Refurbishing a basement is one of the easiest and budget-saving remodel projects. A fully refurbished basement will make the best use of your home space without requiring you to add any extra square footage to your house. This extra space can be used as a gym, work, or an entertainment lounge. Knowing the reason for remodeling your basement will help in time and budget planning.
Before you set out on any remodeling project, ensure safety is a top priority. This protects you and the professionals remodeling your basement from any injuries. Before you tear down the old basement walls or replace any surface, check for moisture and mold. You can protect yourself from injuries by wearing long pants, safety goggles, gloves, helmets, construction boots, and respiratory masks in areas where you are dealing with specks of dust.
Here are a few steps to guide you when remodeling your basement.
Design a plan
Actualize your thoughts and ideas by designing and laying out everything in a plan. Having a plan for your basement will ensure that all ideas are well outlined and assist you in staying within the limits of the budget.
The plan will determine everything from flooring, color, wall measurements, and electrical and water systems. You can take basement measurements, draw a sketch, and hire an architectural company to design your basement plan. You can draft a professional basement floor plan that follows local building codes and acquire the correct building permits for your project.
Set a budget
Have an idea of how much your project will cost before starting it. This will include the cost of materials like dry walls and frames, flooring, lighting, paintings, and insulations. Also accounts for labor and skilled workforce. A well-drafted budget will help you choose the suitable materials and finishing features.
Eliminate Mold and Moisture
Identify mold and moisture within the basement walls and fix their source, which could be foundation leaks, cracks, or flooding from outdoor landscaping. Basements are usually underground or partially underground, making moisture find its way inside.
You can waterproof your basement to ensure it is dry and prevent it from any dangers of flooding such as future mold and rot. Flooding will ruin the basement appearance, encourage pest invasion, respiratory problems, electric shock possibilities and concrete degradation. You can always get professional basement cleanup services to handle the basement and check for any extra damage that may exist within the basement before you proceed with remodeling.
The basement cleanup services will also provide solutions on how you can be able to fix moisture and keep mold issues at bay for good.
Clear out and prep the space
For years, most basements have been used as stores to keep items that are no longer being used or items left by past tenants. You must order a construction debris bin from your local sanitation department to dispose of these items. Additionally, you can clear these things out through selling. All items need to be carried out to ensure everyone’s safety when renovating the basement. This will prevent stumbling.
To change the basement layout, tear down the walls, remove any old-fashioned styles and designs, and update them with the current trends.
Insulate and Hang drywall
Insulating the walls within your basement ensures that in winter, the basement stays warm and cool in summer. Insulation will Increase the comfort level of your basement and help you save on energy costs. The most common insulators are spray foam, fiberglass, and spray board.
Hanging drywalls with the correct dimensions gives your basement a good shape. You can either horizontally or vertically hang the drywalls. Horizontal hanging reduces the number of seams used. Cut openings for doors, windows, vales, and other outlets.
Painting and Installing floorings
Waterproof primers are good paintings to keep the walls clean and dry. If the basement is a room for the kids, washable paint is recommended because it is easy to remove grime, grit, and crayon markers. The flooring you install should be easy to replace individually in case of leaking or flooding, resulting in mold and rot. Painting your walls gives them a better look.
Add the Final Details
After you are done working on the structure, ensuring that the basement doesn’t look boring is essential. You can brighten up your basement by hanging paintings on the walls, adding cabinets and shelving, installing light fixtures and blinds, or anything. Depending on the basement’s functionality, you can add home theater equipment or a gym. There are so many basement decorating ideas that you can add to your basement for that appealing final touch.
Conclusion
Once done with remodeling your basement, ensure you pass all inspections for safety and usefulness. The permits you acquired at the beginning of the remodeling process will guide you on what to look into to ensure you pass the test.
Ensure your basement is well-ventilated and the walls have enough openings for all the required outlets and the electrical system and plumbing are done by professionals to ensure no leakages occur. Some remodeling tasks, like painting, might require the average homeowner, while others require advanced experience, plumbing, and electrical skills.