Basement Remodeling Plan

Most homeowners treat their basements as storage areas, where the broken-down furniture and other unusable household items are kept. This is because they find it too troublesome to waterproof the basement, add artificial light, warm it, and use it as a study or family room. However, if you want to add value to your home and enjoy it to the full, you should make some basement remodeling plans, which should include waterproofing, heating and mold control, design, lighting, and finishing.

You will need to waterproof your basement if you notice mold and mildew in the basement, smell moldy odors, see white or damp spots on walls, or rust on appliances and furniture. You can use products, such as HydraLoc or HomeSeal for waterproofing basements. HydraLoc works well with old concrete and is used for water problems, whereas HomeSeal works best with new concrete. You just have to spray HydraLoc on the concrete in your basement using a garden sprayer. A basement becomes damp when the cool walls and floor come in contact with hot air, leading to condensation. To prevent water logging or dampness in basements, you need to provide proper ventilation and insulation. You need to provide air circulation between the roof and the insulation, use fiberglass batting with the paper side facing the heated area, and insulate each corner of the basement. You can also use electric floor heating to reduce moisture in basements, and deep-seal the concrete in basements with RadonSeal, to get rid of molds, mildew, and dust mites. To electrically heat basement flooring, get a thin electric mat laid over the subfloor, cover it with a layer of thinset and then install the floor covering.

Now that you have a warm and dry basement, you can start planning a family room, study, gym, laundry room, or home theater. Use an open floor plan for the basement—this will maximize whatever natural light is available. Use whites or light colors for basement walls and furnishings—this will again make the basement look well-lighted. Use tiles, vinyl, or small rugs instead of wall-to-wall carpeting. You can also try decorative concrete, using epoxy, oil-based, or latex paints, on the floor.

Use indirect lighting, recessed lighting, and mirrors to bring in more light into the basement. If your basement extends above the ground, you can enlarge the windows and replace the windows with glass blocks to bring in natural light and prevent thieves breaking into the basement.

To finish the basement, add a dehumidifier and a secondary heat source, if required. Use CCA treated lumber for the sole plate, attach the top plate to the joists, and fasten the sole plate to the concrete floor with construction adhesive. You can then drive nails into the concrete with a powder actuated nail set. Use area rugs for carpeting, or a low-pile commercial carpet. You can use carpet padding when installing carpeting, but avoid it when using laminates for flooring. Add intercoms and phones so that people in the basement can communicate with the family in other parts of your home.

At Total Remodeling, we can help you to find the correct solutions for all your home remodeling issues.

Call 866.688.3026 or CLICK HERE for a FREE in-home estimate today!