So You've Decided to Remodel Your Basement!
By Patrick Condon
When you decide to remodel your basement space, there are so many factors
to consider it can seem overwhelming. What does your family want to achieve
within the new basement? Are you looking for a play area, a family
room, a work-out room, home theatre, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, wet bar, etc?
Do you have the square footage required to accomplish what you want? How do
you get started and how long will it take? How much will it cost and is it worth
the money? What if there is a huge beam in the center of your basement? Do you
have to have a building permit? Do you have to remove the items you currently
have stored in your basement before remodeling your basement?
If these questions make your head swim, try this approach: look for the right
General Contractor to navigate you through these waters.
People often know they want their basement finished, but don't know how to
put it all together, whether they have the necessary space, or even how to get
started. General Contractors are able to assess your needs and, after
accurate measurements are taken, will design various blueprints to fit your
requests. From these drawings you can choose the ideas that best suit your requirements
and come up with a final blueprint. With this final blueprint in hand, your
General Contractor will be able to determine what the cost of the basement finish
will be, and provide a start-to-finish timeline on when the project will draw
to a close.
Remodel Your Basement
When determining whether remodeling your basement is going to be a worthwhile
investment you should consider several variables. Are there comparable homes
in your area with finished basements? How long do you intend to live
there? Will the homes there increase in value, and if so, how fast? With a little
bit of research you will be able to answer these questions, and decide if finishing
your basement is right for you.
Sometimes a basement has restrictions that need to be considered during the
remodel your basement. Such limitations can include steel columns or I-beams,
HVAC trunks, underground plumbing, water meters, sump pumps, window wells, furnaces,
water heaters, the height of your ceiling, and the existing floor conditions.
Your General Contractor should be focused on making these restrictions
disappear into the architectural design of your basement while accomplishing
your goal for the space.
Safety is an important factor to consider when construction of any kind takes
place. Ensure all necessary building permits, applications for variances, and
building code inspections are complete. All building and fire safety codes should
be strictly followed, without exception.
In order for construction to begin all items in the basement must be moved
to another location such as the garage or a temporary storage facility. This
allows construction to be completed without damage to your valuables or disturbance
to the construction team.
After thoughtful consideration of these questions, you'll be closer to determining
remodel your basement needs and how to fulfill them. Gathering all the information
upfront will help you achieve those goals.
About The Author
Patrick Condon is the President and founder of Finished Basement Company Inc.
Headquartered in Denver, CO, Finished Basement Company is a design/build firm
specializing in basement finish. While designing/building over 2000 basements,
Mr. Condon has handled every conceivable aspect of basement finish. He can be
reached at his web site: http://www.finishedbasement.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
New York, NY
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