Finishing a basement offers many advantages and lets you make the most of your space. The value of your home gets increased by finishing your basement. It may be where family-friendly memories are built and give extra helpful space. It was once a time when cellars were where you could store things needed to stay away from the view. Nowadays, more homeowners are choosing to make investments in their basements.
How tough is it to finish a full basement? It is one of the most often asked questions by homeowners. A finished basement can provide advantages in energy efficiency and provide one of the highest ROIs for home improvements.
Understanding how to finish the basement requires extensive planning and research. A well-planned plan could help in the success of your venture. A properly thought-out basement finishing strategy can support the work to proceed with minor interruptions. Suppose you don’t plan ahead of time. In that case, you may spend extra money to fix difficulties that went unnoticed or correct errors caused by a lack of experience.
DIY Basements Finished
Many homeowners think of basements that they can do themselves, especially when limited funds. While doing most tasks yourself is feasible and could help you save cost, some aspects of the job require professional help, specifically electrical and plumbing. A basement finished by a DIYer is just as attractive as one professionally finished.
Remember that you don’t have been wait until the basement has to get completed to begin remodeling it. Due to a lack of cash or other causes, repairing your basement could take months, if not years. It shouldn’t be a reason to discourage you. There are plenty of partially completed basement concepts you can use when designing your project.
Planning Your Basement Layout
It is essential to determine what you’d like to use in the basement area after it gets completed. To do this, you should consider your family’s lifestyle and practices. If, for instance, you have small children, it might be beneficial to think about the basement as an area for play or a family room. A game room is an ideal basement space for fun with family members, particularly in the case of slightly older children. It’s also possible to turn your basement into a multi-use area with everything for every person. The possibilities are endless.
A few popular ideas for finishing basements are:
- Apartment in the basement
- Bedroom
- Sauna
- Home theater
- Home gym
- Game room
- Playroom
- Home office
- Bar
Reducing it to a single vote cannot be accessible with the many options available. Be thinking long-term, and consider ways your basement could get used over the decades.
The layout of your basement is crucial in helping you decide how to utilize your basement best. The cellar needs to be practical and as easy as you can. Therefore, where you intend to put furniture and fixtures is very crucial. You should also consider the location of natural light and windows to help you decide on the arrangement. Suppose you want to utilize your basement as an entertainment space. In that case, you should place your television away from the windows to create a dark room and reduce glare.
Ideas for Finished Basement
Floors
Choose flooring suitable for your basement and how you’ll utilize it.
- Carpet – Many people are fond of carpeting because it helps battle the chill commonly found in basements. Carpet can make the room feel warm, but it may trap moisture when there is flooding.
- Vinyl – There are many options for vinyl flooring to fit almost every style preference. It is a favorite choice because it’s waterproof and simple to set up. If it does fold, cleaning is easy and quick.
- Tiles – An excellent alternative since tiles are simple to clean and maintain. They provide a beautiful polished look.
Soundproofing
Think about soundproofing your basement to stop sound from leaking through the ceiling in the basement and affecting other areas of the home. It is a perfect option if you intend to use your basement as an entertainment or gaming room.
Lighting
Consider installing additional lighting such as spotlighting and incorporating ornamental lighting options such as cabinets and lights for lamps. A brightly lit basement is appealing, especially considering that basements are known for being dark and dim. It can do creatively, and the lighting could emphasize certain elements or parts of the cellar you want to make a standout. It would be beneficial if you also considered how to use natural light.
Make a Mini Kitchen
It isn’t necessary to put an entire kitchen in your basement. However, it’s an excellent idea to make an area to keep food items. A good example is you could have a mini-fridge to store drinks or a microwave to cook food items and a cupboard for storing snacks.
Make Your Basement Cozy
One way to accomplish this is to consider features that can give the space warmth. Fireplaces are an excellent option for this. It is not just an essential focal point in the basement. Still, also it may include direct vent gas units that can give your basement a warm and cozy. Another thing to think about as a low-cost basement finishing idea includes using vibrant decor to give your basement some character, such as an area rug.
Are You Planning to Add a Bathroom?
Find ways to make your bathroom practical and visually pleasing simultaneously. Choose light-reflecting finishes that bring out features in the bathroom. You can also experiment with textures to bring an element of fun to the bathroom. Bathrooms in basements are known for backups, so beware of this. A professional plumber can assist you in installing a backflow valve to ensure that there aren’t any back-ups with your tubs or sinks. To stop any excess humidity in your bathroom’s basement, take steps to reduce humidity in your bathroom. It could include adding a humidistat in the exhaust vent inside the toilet. The humidistat will automatically turn on when the air is too humid.
Finishing a basement can be enormous work, but it’s equally satisfying. Turn your basement into an area you enjoy by looking through various basement design ideas and selecting your favorite. Check Ottawa Home Pros for some more fantastic basement designs! For any basement renovation project, call us at (613) 288-9145 or email us at info@ottawahomepros.com.
