When you buy a house, you see a lot of empty space down there, starting out practically into something beautiful. But very much choice, and cost! Did you do the entire dungeon, or only part of it? Do you build walls? How about the room with your friends you've always dreamed of? Or the guest bedroom for Aunt Agnes' who doesn't stop visiting. Afraid or not, here are some suggestions and ideas that can help you turn hidden treasures into gold.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Before You Begin
Step 1. Control the problem of mold and humidity in the room
Before you can start building your basement, you'll need to make sure it doesn't have uncontrolled mold and moisture problems. Try to stop all the mold in the basement and make sure that you can stop the leaking water. If you can't, then you should probably consider that it's not wise to continue.
Step 2. Determine the budget for the renovation
Once you know that it is possible to build your basement, you will need to create a budget to find out how much money you really have to work on it. Do not forget to take into account equipment records such as supplies of building materials, additional expenses, you will need to hire labor, and items that will be needed to be placed in the basement such as toilets and showers.
Hiring a contractor or designer might be a good idea, as they can help you calculate how much money you need and where you can save money
Step 3. Plan the renovation
You will need to decide on a plan, especially if you are doing this work yourself. You will need to know the length of all the walls you are going to install, how many squares of floor material you need, how much wall space you need to install gypsum, etc. Draw plans for your basement and refine your plans in the making and remember: measure twice, cut once!
Step 4. Register the required permissions
Before you proceed, It is very important to get all the necessary permits and inspections from your local building department. You don't want to run all that work and then someone tell you that you need to take it apart or worse: crash the project suddenly!
Method 2 of 4: Doing Basic Work
Step 1. Clear all the items in the dungeon
Take out all the items you put in the dungeon. This includes washing machines and dryers, cabinets, and especially anything that can move or even take up floor space. You need to have enough room for all the walls and floors as you work on finishing your basement.
Step 2. Clean the floor properly
If you have a concrete floor, you want it to be as clean as possible before you start. Remove all dirt and debris from the floor. Mold and leak issues should be double-checked, just to make sure they won't cause problems later.
Step 3. Attach the cable
This is the part that must be done by a professional. At best, wiring badly will not work. Worse, it starts by burning or electrocuting you (and not in the Wile E Coyote way). Unless you want to try out some DIY firefighting, find a professional to come to your basement and install the wiring in your basement. If you have some experience, however, you can do it yourself. Just make sure you carefully plan everything.
Step 4. Install the required plumbing
This is another matter that should be handled by a professional. While this is a bit more dangerous than wiring badly, it can still cause costly damage later on in the event of a leak. Make sure that your plans are executed carefully so that everything can be accounted for.
Step 5. Install the insulation and ceiling
Isolation is essential for soundproofing the finished basement. If you want to put the media space down there, you don't want the sound to travel up and disturb the others. Use soundproofing materials to insulate the ceiling and everyone will be happy. Otherwise, Building a simple ceiling will suffice.
Step 6. Insulate the walls of the room
Insulating the basement walls is important. This will keep your basement warm and cozy, making it a more comfortable place to live in. There are many types of insulation available but spray-foam insulation is becoming popular for basements.
Method 3 of 4: Adding Walls and Floors
Step 1. Place the pillars
These pillars form the framework of your walls. You need to plan ahead to know where all of your buildings are headed, which should be completed in your construction phase. There are two main materials for your pillars: steel or wood. Both are benefits and you have to choose which one is best for you.
- Generally, wood is cheaper but steel is stronger.
- You can add further insulation at this point by placing traditional insulation within the mounting area.
Step 2. Build the walls and ceiling
Once your walls have a frame they will need skin! Install gypsum or use whatever method of wall finishing you prefer to create a nice wall that you can paint when your project is complete.
Step 3. Finish the ceiling of the room
If you are not ready, you will need to add gypsum or other finishing material for your ceiling. This will give you a great surface to paint or finish in your preferred method.
Step 4. Consider maintaining a concrete floor
You can save money by keeping your concrete floor and stretching it. It may be cold, however, consider it very carefully. Concrete floors can be painted for a really cool finish, giving it a modern feel.
Step 5. Put the carpet on the concrete or make a subfloor
You need to understand what flooring installation method is best for you. Installing a subfloor will keep the floor warmer than just laying carpet but may take up the much needed inches in wall height, as well as add to the overall project cost.
Step 6. Adding Doors
If you're adding room for a new space, you'll also want to add doors. This is especially important for bathrooms and bedrooms. Make sure your calculations for the door are able to open and close when you place items such as sinks, tubs, and toilets into the room.
Method 4 of 4: Making the Best Places
Step 1. Install the wall hanging crown
A wall hanging crown will be especially important if you are trying to finish a basement in an old house style. This can help the two levels look more the same, if you have wall decor in your home.
Step 2. Install the baseboards and decorate them
The long baseboards and trim will help your basement look like a real room and it's easy to install too, if you can measure and cut (which you totally can!).
Step 3. Painting the finish of the room
If you want your basement to look bigger, stick to a light-colored paint scheme. White walls, rugs, and bulky furniture, mix that with some nice stress, will make the room look bigger.
Step 4. Make your ceiling look higher
If you want your basement to be a little more spacious and cave-like, try making the ceiling appear higher using a few visual tricks. The easiest of these is to not hang low on the lights and ceiling fans, and to paint the ceiling white.
Step 5. Turn your dungeon into a cave-man
Men always need a separate place and outside of women's habits. Men's caves can be a great way to add an entertaining space for men to the home. Pair it with the women's craft room and everyone will be delighted!
Step 6. Add bars
Bars can look great in basements, you'll be a little worried about disturbing the neighbors when you bring friends over for a drink. You can buy one or build your own bar, with a little work from a carpenter!
Tips
- If possible try to add egress-sized windows so that in an emergency people don't get trapped inside. Additionally, install smoke and fire detectors according to your local building code. (connect this new alarm with the existing alarm in the main house)
- Widen the door as wide as possible, and use arches and columns to dress it up. Consider a French-style door with lots of glass for the office or a solid door for any other room that needs complete privacy. For partial separation, doors with decorative glass bring elegance to the room.
- Panels are simple, but the appearance of a smooth gypsum can be the material of choice to complete the space. Panels that look obsolete and don't last long, thus costing you a lot less in the long run than durable gypsum.
- If you need precise measurements between two walls, or you can't reach the entire path, use this technique. Press your plaster against the far wall, extending almost to the center of the room and marking the wall across the nearest foot. Take down the reference for the dimensions on the wall. Slide your plaster around and measure from the wall opposite your mark. Add two dimensions for the total length.
- Provides top-quality 25 or 35-foot plaster with 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide blades. the extra rigidity provided by the wide blade allows you to extend the plaster before it warps. This is a great help for all kinds of measuring tasks but especially useful when you are working alone. It's also useful when you're working from scratch.
Warning
- Basement finishes can end up with mold and other moisture related issues behind the walls adjacent to the outer masonry walls. Make sure you or your contractor have a clear understanding of sealing, minimal insulation, proper ventilation of wall cavities, and vapor resistance beforehand. Unless your walls are at least 18" from the stone wall, any vapor barrier attached to the wall posts will lock moisture between the stone wall and the barrier, allowing it to grow quickly.
- Look for signs of water leaks before starting your project. Be sure to evaluate any water issues that could be affecting your basement to determine what repairs are needed and take preventative steps to avoid water problems in the future. Look at potential problems like clogged rain gutters, leaking pipes that don't allow water to get out of the house.
- Ventilation and dehumidifier. Be aware that allowing "fresh air" from outside into your basement through open windows or fans, can cause problems with humidity, humidity and condensation when outside humidity levels are above 40%. Get a good dehumidifier to mechanically remove the naturally high humidity in your basement and keep windows and doors closed all year round. Central AC also offers a nice dehumidifier.
- Ensure that you protect your investment by obtaining emergency energy power and device monitoring for your flood pump. If you rely on a sump pump to keep groundwater out of your basement, consider a secondary pump as a backup in case your main pump fails or, a backup battery secondary pump for a power outage..
- Gather as much information as you can about it before you start.
- Make sure you understand that completing a dungeon is a big project.
