Basement Remodeling
Gresham Oregon
Time To Remodel?
If your Gresham home is starting to burst at the seems now might be the right time to think about finishing your basement. For so many homeowners a basement is just an large junk room. A few creative basement ideas should help you take advantage of all that extra square footage and add a gorgeous addition to your home. With that being said, you have to realize that basement remodeling is much more complex than other rooms.
Before you start creating a basement dream board on Pinterest you should assess your basement to see if a remodeling project is realistic. There is a huge difference between the other rooms in your home and your basement, and they come with their own unique challenges. Having a clear understanding of what all the project entails will allow you to establish much more reasonable expectations.
There are a number of things you need to consider: whether the basement has a moisture issue; 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 determined that your basement can be remodeled, then you must determine how to best use the space. There are several things you can use your basement for, 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.
The possibilities may seem almost infinite, and you can even combine two or more ideas if you have enough room. Unfortunately there are various limits to what you can use your basement for, so you need to make certain that your ideas will be in compliance with the local building codes. Converting your basement into an extra bedroom is a rather common thing, but to do so involves making sure there at least one more means of egress besides the basement stairs. Adding basement windows that are big enough to fit through will allow you to adhere to the code.
Do I have to have a Yard Sale?
Everybody knows that for one reason or another basements tend to eventually wind up being junk rooms. Needless to say if you convert your basement into usable space you suddenly have to find a new spot to store your stuff. You may need to still commit some of your new basement space for storage purposes rather than using it all up as finished space. However, you can also find more creative ways to create storage areas in your house. 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 about basement flooring options?
Due to the fact basements are below ground level the types of flooring choices that available are rather limited. Carpet is obviously a standard for upper level rooms, but in a basement environment it can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew. This may occur if you have a water problem, in addition to the hassle of a constantly wet or damp carpet. If this is the situation, you should look for basement waterproofing options to fix the problem. Having said that, this does not mean that carpets are not suitable options for all basements. If you basement doesn’t have moisture issues, there’s no reason at all why you shouldn’t get carpet.
Everybody knows that moisture is frequently an problem with basements and this can influence your flooring choices. Thankfully there are sub-floors that are specifically designed for basements. A sub-floor works by creating 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. Stained or colored concrete is yet another alternative that ensures you never have to worry about mold, and you can use this in conjunction with in-floor heating elements for a design that is both comfortable and attractive.
Gresham Basement Finishing
It is well worth mentioning again, when it comes to basement remodeling the three most important things are code, code, and code. Making sure your basement is up to code has to trump all other considerations. This is where a general contractor who recognizes the many unique situations that go along with finishing a basement can make your project much more enjoyable. Our expert team of remodeling professionals know all the ins and outs of basement remodeling as well as the building code unique to Multnomah County, Oregon.
Call (503) 342-8234 today for all your basement finishing needs for your Gresham home.
CCB# 185266