Old Colony Cabinet Company, Inc.
Curt Lawson Properties, LLC
Basement Remodeling
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 step towards a beautifully finished basement is waterproofing. Moisture problems in your basement can quickly lead to icky mold and mildew growing on the walls, peeling paint, musty odors, and cracked and crumbling walls. Even if your basement looks perfectly dry, it is advisable to take care of water proofing before basement finishing to avoid damage from flooding or leaks later.
The flooring too may have to be reinforced by laying a sub floor over the concrete basement floor. This provides a base for your other floor coverings. Use light colored paints on your walls to create an illusion of brightness. For finished basement that will have multiple uses, don't clutter the entire area with furniture and equipment. Instead, section off the basement into separate areas by using partitions, or putting up walls.
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.
Recent Requests
I have a bathtub/shower combo with some cabinets directly abover it making for a very enclosed space that I would like to completely redo. I envision having the cabintes above the shower/tub gutted and then a new shower/tub with nice large tile and new faucet/shower fixtures and a couple of recessed lights placed in above the bathing space. Thank you kindly for your time. I am open to any ideas.
Aaron M
I am thinking of buying a home in Oakland with a two-car garage and am thinking of converting the garage into an in-law unit with a kitchen and bathroom. It would also need to be connected to the house, which is 2-3 feet away. Can you give me an idea of how much this would cost and whether or not it can be done legally? Please get back to me ASAP.
Drew S