A Renovated Basemant: FREE Living Space!

Often, a basement can be thought of as "found" living space in your residence. If an unfinished basement or cellar can be renovated to become living space, you have for all intents and purposes expanded the square footage of your residence without moving. A renovated basement offers you with added comfort and convenience and will increase the market value of your residence.

Even if your basement is already finished, remodeling again may still be in order. A previously unused basement media may be transformed into that home gym you need, or a seldom used recreation room for the kids may turn into the spare bedroom room you've always wanted. It's a good possibility that if your basement has already been renovated either by the previous occupant, or by you a long time ago, much of the work and expense can be removed from the new project.

It is important to be satisfied that your basement will remain dry before you begin your basement renovation. Start your project by thoroughly reviewing the foundation walls, paying close attention to the corners and the area where the walls meet the floor. Hire a contractor to repair any cracks in the cement or block walls you may see, and it is absolutely a sound investment to have the walls waterproofed prior to starting your project.

It doen't matter what sort of space you might be planning for your renovated basement, you must cover the cement or block walls. To cover the cement or block walls, it is best to employ a contractor who will stud out the walls and install the drywall. Freshly painted sheetrock will immediately give your raw basement space a warmer and more lived in appearance.

You may consider having your contractor install an insulated floor above the concrete slab; enabling you to keep the remodeling basement warmer and dryer. If the cement basement floor is dry, it can be overlaid with linoleum or ceramic tiles, or it may be carpeted. A well-installed and attractive floor gives a remodeled basement the appearance of being an integral part of the house, not just an afterthought.

Using the correct lighting is of utmost importance to a successful basement renovation. Basements are inherently dim, because they have little or no natural lighting. What we want to accomplish with basement lighting is to permit the homeowner to forget that he is in a space with no windows, or at best, equipped with inadequate windows.

If the basement is partially below ground level, try to install as many windows as possible to maximize natural light. If the basement is totally below ground, the contractor should use as much lighting as possible to avoid having the normally low-ceilinged basement look like a cave. Indirect lighting is the most effective way to light a basement, since it gives the room a more spacious ambience, and imparts the impression of taller ceilings.

Since your basement is for all intents and purposes a gift of space, let your decorating whims roam free. If your pocketbook permits it, you can change a cool, damp storage space into a sexy wine cellar, a comfortable home entertainment room, a cozy den, a home office - just about anything - and increase the value of your house in the process.