days there. This is true. Look for a picture under this category and you’ll find out.

Depending on your needs and creativity, you can even think of more plans for your basement. All it takes is one picture to help you get ideas and draft your plan. From there you will be able to know how much it’s going to cost you. You will also understand how long it will take you to finish it. There are also basement photo galleries that illustrate how each step in remodeling is done. Get yourself started. It should be fun.

By: Casey Torren

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