Basement Remodeling
Fairview Oregon
Ready To Remodel?
If you are fortunate enough to have an unfinished dry basement in Fairview, you have hit the jackpot when it comes to additional living space. Sometimes homeowners can’t recognize their basement for anything more than a storage room. A few creative basement ideas should help you tap into all that extra square footage and add a beautiful addition to your home. Having said that, the challenging nature of basement remodeling is why so many basement remain “unfinished”.
Although there are certainly numerous ways to turn the basement into one of the more welcoming rooms in your home, you need to first ensure the space is livable. There is a world of difference between your basement and other upper level rooms in your home, and they each present a unique set of challenges. Having a clear understanding of what all the project involves will allow you to establish much more reasonable expectations.
There are a number of things you need to consider: whether the basement has excess moisture; whether it has provisions for heating and cooling; whether it has ducts and pipes below the ceiling joists that may need relocation; whether it is radon-free, and whether you have sufficient ceiling height.
What will be the purpose of the new space?
Once you have finished your assessment and decided that your basement can be renovated, then you must decide the best use of the space. There are many things you can do with your basement, including turning it into a family room, children’s playroom, additional bedroom, game room, home office, music or art studio, home gym or anything else that may tickle your fancy, as long as it’s practical.
The possibilities may seem almost infinite, and you can even incorporate two or more ideas if you have the space. Unfortunately there are some limits to what you are allowed to use your basement for, so you should make certain that your ideas will comply with the local building codes. For instance, if you choose to turn the space into a bedroom, you will need several means of egress, so you would need windows that are big enough to crawl through in case of a fire.
What about all the junk that’s down there?
Generally, an unfinished basement becomes the storage area for all the stuff you acquire over the years. Needless to say if you turn your basement into functional space you soon realize you need to find a place for all that stuff. Taking this into consideration you will probably still need to allocate some of the square footage to storage. The good news is that during the remolding process you can design better ways to organize your storage area so that it takes up less space. For instance, you could build shelving or small closets under the stairwell, have shelves along the walls enclosed behind small doors, or use stock cabinetry as storage chests and bench seats.
What flooring options are available?
Flooring choices for the basement are rather limited because the room is below ground level. Carpet is obviously a standard for upper level rooms, but in a basement environment it can be a magnet for mold and mildew. This may occur if you have a water problem, in addition to the hassle of a constantly damp or wet carpet. If there is any kind of moisture issues in your basement then you should research waterproofing before you consider your flooring choices. However, this does not mean that carpets are not suitable choices for all basements. If you basement doesn’t have moisture issues, there’s no reason at all why you shouldn’t use carpet if you want.
Fortunately, even with a basement floor that is sure to get wet, there are smart flooring alternatives to choose from. You could go with a sub-floor specifically made for basements. A sub-floor works by forming a barrier to block any moisture the concrete slab beneath it might produce. Believe it or not, all-in-one options do exist. They consist of plastic sub-floor tiles fused to a finished floor surface. Finishing the concrete floor is also an option, and you can even include color or stain options. The benefit of concrete is that there’s no need to worry about mold, but with concrete it is worth looking into adding in-floor heat element to protect against possible moisture build up and assist with climate control.
Fairview Basement Finishing
There are many more considerations you need to make for your basement remodeling, including your ceiling options, window and lighting options as well as all the building codes. This is where a general contractor who understands the many unique situations that go along with finishing a basement can make the process much more enjoyable. Steve’s Home Improvement has a team of remodeling experts that are specialists in basement remodeling and service all of Multnomah County, Oregon.
For all of your basement finishing needs in Fairview Call (503) 342-8234 today for a free consultation.
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