Basement Renovation Ideas For Every Budget
Finishing a basement can be an enormously complex home improvement undertaking, and basement renovation prices can vary widely depending on what features are added to it. High-end features, like wet bars or wine cellars can increase considerably the overall costs.
Focus on items with long-term impact like flooring, paint and light fixtures for best value.
- Create a Living Space
Renovation of your basement offers you an opportunity to transform it into a living space that meets all the needs of your family. Whether it be adding a cozy fireplace, large flatscreen TV and comfy sofa for socialising or creating a multipurpose family room complete with pool table and home theatre system; upgrading will not only increase quality of life now but also the resale value of your property.
An organized laundry room can save time and hassle by installing a deep farmhouse sink, cabinets for supplies and a separate dryer area – or you could create an innovative system like an upstairs laundry chute or dumbwaiter elevator to transport clothing baskets directly.
Add natural light to your basement in order to transform it into a livable space. Consider expanding existing windows or adding more, painting walls in soft colors to lighten up the area, and even using sunpipes or fibre-optic cables that track sunlight and redirect its brightness downward.
- Add a Kitchen
Basement kitchens represent a considerable investment. To operate efficiently, they require extensive electrical power for lighting, outlets and appliances as well as extra plumbing supplies for water distribution and drainage systems.
Based on your layout, it may also be necessary to install an exhaust vent and new gas line. A basement kitchen may also require a backflow valve and special ejector pit which collect waste instead of draining into the sewer system.
For homeowners who like to entertain often, a kitchen is an invaluable addition. Additionally, it can be great if your adult children move back home or you want to rent the space out as an in-law suite or rental. Just ensure the kitchen includes smoke detectors and fire alarms to ensure safety; then decorate with glossy backsplash and neutral wall colors or experiment with texture paint finishes or wall painting techniques that give it an eye-catching finish.
- Add a Bathroom
Installing an additional bathroom in your basement renovation plan can be one of the best strategies to increase its resale value and make life easier for guests visiting your home, as they won’t need to make their way upstairs for showering and washing up or use community bathrooms.
Install a half bathroom featuring just toilet and sink or create an entire suite with tub, shower, vanity, and light-enhancing trim or moldings to illuminate your basement space. Select durable flooring materials which can withstand moisture.
If you’re turning your basement into a guest room, make sure that a coffee station equipped with all of the essentials is included so your guests can make their own coffee on their own timetable in the morning. In addition, set up a laundry room complete with washer and dryer as well as storage areas to organize clothes and linens properly – be sure to include a ventilation fan!
- Add a Bedroom
An ideal location for creating a guest suite is your basement. Create an inviting room complete with bed, comfortable chairs and a small kitchenette featuring sink, fridge and cabinet space – or go the easy route and set up a mini coffee station with all the necessities for making their own caffeine fix!
If your basement remains unfinished, the cost of adding a bedroom will increase as you’ll need to install drywall and doors before painting, while also covering utility wires, water tanks and HVAC ductwork with insulation or drywall.
If you’re remodeling an existing basement, using precut framing will save you time and money. Tools like Omni Calculator can help estimate how much framing will be necessary based on wall length and stud-on-center spacing requirements; then use a drywall gun to attach the panels directly to ceiling joists.