The idea of converting your unfinished basement into space you can use daily is a great one, but somehow time gets away and it continues to remain at it was. There are some great ways to get your basement finished if you are still contemplating the idea. While you are brainstorming how you want it to look keep your budget in the front of your mind as well. You don't want to run out of money for the project before it has been completed. In most cases refinishing your basement will cost you much less if you decide to do the work on your own. The actual materials will only cost about a 1/3 of the price of having a contractor do the work for you. Some people add a kitchen or bathroom to their basement but in most cases they aren't practical and they will definitely raise the cost involved.
Not only do you need to consider your budget but you have to take other things into consideration including your plumbing, water proofing, electrical wiring issues, and cabinet space. You also have to decide who is going to do the work so that you can budget accordingly. Of course a contractor is more expensive but then they will take care of all the details for you. If you decide to hire a contractor then make sure you check their references as well as previous work that they have completed. You may also want to look into the credit rating of a particular contractor.
If there is a certain layout design you want implemented in your basement then make sure you share that information with the contractor you hire. This will assist them with taking care of heating, cooling, and electrical issues. It many cases the current set up can be left how it is but in some instances it will have to be redone. Make sure any plans for your basement include an easy way to get out in the case of an emergency.
Once the moisture problems have been settled, it is time to look at the next step of basement finishing: the plumbing. If you are planning to put in a bathroom or a sink in the basement, the pipes to drain water have to be put in place. For this, you may have to drill the walls and the flooring. Once the plumbing is in place, you can patch the floor and the walls. Make sure the patch is smooth and in the same plane as existing floor.
After plumbing is out of the way, the walls need to be put in place for basement finishing. You can put wood slabs on the masonry wall to give you a smooth finish. The heating and cooling systems must be installed after this. You will need to figure out if the existing heating and cooling systems will be adequate for the basement as well or do additional furnaces need to be put in. Covering of electrical wiring will also need to be worked on. Telephone outlets will need to be installed as well.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Many Options for Finishing a Basement
- Five Tips in Minimizing the Cost of Finishing a Basement
- Finishing your Basement in a Cost Effective Manner
- How to Finish a Basement in a Cost Efficient and Effective Way
- How to Finish a Basement by Hiring the Right Professionals
- How to Finish a Basement with Safety in Mind
- Easiest Way to Finish a Basement?
- 6 Steps to Finish Your Basement - Fix Your Concrete Flooring First




End of Tenancy Cleaning
By: Jo Harris | 04/07/2009End of Tenancy Cleaning Tips and Suggestions
Domestic Cleaning
By: Jo Harris | 04/07/2009Domestic Cleaning - Sparkle your house with easy tips
Basement Conversion
By: Jo Harris | 04/07/2009Basement Conversion - an option to increase living space
Central Gas Heating
By: Jo Harris | 04/07/2009Central gas heating - warm a cold climate condition
How do you change a beaded pool liner for an above ground swimming pool?
By: David Phelps | 03/07/2009Installing a beaded liner for an above ground swimming pool is very easy. There are a few simple guidelines that will help steer you away from trouble spots.
Questions To Ask Before Buying Double Glazing
By: James Sytinuyikia | 03/07/2009Buying double glazing can be a nerve wracking experience, but there are some questions to ask yourself – and the salesman – before committing to buying new windows.
Select your Garden Porch Lights Cleverly
By: Jonathan Sloan | 03/07/2009Do you know that your garden porch lights reflect a lot of your style and taste? Yes it is very true. A lot of designs of garden porch lights are the ones that add remarkable panache to your garden without even spending much of money in it. If you have a garden in the entrance of the home you can take the advantage of sensor porch lights as this will help you detect presence of the person.
High Quality Garage -- Adding value to your home
By: Lee Laz | 03/07/2009A high quality garage adds glamour to the house. If you have a high quality garage attached to your house it will make the people attracted towards your house. The designs of the garages are the reasons for the garages being used by the people so extensively.
Embroidery Machine Designs For The Modern Individual
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Art & EntertainmentTired of looking for that perfect embroidery machine design? Do you feel like all the embroidery machine designs you have looked at have something missing? Then you haven't seen the Janome Memory Craft 9500 just yet. This tool is probably the most technologically advanced machine in the market today that offers...
Are You In The Market For A Bad Credit Personal Loan?
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | FinanceThere are two kinds of personal loans: secured, and unsecured. If you have bad credit and are looking for a personal loan, you will soon learn that almost all the bad credit personal loans available are secured. What this means is that unless you have some assets to pledge as...
Finding And Using A Refinancing Loan
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | FinanceIf you're like most people, one of the biggest reasons you want to refinance is to save money with a Loan interest rate lower than the one on your existing mortgage. You are either looking for lower monthly payments or a shorter term loan. But you may also want a...
Foreclosure Assistance: Learning To Spot The Scams
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Real EstateThere is no doubt that more and more people have been forced into financial difficulties by the collapse of the US housing market, and are now being faced with home foreclosure. And with the rising number of requests for foreclosure assistance, there has been an accompanying increase in the...
Understanding Home Refinancing
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | FinanceWhile home refinance is the current buzz term, there are millions of homeowners in the dark about its true meaning. If you are wondering whether or not home refinance would be a good idea in your situation, you should first examine the reasons why people usually do it. You can use...
Should You Refinance Your Home Debts To Turn Your Financial Life Around
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | FinanceGetting into debt can put you on a slippery financial slope, and once you are in free fall, you may be facing a nearly impossible task in trying to work your way back to solvency. If you are a homeowner struggling to meet the minimum payments due on your bills...
The Importance Of Knowing How To Stop Foreclosure
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Real EstateThe collapse of the real estate housing market in the US has extended even to homes purchased under the HUD program, and thousands of HUD homeowners are now facing foreclosure. But if you are among them, you should not give up just yet. If you know how to stop foreclosure...
Always Comparison Shop For Your Mortgage Interest Rates
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | FinanceEvery smart shopper knows that the best way to save money is to do comparison shopping. And shopping for a mortgage is no different. Do not decide to purchase a home without having spent an adequate amount of time on shopping for your mortgage, by getting quotes from several different...