Basement Renovation Tips

“Scary! It looks like a dungeon!” scream your teen’s friend during a party in your house. Then you realize that you need basement renovation. More households have discovered that remodeling a basement can add value and comfort to their home as well. Why not transform your basement into the most popular room in your house? For sure, basement renovation ideas will give you excitement in adding a cool living space. But before you entertain the idea of remodeling your basement; be acquainted with few things that you have to consider to ensure your basement is liveable and safe. It is also important to lay-out a detailed plan, create a budget and figure out how your basement will look like when it’s done. Here are insightful ideas to help with your basement renovation.

How can I deal with moisture in my basement?

Since most of the basement is typically underground, too much moisture may get under your home’s foundation. This can be caused by lack of rain gutters, improper ground grading around the base of your house, and faulty basement plumbing. The following can help you control minor moisture problem:

a.       Apply a water sealer on your concrete floor and walls to prevent moisture from seeping into the basement.

b.      Underneath the basement floor, lay a moisture barrier.

c.       Conduct an inspection of your walls for cracks and fill them.

d.      Choose waterproof and mildew resistant paints designed for the use in basements.

What if I need adequate lighting in basement? 

Naturally, basement lacks lighting since its situated underground. In order to bring remedy, you should consider multiple sources of lighting around the basement. Install fluorescent and recessed lightings to brighten up the room for these can do wonders specially when spread around the basement area. You can also use softer and warmer wall paints to create an illusion of a much brighter and warmer space. If you have budget for natural light, you can also build window wells at the ground level to allow natural light into the basement. 

How to go about basement ceiling? 

Since basements are not originally designed as living spaces, the typical basement may have exposed ducts and pipes. You have two options in dealing with this problem. First, you can install suspended tile ceiling since you occasionally need to access to the ducts and pipes hanging from your basement ceiling. Aside from easy access, this type of ceiling is cost-effective. Second, you can have a drywall ceiling. Compared to suspended ceiling, this type does not lower ceiling and is usually preferred for aesthetics. The issue with drywall ceiling is that you’ll have poor access to important mechanical ducts and pipes in the ceiling. 

How will my basement look like? 

The way your basement look like must be part of your plan. A wide variety of interior designs are available. You can have a traditional family basement which is divided into two zones- the family lounge and a crafts and sewing area. In this type, a photo gallery of botanical prints can create amazing scenery in the lounge area. On the other hand, you can also blend masculine textures with feminine touches creating the basement fitting for the whole family. 

Nowadays, more families are renovating their basement to create a space that everyone can enjoy and within the budget. It’s time to expand and be more artistic in your basement renovation!