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When renovating their home, most homeowners tend to exclude their basements. People often assume that renovations are made to spruce up and improve a space, giving it a better look or changing the layout completely to change its function; since basements are not often in need of this, they’re usually left out of renovation plans. However, though it might seem unnecessary, a basement renovation can certainly be worth your time and resources.
Your basement is a significant part of the foundation of your home, and it may be prone to mold, mildew, and moisture, which can damage the structure of your house. To help prevent that, you should include your basement in your home renovation.
This article has all you need to know about basement remodeling. You can get tips on how to ensure a successful basement renovation, how to choose the best renovation service provider, and much more.
How To Successfully Renovate Your Basement
If you’ve just bought a used house or if you’ve had your house for many years, the chances are, the basement might not be in optimum condition. If that’s the case, you may want to renovate it so that it fits your needs.
Here are effective tips you can follow for a successful basement renovation.
- Define Your Objective
Before you begin the renovation, you have to define your objective. Determine the purpose of the basement renovation. For instance, are you looking to turn it into a playing space for your children? Or do you plan to set up your home office there? Answering such questions can help you decide on the materials to use in the renovation. If you come up with your objective too late in the renovation process, it may be difficult and expensive to make changes that will suit your needs.
- Get The Necessary Permits
As with any other home project, a basement renovation will require you to seek various permits from the relevant authorities. For instance, if you’re looking to do wiring in your basement, it’d be a good idea to seek an electrical permit. Also, if your renovation involves some plumbing, be sure to get a plumbing permit from your local or municipal government.
Having legal permits means you’re complying with the renovation rules and regulations of your locality, and it prevents you from getting penalties and delays in your renovation project.
- Determine The Design
Your choice of design will play a significant role in the renovation. It will determine how much space should be made, and it can determine the success or failure of your project. That being said, you should come up with a design that best suits your needs. This is important because coming up with the wrong design could force you to spend more money to fix it in the future.
Although designing your basement can be overwhelming, you can overcome this by working with professional designers. These are experienced people who have gone through the proper training for the task. Therefore, depending on your basement needs, they can advise you on the best design to go with.
- Be Careful When Choosing Materials
A successful basement renovation involves the right materials, so you should be sure to choose wisely in preparing for the flooring and walls. Not only should these be able to meet your needs, but they should also be durable enough to last a long time. To avoid having to spend on replacing materials or making repairs, you should do research beforehand on the best materials for your basement, as well as the high-quality brands.
- Stop The Water
As mentioned earlier, the penetration of moisture is one of the major challenges that can affect your basement. When there’s moisture in your basement, it could encourage the growth of bacteria and mold, which could lead to damage that may affect the whole house.
In addition, it could also be hazardous to the health of your family, as it often causes headaches and respiratory illnesses, among other things. You could then incur costs in terms of medical bills and other related expenses. To prevent this, you should implement measures to stop water from penetrating your basement. One of the best ways to do this is by using waterproof materials in your renovation.
- Make Energy Efficiency A Priority
Whether or not this is one of your reasons for renovating, this would be a good chance to make your basement more energy efficient. This can be achieved with the use of insulators and energy-efficient materials. If your basement is well-insulated, you can reduce the use of your HVAC system and save on your electricity bill.
- Get The Required Tools
Basement renovation is a major home project that requires the use of specific equipment, some of which include hammers, framing nails, and saws. To ensure that the renovation is done right, be sure to have the proper tools. And, to avoid any delays in the project, try to acquire these ahead of time.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to get the necessary tools. You could get them from a local hardware store, or if they’re hard to find, you could look for a service that might be renting them out. Whatever the case, just ensure that the tools you use are in good condition and can allow you to finish the renovation without much hassle.
How To Choose A Basement Renovation Company
A basement renovation may be too big of a project to handle on your own, so it would be a good idea to work with a renovation company. This can prove to have more benefits than if you tried to do it by yourself, as these professionals have the expertise and the experience to ensure a job well done.
However, not all renovation firms are capable of giving you the same service and quality of work. That’s why you should give careful consideration when assessing your options.
That said, here are some factors you should consider as you look for the best company for your basement renovation.
- License
Any reputable renovation company should be registered before they start their operations. To ensure that the company you’re considering is registered, ask for proof of their operational license before making a deal with them.
Licensed renovation companies often employ experienced individuals with the best skills for the job, so working with one could ensure that you will get high-quality work. In addition, these experts should be familiar with all the rules and regulations that need to be followed, and they can advise you on the required renovation permits and licenses for your project. Not only will you be able to avoid breaking rules you may not have been aware of, but you get to ensure that everything involved in the renovation is done by the book.
- Insurance
Most major home renovations are risky because they involve dangerous tools and sometimes chemicals. Since accidents can happen at any time and thus risk injuring workers, reliable renovation companies always make sure that they’re employees are insured. Though it may be a given for some, you should still take the precaution of asking the company about it.
Working with a renovation company that has insured workers will prevent you from facing possible personal injury lawsuits in the event that a worker gets injured while working on your renovation project.
- Experience
In most cases, the experience of the workers will determine the outcome or quality of the work. That’s why you should consider the experience of the renovation company and how long it has been in operation or how many projects it has worked on.
You should opt to work with a renovation company that has a good number of well-done projects under its belt. A firm that has many years of experience in the field can also guarantee you better results than one that was recently launched. So, if you’re choosing among a number of options, make sure you end up working with an experienced company that has a history of good projects.
- Location
When you’re working with a renovation company, they will have to inspect and work on your basement regularly. That’s why you need to consider the location of the company. For your convenience and theirs, it would be best to work with a company from the same area or locality. A nearby firm could more readily respond to your needs as they arise.
- Cost
You should also consider the pricing scheme that the renovation company offers and what services these costs cover. If you’re working within a budget, you need to make sure you can afford their services before making a deal with them.
On the other hand, even if your budget isn’t the problem, you need to see if they’re charging you fairly. Remember that the price isn’t always a good indication of the quality of their work. So, before agreeing to anything, you should see if the cost matches the quality of their previous projects. As much as possible, you may want to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money.
Benefits Of A Basement Renovation
Though a basement renovation may seem like a big undertaking, it’s a project that comes with more pros than cons. When renovations are over, expect to see the following benefits:
- Increased Home Value
One of the major benefits of a basement renovation is the immediate effect it will have on the value of your house. Not only will the basement be restructured, but it could have a new and modern look to it, which can increase your home’s value.
This may not be something that’s important to you now, but if you decide to sell it in the future, it will be a big help. You may be able to sell your house at a higher price and get your desired return on investment after your basement renovation.
In addition, since the basement is the part of the house that’s often neglected, being able to present one that’s in good shape will help you entice buyers and allow you to sell your house more quickly.
- More Income
If you’re a property manager or landlord, renovating the basement of the house you manage can possibly increase your revenue. Since a renovated basement can up the value of a house, you can justify renting the house out at a slightly higher rate.
On the other hand, if you’re a homeowner looking for more ways to generate income, the basement renovation could allow you to turn it into a comfortable living space that you could rent out.
- Additional Space
During the basement renovation, you could have it designed so that the space is wider, with less unwanted structures. With this extra space, you could turn the basement into something more than a storage area. For example, you could turn it into a home office or a study room for your children. If you already have those, perhaps you could use it as a guest room or an entertainment space.
If you’ve got a growing family, a renovated basement may be a cheaper option than moving to a bigger home. Depending on the size of your basement, you could opt to have one or two extra rooms constructed during the renovation.
- Increased Energy Efficiency
As mentioned earlier, there are some homeowners that consider renovating their basement to make it a more energy-efficient space and thus save on their energy bills. By installing insulators and dry walls to help keep warm air inside, you can ensure that your house is kept warm during the colder seasons. This way, you won’t have to use your heating system as often, and you can effectively reduce your energy bills.
Takeaway
The basement may not be your priority when you think of renovating your home, but it deserves just as much attention as the other sections of the house. Given that it’s part of the foundation of your home, it should be maintained and improved on when the chance arises.
In making preparations for the renovation, you should make sure that you’ve made the necessary considerations and acquired the right tools and materials. A renovation company may be able to take care of the heavy lifting, but you should do your part to ensure that everything goes well. If you follow the advice given above, you can easily accomplish a successful basement renovation.