family room | Sweeten

Planning a Basement Renovation? Here’s Where To Start

Serena Solomon — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:41:50 +0000

Your dream basement renovation is possible. Here are the technical codes to tick off with your contractor.

(Above) Tracy and Gordon’s basement renovation added living space to their small footprint

There are many benefits to upgrading a dark, damp basement to an inviting living space. Basement renovations can add significant square footage—and resale value—to a home. And it can be a blank slate; something to reimagine for any of your family’s needs, including entertaining, working from home, or relaxing.

In addition to your wish list, you’ll need to consider several technical and building code details, such as minimum ceiling heights, emergency egress regulations, insulation, and moisture control. These will influence your basement renovation’s timeline and cost.

We offer an overview of what would be involved. A vetted general contractor with basement remodeling experience would provide a more in-depth discussion of what is possible in your space.

Typical costs for a basement renovation

Sweeten general contractors have worked on basement remodels starting at $20,000. This price point would update an already finished space and include painting, flooring, a new closet, and lighting. For a raw space that is being renovated to a finished living area, the average cost is $75,000. With this budget, you’ll likely be able to include a bathroom, a kitchen, and HVAC.

The existing condition of the space will always impact the budget. The floor may need to be dug deeper to increase ceiling height. The walls may require underpinning. New wiring and plumbing may need to be installed—guaranteed if you’re planning a whole new kitchen or bathroom. Insulation and waterproofing may be needed to control condensation.

Happily, according to our contractors, there are no deal-breakers when it comes to basement renovations. Any problem—bad plumbing, lack of natural light, high humidity, a low ceiling—can all be sorted to create your dream basement. Ultimately, it will all depend on how much you are willing to spend. “It’s a balancing act to how much you want to put into the house before you exceed what value it brings,” said Alan, a Sweeten contractor. “You also have to decide if cost value is important to you or is it more important to have a home you want to live in.”

Square footage determines a basement renovation budget

The amount of finished space you add to your basement will be a major factor in the renovation cost, as well as in the value it adds to your home. Sweeten general contractor Kyle says that his smallest basement renovation added just 400 square feet of living space, to be used as a kids’ play area. More typical basement renovations are around 1,000 square feet, he said. And don’t forget: If the basement houses equipment, like a furnace or boiler, a mechanical room could take away a few hundred square feet from the livable space.

Ceiling height requirements for basement renovations

Although building regulations vary from town to town, our contractors say the minimum height requirement for ceilings will be between six and seven feet. You may choose to add more height than this, for comfort and aesthetics. About 50% of basement jobs require the floor to be dug lower to allow for additional ceiling height. This process involves cracking open the existing concrete floor, removing the excess dirt, and re-laying the concrete.

Creating a second form of egress

Do you envision creating a living space for your basement, rather than a laundry and storage area? If so, it’s likely that you’ll need a second exit, also called an egress. “To be comfortable and have no problems with building inspectors, you will need that second form of egress, such as a window or a door with steps leading outside to ground level,” said Kyle, a Sweeten contractor. That usually means digging down to make an open passageway on one side of the building so there is a way to get in and out.

Basement renovations that add plumbing

Often, homeowners will add a half or a full bath to their new basement space. The plumbing for this usually goes under the concrete flooring. This will help avoid flooding if any of the pipes burst. Since your basement living space will probably be below sewer lines, you’ll need a pump to get waste out, said Kyle. Of course, adding a bathroom will also add to the budget, but for many, the convenience is worth it, he said.

Waterproofing and insulation protection

Basements account for the majority of your home’s indoor moisture, according to Alan. On top of the general humidity in your basement, flooding may be a periodic problem.

The answer to moisture problems is often insulation and waterproofing. There are intelligent products that can help. If a conversion involves a bedroom, it is especially important to control moisture, to prevent toxic from forming. In-wall products like CertainTeed’s MemBrain is an accessory to regular insulation that allows the buildup of moisture to escape while preventing moisture from entering in the first place. Its 2-step installation process will add a few extra days to a basement renovation timeline.

Even with intelligent products, insulation requires multiple products and systems to stay on top of heat, cold, and humidity, according to Ted Winslow, a representative from CertainTeed. This could mean using spray foam to fill in cracks and seal windows and doors, along with other insulation products.

Improving basement ventilation

To prevent toxic mold, the humidity of living spaces should be kept below 60 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Achieving this often requires ventilation, in addition to waterproofing and insulation. Relying on natural airflow from windows is possible, but its subject to the weather and seasons. Extending your home’s existing HVAC system will also help ventilate the basement area. However, many basements will require the direct removal of humidity. Kareem suggests installing exhaust fans into the wall or window. These push damp air out while circulating the remaining air around the entire house. This system can either turn on when the lights are switched on, or be equipped with sensors that switch the fans on once humidity gets above a certain level. A dehumidifier is another option, but be prepared to pump that wastewater up to the sewer lines.

—

If you have the extra square footage of a basement, why not add a laundry room down there?

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

A Basement Remodel Turns into a Happy Family Room

Carol Wang — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:05:36 +0000

A New Jersey basement transforms into a spot for music, lounging, and laundry

In 2015, Cristiana and her husband fell in love with a beautiful old house in New Jersey’s Bergen County. Original details from 1918 had been preserved, and the space was just right for the family of four. While the above-grade spaces were solid and charming, the basement needed some serious TLC. It featured outdated finishes from the 1970s, low ceilings (a big problem for Cristiana’s tall husband!), and a damp, musty feel.

Cristiana knew that the valuable square footage could be turned into a family room, with space left over for wine and pantry storage as well as an updated laundry room. They posted their project and turned to Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and found this contractor to convert an uninviting cave into a comfortable spot for the whole family.

Guest post by Bergen County, New Jersey, homeowner Cristiana

Two years ago, we were moving from a 750-square-foot apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey, which felt like it was bursting at the seams. When we purchased our early Craftsman Colonial home, we knew there would be lots of work to do. But it felt solid, had the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms and great, livable space. Plus, the original unpainted chestnut moldings and leaded glass built-ins throughout the new house made any renovations that we needed to do seem bearable.

Before we were able to move in, we needed to completely rewire the entire house because it still had knob-and-tube wiring. This meant demolishing the ’70s-style finished basement. We weren’t that upset about losing the brown paneling, damp rug, and linoleum-tiled laundry room, and we were saving a lot of money by allowing the electrician free access to the walls and ceiling of the basement. The space had to be refurbished before it could be used for anything besides storage.

After a couple of months of rewiring, patching, and painting, we temporarily relocated the toy storage and our TV to the enclosed front porch and began working with an architect to rethink the space. We came to Sweeten to find a contractor to execute our architect’s vision.

Our plans included moving the laundry room to free up the main living area for toys, creating a craft area, and carving out a wine room. An old phone booth left behind by the previous owners was relocated. We hoped to move as many pipes in the labyrinth hanging from the ceiling to provide more headroom for my 6’ 4” husband and our two future six-footers—our sons, currently ages six and eight. New windows were installed and additional waterproofing was added throughout the space.

When we got started working with our Sweeten contractor, we tried to determine where waterproofing was necessary and figured out what pipes could be moved and what had to stay. We ran PEX pipes for water in the walls and were able to run all electricity through the ceiling. We had to leave our steam pipes for our original but completely functional heating system because it was cost-prohibitive to move them.

Our contractor also created easy access points for a (hopefully not so distant) kitchen renovation. In the end, the ceiling in the basement was raised from under six-and-a-half feet to over eight feet tall—a huge improvement and a crucial part of the renovation.

Once the not-so-glamorous phases of waterproofing, plumbing, and electric were completed, we began to see the new rooms take shape. We were surprised by the space that needed to be left between the block walls and the drywall for fireproofing but decided to incorporate built-ins for board games as well as arts-and-crafts supplies. Our contractor also built a custom shelving unit under our TV to help prevent kids from walking into the corner of the TV when it was pulled out from the wall. The area under the stairs turned into a fort for the boys.

For the walls, we chose a warm gray paired with a soft white trim. The floors are COREtec, which looks like walnut but is actually an engineered plank that’s perfect for below-grade spaces. This was one of our contractor’s best recommendations—a floating floor that is easily replaced if it gets wet, feels great underfoot, and looks amazing. We love it, and have gotten a ton of compliments on it!

We installed IKEA kitchen cabinets and laminate countertops in our laundry room, which were big cost-savers and resulted in a sleek and lovely place to do laundry. A wall-mounted drying rack is one of my favorite features. My kids and husband have turned the storage room into a music room, but as long as they don’t mind playing next to our second freezer and extra Cheerios, it works for me!

That’s about it for the first phase of our basement renovation. Of course, there are still items on the to-do list. We are planning to turn the wooden phone booth at the bottom of the stairs into a fun space for the boys—it has working electricity, so we are hoping to wire it with wifi or as a charging station. We will also either paint it red (Londonesque) or blue (Doctor Who!), and add a plaque on the top with our last name. Next to the phone booth is a door that leads to our unfinished wine room, another project for the future.

For now, though, we love spending time in our new basement—and getting dedicated storage for the toys, drums, and storage off the main floor! It’s become a great family room for us to hang out in, and for the boys to play with their friends. Working with our Sweeten contractor was an amazing experience. He was cooperative, made great suggestions, and brought the project in on budget.

Thank you, Cristiana, for showing us the fabulous transformation of an often-overlooked space! Love this “bonus space” renovation? Check out a guide to remodeling another one: the attic.

BASEMENT RESOURCES: Blackstone Oak COREtec flooring: COREtec. Laundry room cabinets and countertops: IKEA. Dolphin Fin wall paint: Behr. White Dove trim/ceiling paint: Benjamin Moore.

Watch video:

—

Here’s what you need to know when turning your basement into a living space.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Basement Remodel Turns into a Happy Family Room appeared first on Sweeten.