What to know Before You Finish Your Basement

December 10, 2023 | Basement Finishing

Basements can easily turn into wasted space. They might even become a catch-all area for extra stuff, or if done right, can turn into a place for fun, and gathering with friends and loved ones. Maxx Restoration has been finishing basements for over 20 years. Before you finish your basement, check out our list of 5 suggestions we advise clients on when they are looking at a basement finish. 

Before you finish your basement, it’s important to consider the overall design plan and functionality you hope to achieve.

_{All information provided in this blog is of the sole opinion of Maxx Restoration, any statements, claims, or comparisons should be fact checked by reader, furthermore some information in this blog may be for entertainment purpose and should not be considered factual. Lastly, many photo’s shown are for visual reference and may not be real projects . Should you find any information in this post to be inaccurate or protected please contact Maxx Restoration at 515-802-7583 or CLICK HERE To Send Message and our team will address it immediately}.

Essential Steps to Consider Before You Finish Your Basement

Before you finish your basement, planning the layout effectively is crucial for maximizing your new space.

Before you finish your basement, take the time to evaluate your storage needs to create an organized environment.

Before you finish your basement, consider how you plan to use the space.

Before you finish your basement, consider how you plan to use the space.

Before you finish your basement, ensure that you account for all possible uses of the space to avoid future regrets.

Before you finish your basement, remember that lighting plays an essential role in how the space feels and functions.

# 1 Intent of use

Consider the planned use of your new basement. Are you looking for an entertainment space?  A home studio for work or your favorite hobbies? Perhaps a kid-friendly space where they can play and imagine during Iowa’s bad weather days….   No matter which of these is your planned use, STORAGE should always be incorporated into a design.

Before you finish your basement, create a timeline to manage the project effectively and stay on schedule.

You need to have a good idea of how you intend to use the space, as this will impact the overall layout and flow of your design. For instance, if your primary use is for hosting or a social area,  you will want to design the main socializing area in a spot that gets the best natural light. If you’re thinking home theater, you will likely want an area that has less natural light. 

Before you finish your basement, prioritize safety measures to protect your home and workers during the renovation.

Before you finish your basement, check the current drainage systems to prevent water damage.

#2 Inspection and Testing of The Basement

• We check to see that the area is feasible for finishing many codes call for 7 to 7½ feet of ceiling clearance height, if your ceilings are too low, finishing may not be a good fit so we look at the potential for a room addition.
•  Definitely have the contractor check for rot and insect damage in floor joists, rim and header joists, the sill plate, and wood-framed windows.
• Before beginning a Basement Remodel  we always test for moisture, we use a digital moisture meter, this gives us instant readings, however this can be done without a fancy meter. You can    test by taping 2-foot squares of plastic sheeting to the floor and walls. Wait a couple of weeks. If condensation forms underneath, your foundation has moisture wicking through, If droplets form on top, your basement needs dehumidifying (this is humidity / moisture in the air). Moisture areas are breeding grounds for musty smells and mold growth, so if there is any concern you want to address it in the beginning stages. 
• Does your basement have or need a sump pump?  It’s best to have 2 pumps, a main pump with a battery backup. This is incase of a power outage, the battery backup kicks on in case the first one gives out. We have see first hand the water damage done to a finished basement when the only sump pump stops working.
• Radon…   If you have not had this checked, we always recommend having this tested prior to a basement remodel to see what your current levels may be. The office of Iowa Health & Human Services have some great information if needed. Now, Should there be a levels above the limit, a mitigation system might be necessary to lower these number. This is typically an easy system to install and depending on where you live, but in central Iowa it ranges from 1,250 – 1,850. 
• Your contractor should check your floor joists for sagging, and ensure any current framing is adequate or if needed to be replaced.

Before you finish your basement, gather feedback from family members on their desires for the new space.

# 3 Bedrooms

Your looking to spend a considerable portion on your home, additional space is always great to increase value, but additional bedrooms and bathrooms have always increased home values. Lets discuss bedrooms, ok if your home already has 4-5 bedrooms, then you could possible skip on an additional basement bedroom. However, if your home is a 2 or 3 bedroom home, adding an additional 1 or 2 bedrooms in your basement remodel would help increase your homes value. Now, most local building codes demand egress windows for a basement room to be considered a bedroom. An enclosed closet may also be required. Egress windows must be large enough for a firefighter in full gear to get into a  house and for occupants to safely escape if stairways are blocked by an obstruction. For some basement remodels this might already be available, but some may need to add one. Although this is a labor intensive process, there are many companies that complete this for 3,500-4,500 depending on the area. 

# 4  Bathrooms

Before you finish your basement, verify the plumbing requirements for any additional bathrooms you plan to add.

As I mentioned earlier, a bathroom added to your basement remodel would be a great investment to increase your homes value, not to mention your convenience.  Ok, so I would be remised if I didn’t give you some insight on the possible obstacles of adding a bathroom to your basement remodel. Building a new bathroom below grade presents all kinds of challenges, from low ceilings to a lack of natural light, but  basement bathroom plumbing is usually the biggest obstacle of all. Having a qualified contractor will be your first step in avoiding serious problems

• Plumbing: Getting the correct plumbing over to the areas and correctly tying this into your existing plumbing. When done incorrectly the home plumbing begins slow draining then what’s called a sewer backup happens. This is when your drains push all the sanitary water from sinks, tubs, and toilets into the basement causing thousands in damages. This requires a contractor that understands these types of plumbing challenges. . 
•  Access and layout: Adding a bathroom to your basement remodel  requires a careful evaluation of the size and layout of your basement, as well as a thoughtful approach to designing the space adequately for the features that will be installed. .
•  Ventilation:  Venting a basement bathroom can be a challenging process. First, the fan must be ducted to the exterior. Then the size of the fan must be sufficient to remove odors and moisture, but not too large that they cause too much negative pressure. That’s right, bigger is not always the right choice. If your exhaust fan is too powerful it can extract sewer odors up through the drains, it can backdraft exhaust gases that are venting from furnaces and water heaters. Now, too little and it will not properly vent the moisture. A qualified contractor will have a professional licensed HVAC contractor calculate the size of your exhaust fan. 

Before you finish your basement, prepare a realistic budget to avoid overspending on the project.

Before you finish your basement, evaluate the structural integrity of your home to support the new layout.

#5 Flooring

Before you finish your basement, make sure you have a detailed plan in place to guide the construction process.

Before you finish your basement, choose a design theme that reflects your personal taste and complements the rest of your home.

 A large budget cost of your basement remodel or renovation is the flooring. There are many things to consider when choosing the right flooring material. Basements present distinct challenges as they are most likely slabs of concrete. Concrete can be cold and create an echo making sounds seem louder or carry further. Popular flooring types would be carpet, laminate or LVP, and epoxy.  Most flooring dealer will suggest not using wood flooring as they do not perform well when there is a fluctuation of the moisture. Here is our breakdown of these flooring types. 

• Epoxy: Can be costly, and if not applicated correctly will not last adding to the expensive cost of reinstalling. Additionally the initial odors can be a bit overwhelming, but your contractor should have the SDS sheets so you may review all the safety concerns. 
• Laminate / Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP): These are very popular flooring, many of these are suitable by the manufacturers for installation on basement concrete, they may require an underlayment, but it is acceptable. These products are typically affordable and generally install quickly. These are also very easy for maintenance, most recommend a very damp wipe for most cleaning. A drawback is the sound, if using this you may consider some rug to help soften the floor as well as absorb the sound echo in the space. 
• Carpet : This has been a popular product for years and is still used. Carpet provides a great thermal block between your feet and the cold concrete. Not to mention, it sure is a little softer than other hard surface flooring. Carpet helps to reduce echoes, however carpet does get some negative feedback on its maintenance. Dirt and spills are not quite so easily cleaned up. You will likely want to have it professionally cleaned once or twice a year. 

Value Consideration

Before you finish your basement, consider how flooring choices impact the overall ambiance and practicality of your space.

Before you finish your basement, consider how insulation can affect temperature control and energy efficiency.

Before you finish your basement, review local regulations to ensure compliance with building codes.

A topic many don’t consider is the over all cost of a said remodel. Sometimes the home and its location will not support the value of the additional finished space. Sometimes reaching out to a professional real-estate company to determine if this is the right investment. 

I really hope you enjoyed the information here, should you have questions or would like a free consultation for remodeling your basement, Maxx Restoration is a state licensed construction company and we love to here your ideas and possibly bring them to life. . 

Before you finish your basement, don’t forget to plan for soundproofing if you intend to use it as a media room.

Before you finish your basement, assess whether your home can handle the additional load from the renovations.

Before you finish your basement, consider consulting a real estate expert for insight into property value changes.