What You Should Know About Remodeling Your Basement

Basement remodeling can transform a dingy, damp space into a cozy environment for your family to share. Basements were once used for storage purpose only. Now basements can be transformed into play rooms, extra bedrooms, media rooms centers, game halls, or home offices.

Speaking purely of finances, basements cost less per square foot than the upper levels of your house to finish. You can literally double the square footage of your house for much less when finishing a basement. Home equity loans or mortgages can be used to finance your basement remodeling project. Using either financing method, remodeling your basement is a smart investment in your home that will keep appreciating in value. When my husband and I decided we needed more space in our 1400 square foot ranch, we did the math and decided it would be a lot simpler, and cheaper to finish a basement, than to add on an addition. Now we have a 2800 square foot house with two additional bedrooms, a bathroom, and a recreational room in the basement. Now it is quite a house!

Moisture is a major issue in many basements. Not only do some basements tend to flood, but mildew and damp smells can make basements quite unpleasant. Insulating and sealing the floors and walls can help prevent much of the mildew smell. Also, dehumidifiers should be used to cut down on the humidity. The flooding may be an issue basement remodeling cannot fix. Sometimes, the best solution for a basement that floods is to leave the particular area that floods unfinished. Sub pumps can and should be used as well. If you start bringing furniture and electronics into the basement, it is better to be safe than sorry.