Basement Remodeling
Saint Helens Oregon
Time To Remodel?
If your Saint Helens home is starting to feel cramped now might be the right time to think about finishing your basement. Often times homeowners can’t recognize their basement for anything more than a storage room. A few imaginative basement ideas should help you tap into all that extra square footage and add a eye-catching addition to your home. Even so, you must understand why basement remodeling is not always a simple project.
Although there are certainly many ways to transform your basement into one of the more inviting rooms in your home, you need to first ensure the space is actually livable. There is a world of difference between your basement and other upper level rooms in your home, and they come with their own unique challenges. Therefore, it is important that you understand these potential issues if you are going to be sensible about the changes you want to make.
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.
How will you use it?
Once you have determined that it is feasible to finish your basement, the next step is to decide how you are going to use the extra room. Converting a basement into a home theater room has become a very popular idea in recent years.. Obviously that is an option, but there are many different potential uses for your basement, including a home gym, mother-in-law suite, home office, or even an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to generate extra cash.
The possibilities may seem almost limitless, and you can even blend two or more ideas if you have the space. When choosing what to do with your basement, try to remember that your design ideas will need to conform with local building codes. For instance, if you choose to convert the space into a bedroom, you will need multiple means of egress, so you would need windows that are large enough to fit through in case of a house fire.
What about my storage space?
Generally, an unfinished basement becomes the storage area for all the stuff you acquire over the years. Needless to say if you convert your basement into functional space you suddenly have to find a new spot to store your stuff. Taking this into consideration you will probably still need to allocate some of the square footage to storage. 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?
Considering 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. Constantly wet carpet is aggravating, but the mold it can potentially bring with it can resulted in health problems for your family as well as costly remediation bills to remove it. If there are moisture issues in your basement then you should research waterproofing before you consider your flooring choices. That said, dry basements actually do exist. If you happen to be fortunate enough to have a dry basement then carpet is a perfectly sensible option.
We all know that moisture is always an problem with basements and this can influence your choice of flooring. Fortunately there are sub-floors that are specifically designed for basements. A sub-floor works by forming a barrier to block any moisture the concrete slab below 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. Colored or stained concrete is yet another alternative that guarantees you never have to worry about mold, and you can use this in conjunction with in-floor radiant heat for a design and style that is both attractive and comfortable.
Saint Helens Basement Finishing
It is worth mentioning again, when it comes to basement remodeling the building code is the most important aspect. Making sure your basement is up to code has to trump all other considerations. As a result, it is always worthwhile to work with experts who understand all the unique challenges that come with finishing a basement. Steve’s Home Improvement is a team of remodeling contractors that specialize in basement renovation and services most of Columbia County, Oregon.
For all of your basement finishing needs in Saint Helens Call (503) 342-8234 today for a free estimate.
CCB# 185266