Finishing a basement is one of the most popular home improvement projects in the country today. Whenever there is a shortage of existing space, and adding a new room is not a feasible action, a basement renovation can give you all the extra space you need at a lower budget. Say for instance, you run a business or work from home, and especially need a home office to organize your work space. With just a few alterations, you can finish your basement to use as a home office. Finished basements can be used as home theaters, family rooms, game rooms for the kids, home gyms, entertainment centers or hobby rooms. If you are a wine aficionado, you can use it as a wine cellar to store your wines, and even turn it into a wine tasting den, and have friends over.
The first element of finishing your basement is taking care of waterproofing. A damp basement will not only ruin your furniture and furnishings, and produce that awful smell, but it can also decrease the value of your home by up to 25%. A completely dry basement is entirely possible by installing proper insulation that prevents condensation and moisture problems. After water proofing is done, look at ways to brighten your basement. Dull gray and brown colored paints are absolute no- nos. Look at light pastel shades like cream, ivory or yellow to bring in the light, and create an illusion of spaciousness. Open up existing windows to increase the brightness, and ensure good circulation of air. If you plan to use your basement for more than one purpose, like as a family room and an extra bedroom, demarcate these areas to establish boundaries, and to ensure proper flow in your basement. If you intend to continue using the basement as a storage area, designate a special storage closet or storage room to hold all your junk.
Before you begin on your basement remodeling project, plant out your floor space to visualize what your finished basement will look like. Changing minds mid way through the project will result in loss of money and time. Also, consider the age of the people who will use the basement most often. For instance, if you are finishing your basement to use as an extra bedroom for your parents when they come to town, you will need a fully outfitted bathroom with a bath tub. If your local building quotes call for an emergency exit for all bedrooms, you will have to provide for this too. Once you have a floor plan for your finished basement, it's easy to design the new space to reflect your tastes.
I would like to convert a 2 car garage into a living room. This would include removing the garage door and adding a window and siding. Also, we would like to add a shower to the existing 1/2 bathroom. (we would need to extend the bathroom into the garage area by 4 feet to make room for the stand up shower)
Kipp M
I am looking to convert my bathtub to a shower
Diane D