Whether you’re hiring professionals to handle your Rochester, NY, basement remodeling or you’re attempting to do it yourself, there are certain must-dos if the project is going to turn out well. A properly finished basement can add a lot of extra usable space to your home, as well as significantly increasing its value – but there’s also a lot that could go wrong.
With more than 20 years of experience in home renovation contracting, we know a lot about making amazing basements. These are some of the most important things to remember.
Five Things You Need in Any Rochester Basement Remodeling Project
1 – A dry working environment
Basements tend to collect moisture, and that needs to be minimized. You want to get off to a good start by getting rid of any sources of water or leaks before even attempting to remodel your basement. Stopping any current sources of moisture is always the first step.
2 – Vapor barriers
Along with stopping current moisture problems, you also want to do everything possible to keep water out in the future. Vapor barriers are a great way to do this since they supplement your existing waterproofing efforts. These prevent even vaporous water from making its way into your basement.
3 – Offset spaces
In general, it’s a bad idea to have things pushed directly up against the walls of your basement. It’s better to create an inch or two of space between the exterior walls and any new walls or furniture you’re putting in place. These offset spaces also leave room for pipes and wiring that would otherwise be ugly, intrusive, or dangerous.
4 – Drop ceilings
The ceiling of your basement is probably pretty ugly, just the naked underside of your first floor. This also usually contains pipes and wires you’ll want to cover up. Drop ceilings are a perfect solution here, and they come in a wide variety of styles and colors to match the room you’re creating.
5 – Baseboard heaters
Heat rises, so you want your basement heaters to be as low to the ground as possible. This means baseboard heaters. Otherwise, if your heaters are too high up, you’ll just be helping to heat the upper floors.
Of course, attempting to renovate your own basement is a long, difficult, and messy task. You’ll have a much better time if you hire experienced Rochester basement remodeling contractors – like Spartacus Construction! Contact us for a free estimate.