Tips for Planning an Epic Basement Renovation

Planning a basement renovation? Regardless of whether you want the ultimate space for playing poker, a diva den, or a playroom for the kiddos, it’s a big project that takes careful planning. Today, we’re sharing tips for planning the epic basement renovation of your dreams. Read on.

Basement Renovation Tips

1 – First, confirm that your basement is waterproof

Before you can make any significant headway on your basement renovation project, you must first establish if you have a waterproof space. If it’s not, you’re setting yourself up for heartache and money lost.

Look for any signs of moisture such as spots where drips have run down the blocks or where water is pooling currently or has pooled in the past. See if there is any sign of cracking in the foundation walls. Make all necessary repairs, and only then you may commence!

2 --- Know your local codes

Does your local government require you to pull permits to renovate a basement? Most will mandate this if you are planning any electrical work or plumbing. So, if you are planning to add a bathroom, additional outlets, or a separate breaker box to support your gaming equipment, this is an early step.

Why? Because your municipality will likely want to see your building plans before you can begin work. And, they will want to perform inspections during the process.

3 -- Consider the purpose of the space

Are you really going to need the entire basement for a diva den of your own? Or, are you going to have a utility room and share some of the square footage with your children? This knowledge becomes essential when it is time to start putting up walls to divide the space up into rooms.

Also, keep in mind that you should keep the space flexible. So, if you need a media room right now, think about how that could become an excellent place for the kids to host sleepovers when they get a little older. If your kids are older, be sure you can transform that space again later when they leave the nest.

4 – Set the building plan in motion

Now that you are confident that you have a dry basement, you understand the code, and you know how you’ll utilize the space, it’s time to invest the money in professional planning. Even if you’re only planning to fix up the area a little bit at a time, it’s a great idea to have blueprints.

Think of those blueprints as a map. This map has a key that shows the builder where to run electrical, heating, and plumbing. Remember that you would not leave for a road trip without knowing how to arrive at your destination. So, you should not plan a basement renovation without any solid idea of what the finished outcome will look like.

5 – Hire a qualified contractor

There are many wonderful contractors here in the Washington DC metro area with experience in transforming basements from utility areas into show stopping living spaces. Don’t skimp and hire a contractor who lacks the expertise do this large job correctly, the first time!

Your contractor should also be knowledgeable about how to deal with the permitting process, city inspections, and how to overcome roadblocks that come up along the way—because every basement renovation project hits a snag at some point.

You have one chance to get this space just right. Hiring a qualified contractor ensures that your dream basement becomes your new reality.

Enjoy the basement renovation process

Finally, remember to enjoy the basement renovation process. It’s an investment of time and money, and the money spent can be significant. So, while you should take the process seriously as you divvy up the funds, you should also slow down and enjoy the transformation that is unfolding before your eyes.

At the end of the process, you’ll have the room that you had envisioned, found extra space that your family wants, and a project that will add a little something special much later down the road when it’s time to sell your home.