Basement remodeling is just plain fun. For most people, the basement of the house is merely a place used for storage. The washer and dryer might be down there, but otherwise it’s a place that doesn’t really get used all that much. And in some cases, the basement represents a lot of square footage – that’s a lot of space just going to waste. But after a basement remodeling, that space will be put to good use.
Basement remodeling is a broad term that can include a variety of possibilities. However, before you embark on any work in your basement, you will need to have it checked for stability and dampness. If you want an extra bedroom in the basement it has to have proper egress, which means a way out in case of fire or other emergency. You will also have to take into consideration the plumbing lines to see if you would need a sewer ejector pump.
A lot of families have a basement that is just one big room with drab cement walls and poor lighting. That’s all going to change now. Here are some possibilities that you might consider for your basement remodeling:
Family room
This is probably the most common project for a basement. Depending on the space available, you could have a pool table down there, or a ping pong table (or both). The whole room can be finished with drywall, painted, carpeted, and perhaps even a tray ceiling to hide the floor joists from view. When that is complete, you will find that the family room is the favorite room in the house.
Home gym
Why continue to pay a monthly membership to a gym when you can work out at home? For most people, the biggest issue is where to put the exercise equipment. The garage doesn’t have enough space (or you might not have a garage) and you don’t want a treadmill sitting in your living room on a permanent basis. With a basement remodeling, you have your workout site just a few steps away! You can mount a television on the wall for entertainment, and install a water cooler to stay hydrated. And the nice thing about basements is that they are naturally cool – perfect for exercise.
Home office
Sometimes a spare bedroom is used as an office, but that doesn’t always offer adequate space. And maybe all of your bedrooms are already being used. Some people convert their basement to not only a home office, but they run their whole company from there. Everything you need to work can be there – phones, fax, internet, etc. And since the space will be used for business, it may be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor for details).
Home theater
This is quickly becoming a very popular type of basement remodeling project. With the cost of large-screen televisions continuing to come down, home theaters are becoming very affordable. The basement provides a perfect location. Just put the big screen at one end of the room, and a couch or some comfortable chairs facing it, and a snack bar at the back with a microwave for popcorn and a fridge for cold drinks. And no home theater would be complete without surround sound speakers! You’ll want to have movie night every night.
