Just because your basement is on the bottom level of your home doesn’t mean it has to be at the bottom of your home-remodeling priority list. In reality, the opposite is true—remodeling a dingy or rarely used basement is a chance to create more space for your family or add some features to your home.
The expenses can quickly pile up regardless of whether the basement is finished or upgrading your current home. It is essential to understand how to budget and spend your money wisely.
We have developed ten ideas to help you save expenses and ensure you get the most value from your Ottawa basement remodeling.
Begin with an Idea
When planning a renovation project, it is vital to have a precise plan before starting any work. Basement renovations can involve various things, such as the addition of rooms, plumbing, waterproofing, soundproofing, digging into the foundation to achieve an acceptable ceiling height, etc. Understanding the exact steps required to bring your dream to fruition and the cost is essential. It will let you possibly combine your original plan to ensure you’re operating within a sensible budget. It’s crucial, to be honest at the beginning regarding what you would like to achieve and how much you’re willing to pay.
Plan a contingency budget for unanticipated expenses, as you always should. Basements aren’t any different. They can take the shape of water damage, humidity issues, or mold cleanup. You may not be able to notice pests hiding on the floor or the walls, but you must deal with them.
Consider your Long-term Goals
Do you plan to stay in your house for the rest of your life? Do you plan to sell your house shortly? These questions will influence the way you plan to sell your home. If you’re planning to build a basement that meets the particular requirements that your loved ones have, it is essential to make the space that is ideal to meet your needs.
If you intend to sell your house within the next few years or in the distant future, you should consider market trends. Remodeling to sell is an entirely different strategy than remodeling yours forever home. Take a look at the houses in your neighborhood to see what buyers might expect from the basement. While having an entertainment space with a full wet bar may be appealing to you, the houses in your neighborhood may have an additional bedroom or living space in their basements. It’s important to provide buyers with the information they’re looking for to compete with similar homes.
Take Care to Treat Any Indications of Moisture.
Basement humidity could be a significant cause of issues for your home and your home overall. Before beginning any task, ensure there aren’t any signs of excessive humidity within your basement. It could be condensation, mold, water infiltration, or others. If you do not take care of these issues before beginning work, it most likely leads to the need to fix or redo a portion of the work in the future. If you don’t address the build-up of water in the concrete slab before installing flooring in the future, you could damage the flooring, which may have to be pulled down and replaced.
Consider an open area rather than closed-off rooms.
If you’re planning to build an entertainment room, recreation room or make the basement more functional for resale, leaving the area free of clutter is an excellent way to cut costs. The construction of walls requires support structures, drywall, plumbing, and electrical works. With open-concept designs that are still at the forefront of the trend in home design, it is possible to build a multi-purpose room without incurring the additional expense of splitting rooms.
Another method you can save cash is to skip the drywalling of walls or ceilings. It saves on the expense in drywall construction but also leaving the roof exposed allows easy access to the essential vents of the HVAC unit. It will give your home an industrial look, and it’s easy to paint to make it look like a purposeful design choice rather than something “unfinished.”
The essentials are worth investing in
There are many methods to reduce the cost of remodeling your basement. Some aspects are worth the money. If you’ve encountered issues in the form of humidity, it’s likely due to an outdated or unreliable system. To prevent these issues from happening again, investing more money into these things is essential. Suppose you’ve faced problems regarding losses in energy and water infiltration due to low-quality windows. In that case, Investing in higher-quality, energy-efficient windows will save you money in the long run. Although you might not see the benefit of investing in expensive windows or even a sump pump instead of projection screens, however, it’s an excellent decision to invest in a long-term investment that will yield savings.
Be Aware of When You Need an Expert.
Making the DIY approach seems like the most efficient method to save money, but that’s not the scenario. As we’ve said, there are numerous aspects to think about when embarking on a basement remodel, and you should be aware of what you decide to do on your own. Delaying the assistance of an interior designer might be a great option to save money; however, attempting to get your hands in the field of electrical work isn’t recommended.
Renovating or repairing an electrical, plumbing, or drywall probably costs you more than you expected to save. A general basement builder is an excellent choice since they can handle all aspects of your project and complete it quickly. Supplying them with the items you’ve bought yourself could be a perfect way to cut the cost. However, for the installation process and to make sure your basement is up to code and safe, relying on contractors’ experience is the best choice to make use of your money.
Forgo Over-customizing
Even if you do not plan to sell your home, a highly custom basement can cost you more. Prefabricated cabinets, as well as TV units and shelves, are an easy method of saving cash. If you’re working on finishing your basement, you’ll be able to install prefab furniture without needing to think about customized ones.
Your contractor might be able to offer you extra savings on supplies with their suppliers, particularly if they have seasonal products or stock that is not in use. Tell them what you’re looking for and the amount you’re willing to spend.
Don’t make structural changes.
If you’re planning to renovate your completed basement, you should consider not altering the layout. Moving electrical, plumbing, or walls requires more work that will add more cost. There is a chance that you’ll need additional permits and an inspection to make sure the modifications you’re doing comply with the code according to the rules of your municipality.
Using high-end finishes isn’t necessary.
The best method to keep your budget in check is to stay clear of expensive finishes. Many alternatives are available in lighting fixtures, furniture tiles, etc., making it easy to find items that look stunning and won’t cost a fortune. Check out sales and the end-of-season clearances if you’re looking to find great bargains on some high-end products but remain within budget.
Since you’ve planned your basement to serve a specific function, you should pick items that help. An oversized sectional in white leather might be attractive and is available; however, if you have children and pets, It’s likely to require replacement earlier than something less expensive but specifically designed to handle the demands of families!
Consider an Income suite.
While it isn’t an expense-conscious project, it will yield dividends in the end. With the vacancy rate dropping and less, converting your basement into an apartment is an excellent opportunity to earn some extra cash. It can also attract prospective buyers should you decide to sell your home. Make sure you research building codes and permits for your region before investing in this type of option because it could be quite a task. If you do it right, it could be a fantastic investment that pays off within a matter of a few years.
Let Ottawa Home Pros help you with your next basement renovation project at an affordable cost. Call us today at (613) 288-9145 or email us at info@ottawahomepros.com for a quick response.
