Many contractors place less importance on the basement and concentrate all their efforts into the rest of the home, then they run out of time and money, and try to rush through the completion of the basement renovations. A Last minute completion of a basement can easily be avoided if careful pre-planning and forethought is given to this aspect ensuring that it is completed timorously and within the budget.

To ensure a hassle free job for a basement finish everything should be planned from start to finish. By making use of an efficient contractor, with a good reputation, will almost guarantee that you will get a quality basement finish. Should you decide to undertake the job yourself, then you need to be fully aware of the whole procedure, however most people prefer to engage the services of a qualified contractor to complete the job.

Looking For A Contractor?

You don’t have to go far; the internet and construction magazines will have contractors advertising their services. The internet and magazines also have up to date information on basement finishing ideas for you to choose from.  Before choosing a contractor make a list of potential contractors by asking friends and family for recommendations of qualified contractors, and searching on the internet and in magazines.

Once you have the contractors narrowed down, personally meet with them to find out what sort of work they undertakes. You will soon find out what areas they specialize in, for instance painting or basement renovation.  Don’t forget to get references from their previous customers to verify their work standards. You will often find that the more references a contractor is willing to give, the better the quality of their work is.

Price is not always the most important factor when seeking a contractor, keep these tips in mind as well:

• Look at their previous work – This will show you just how good or bad their work is.

• Do they offer a guarantee on work done? If they do quality work then they won’t have a problem with giving a guarantee on their work.

• Do they complete projects on time? You do not want to hire some that won’t be able to complete your project on time.

• Do they stick to the agreed budget? It’s of no use setting out  a budget if a contractor can’t stick to it.

• Do they have trustworthy employee? As these people will be working in your home, you will want to know that your property are in good hands. You don’t want to end up with items missing from your home or your property being damaged.

Once you have interviewed several contractors make a decision based on your findings.

Contractors are conscious of the economic aspects of a basement finish, request a computer analysis of basement plans from your contractor.  Based on these plans suitable suggestions can be made, and changes accepted and finalized before building operations are carried out. The computer basement finishing plan or sketch can be stored for future use, should further modifications be considered this computer plan/sketch can provide the bases for any decision.

A completed basement should reflect the perfection of the plan in every aspect. A good basement finishing plan will include attention to basement windows, flooring, walls, lighting, furnishing etc. and should be executed and completed to create a perfect basement.

Ideas for Basement Finishing

The art and science of basement finishing is useful to those who have limited space in their homes. Sometimes it seems as if people living fifty years ago must have had  real surplus of living space, the way they used up large amounts of real estate with basement areas that did nothing much for the house above. Getting these spaces to conform to a modern standard of living is no small undertaking, although basement finishing is decidedly worth it in that you will have literally added living space to your house, in some cases it is even possible to more or less double the floor area of the home

There are a few basement finishing golden rules worth following.

•  Create adequate ventilation, even if you have to lay a conduit yourself. Good air makes a comfortable space and also prevents maintenance issues like rotting carpets and mildew.

•  Clean everything super scrupulously once it has been stripped down. Use industrial cleaning materials on the walls, floor and ceiling.

•  Basement finishing is not for sissies, you will need a dust mask, gloves and steel toed boots are a good idea too.

•  Don’t paint to make it look clean, clean it so you can paint it well.

•  There are dozens of options for flooring these days, from decorative laminates to solid wood, tiles in ceramic or cement. Remember you may not have much headroom to play with so choosing thin flooring is probably wise.

•  Bad areas of plaster can often be remedied with careful spackle work.

•  Fitting a cornice can make even a plain ceiling look fabulous.

• New light switch covers and plug point plates always make a place look brand new.

Above all else, remember that you are trying to make a small and neglected space seem homely and welcoming, so work with toned down colors and hues to create space and a feeling of air and space. Wallpaper is an option, but remember that the wall beneath it still has to be brought to a smooth surface before you can apply any wallpaper. When your basement finishing project is well under way and you are feeling confident you might think about the furniture you are going to use to complement your finishes. It is possible to achieve an astounding sense of volume and an outdoorsy feel with some simple lime-washed items. Space is at a premium in many basement finishing projects so anything more complicated than a futon and a settee perhaps an occasional table and basket chair is going to clutter the place up.

Plumbing can be difficult in basement finishing, a pump system is necessary more often than not although some properties are cut away at the back, so drainage flows out that wall and then into the ground. Some basements are simply underground and whatever drains are built will have to defy gravity. A septic tank is one solution, but the pump means no one ever has to come and service the unit. The drawback of the pump is the noise, which some of the more expensive units manage to make a lot quieter.