Basement Remodeling
Basement Remodeling is a great way to expand your home at the lowest cost. This is an area you
have probably planned on finishing for along time. The first thing to think about is the basement design. Most
houses are built with the basement walls designed to support the upper floors. This means they did not take into
account someone finishing the basement. That would require more thought than most new home builders are capable of.
It also costs more money to put extra beams in to make the basement have larger areas. So the first thing we do
when it comes to Basement Remodeling is to start with a good basement design. We talk with the client to see what
their needs are. If a basement bath is planned we may want to move the plumbing in the floor. Most builders have
the plumber decide where to put the basement bath and it is rarely in a good spot. Moving this plumbing usually is
not that difficult. We want to know if you are considering a basement bar, this plumbing also has to be worked out
in the design.
Basement Remodeling can also include a bedroom in the design. You have to take into account emergency egress
when placing a bedroom in the basement. The bedroom has to have a window or door to the outside to
provide escape during an emergency. I have seen many basements that homeowners have finished off and they have
tucked a bedroom away in the back corner with no way of escape. You wouldn’t want someone you love to be stuck back
there in a fire and unable to get out.
Basement Remodeling can also be a way to provide an in-law suite for your mom and dad. Many people today are
bringing their elderly parents home to stay with them as they have grown older. A nice private in-law suite with
handicap doors and bathroom can be a great way to keep an eye on them and be close if they need you. Yet this
provides you and them with the privacy you both want.
Basement Remodeling is a good time to make sure the basement waterproofing is in good shape.
Sometimes in older basements we have to add an interior drain system with a sump pump. Before finishing the
basement you want to be sure it is going to stay dry. Repairing waterproofing after the basement is finished can be
very messy.
Basement remodeling cost can vary depending on the use of the space. Obviously if you have a
kitchen and bath it will cost more than just a big rec room. It has been my experience through the years that a
basement remodeling project usually runs about 15 – 20% of the value of the house. For example a $400,000.00 home
would usually have a basement build-out of about $60,000.00-$80,000.00. A smaller home of about $200,000.00 might
run $35,000-$50,000.00.
With Basement Remodeling the basement flooring is another thing that affects cost. They don’t
recommend hardwood floors in basements because of the higher moisture levels, it tends to warp the boards. They
have some nice synthetic floors that look like real wood. Tile is a great choice and it comes in many different
styles and colors. If you don’t like the cold feel of tile you can always add a heated mat under it.
Basement Remodeling is a great way to add space as the family grows, a nice home theater, an exercise room or even
an arts and crafts room can easily be designed into a basement remodeling project. If you live in the metro Woodstock
area then Detail Design & Remodeling should be your first call!
We provide basement remodeling in Woodstock, Dunwoody, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta and Vinings, GA.
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