Things to Consider When Planning a Basement Remodel

With Americans spending over $420 billion annually on home improvements, you’re not alone if you’re plotting a remodel. But with supply chain snags and labor shortages ramping up the costs, you want to do everything you can to make your remodel worth the investment.

What should you consider when planning a basement remodel? Stick around to find out!

Understand the Moisture Situation

Before refinishing your basement, you’ll want to fortify it against moisture and water problems. Check your home disclosure for any signs of water damage if you’re a new owner. Or if you’ve lived in the house for a few years, you may have a sense of the walls or windows that are prone to leaking.

Hire a professional to repair foundation cracks and help with preventing mold after water damage. You may need to elevate your flooring or seal your foundation. And you may need to install sump pumps to handle rainwater.

Determine a Layout

When refinishing a basement, plan on a layout that suits your needs. For instance, you might want to create space for a bonus bedroom with egress windows. Or you may need to be strategic about where you place a bathroom to take advantage of plumbing.

Perhaps you want a space with multiple rooms. This allows you to designate a workout space as distinct from a home theater space. On the other hand, one large open room allows for maximum flexibility.

Keep Your Basement Remodel Compliant

Knowing how to finish a basement means ensuring that it meets the building codes in your area. You should check these first and hire a contractor who knows them.

You may need to lower your basement floor to make it the minimum required height. Often, this height requirement is around 7 feet. And if you want to create a usable bedroom, find someone skilled in installing egress windows.

Plan Your Lighting Scheme

When remodeling a basement, invest time in considering the lighting. If you don’t have casement windows or any source of natural illumination, the lights become even more critical.

Track lights provide versatility at an affordable cost. Likewise, recessed lights can provide lighting without chewing up a lot of ceiling space or hanging too low. Add a few floor lamps, too, to boost the brightness.

Consider Cost-Effective Updates

Not every basement remodel needs to be extensive or expensive. And if you already have a partially-finished space or an outdated finished space, you can make cheaper updates.

Look into painting old wood paneling, for example. Sand off the glossy coating, prime the fake wood, and cover it in a light gray or fresh white to brighten the space. For another cost-effective update, install new plush carpeting.

Introduce a new marble countertop at the bar or paint dated cabinets. Just be sure to keep your color scheme light if you want to keep your basement from seeming too dark.

Fix Up Your Basement

A basement remodel can add usable square footage to your home and make it more marketable. But make sure your foundation is structurally sound before investing in cosmetic changes. And plan a layout that offers the most bang for your buck!

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