Construction Resources and Support

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Spending money on finishing a basement can not only provide a homeowner with more floor space, it can improve the resale value of the house. Finishing the basement will probably cost less than adding another large room to the home. In the past, many homeowners dealt with their basements as if they were simply storage rooms. Today, many homeowners are taking a different approach. Instead of using their basements for storage, some are turning them into state-of-the-art kitchens or guest suites for out-of-town visitors.

Using the basement as part of the living quarters makes sense for several reasons. For one, basements are cooler during the summer months and warmer during the winter months than the parts of your house that are above ground. Basements even dampen sound. Moreover, finishing the basement will certainly be less disruptive to the home and the family than building upon upper level floors.

A full basement finishing project normally involves the following steps: design and planning; framing; mechanical (ductwork, electrical, plumbing and data/TV cable); insulation; drywall/plaster/paneling; flooring; and finish work.

The best way to develop a plan is to view a lot of basements, especially if living near new construction-which enables an individual to study basements while they're in progress. This way, one can determine one's preferences. The library can provide a method for additional research. Also, one should decide on a weatherproofing and insulation plan early on; there are various regulations governing basement-finishing, remodeling and renovating.

Numerous permits are required, depending on the complexity of the project. They include a building permit for constructing architectural and structural elements, an electrical permit for all electrical installations, a gas permit for installations of complete gas piping systems, a mechanical permit for adding or extending ductwork, and a plumbing permit for installations of complete plumbing systems.