06
Dec

Finishing Your Basement: Great Ideas and Unique Basement Issues

What makes finishing a basement so exciting is that your basement doesn’t have to follow the plan of the rest of the house – it can be something completely different and unique. Your basement can fill a niche that can’t be done easily upstairs, where all the rooms are already busy fulfilling their functions of kitchen, dining room, living room, and bedroom. 

When finishing the basement, your options are practically unlimited. What do you want to do with your space? Here are some frequent uses of a finished basement: 

  • Family game room
  • Adult getaway with bar and big television
  • Workshop or studio
  • “Man cave” or “ladies’ retreat” 
  • Business office / student study space
  • Entertainment center / home theater
  • Additional bedroom for growing kids
  • Separate apartment or in-law suite
  • Home gym
  • State-of-the-art wine cellar
  • Children’s playroom
  • Combination of several of the above, customized for your family’s needs 

 

Basement considerations

Whatever you choose to do with your basement, there are several features that should be carefully thought out. Most basements have limited natural lighting. Depending on the layout of your house, you may be able to add more windows, either regular windows if at least one side of the basement is above ground, or thin horizontal windows near the ceiling. In either case, there will likely be dark pockets in the basement, so lighting must be carefully planned to make every corner of the basement equally well lighted and livable. 

Dress up the stairs going down to the basement to create the sense of a change in mood and atmosphere, and be sure to use the space under the steps. Attractive built-in units can really dress up the space while providing an additional storage area. 

Moisture in the basement must be very carefully evaluated and professionally corrected to avoid the possibility of mold growing behind walls or in the drop ceiling that covers the beams, wiring, and pipes that may crisscross your basement ceiling. At M&K Renovations, we have a network of experts who can determine the level of moisture in your basement, its source, and how to control it to maintain a dry and safe environment.

Use creative flooring and wall designs to create a fun or dramatic impact. Flooring can be wood, tiles, or carpet. Instead of traditional drywall, consider doing some walls in stone or paneling. If you create several separate rooms in your basement, clever doorways such as pocket doors or sliding barn doors can add pizzazz while saving space. Our designers can discuss with you what options exist to achieve your desired effect. 

Heating the basement can be an issue since most home heating systems are not designed to heat the basement. Space heaters are a common solution but consider also radiant heat panels, which can stand alone or can be installed and hardwired by an electrician. 

Whatever your plans for your basement, we can help you make your dream come true, from design to construction to the last finishing touch. Having a general contractor handle all the moving parts of your renovation project means you only need to know one phone number for quick customer service – ours. Contact us today at (610) 353-2895 to get started.