When surveying your home’s layout, you might have overlooked a place to consider renovating—the basement. A basement is scary in movies, but it doesn’t have to be in real life. Before you go down to look over your layout, read through the ultimate guide to renovating your basement.
Step One: Pick the Right Remodeling Idea
Before beginning the process of renovating, you need to pick the right layout style. If you aren’t planning to remodel the entire basement but want some inspiration for getting started, read our best choices to select from.
A Remodeled Basement Bathroom
Don’t place a bathroom in yet. You need to consider the size of your layout first. If you have a bigger basement, you can move forward with adding a bathroom of your choice. However, if your square footage is less than 1,200 feet, you might want to consider adding a half-bathroom instead. When you add a bathroom in the basement, your guests won’t have to walk all the way up the stairs to use the bathroom. It makes sense to have a half-bathroom or a full one in your basement.
A Renovated Basement Hallway
Typically, homeowners don’t consider what to do with the hallway when thinking about renovating their basement. Hallways can actually add more value to your home, especially if you aren’t planning to stay in your home long-term. When you add or work on your narrow hallway, you open up the layout more, helping the foyer flow better.
An Additional Living Room
Whether you want to have guests over often or not, you still want to have an extra space to go to for relaxing. Having a second living room can satisfy that need. When going over the potential ideas for your basement renovation, consider adding a living room filled with a comfortable couch and a television. You can even create an in-home theater if you want to feel fancy.
Step Two: Determine a Budget
When setting a budget, you must have a layout in mind before buying anything and make a list of the items you’ll need for your space. Once you establish a budget, it will help you determine the right finishing features and materials needed to bring your dream basement to life. Before beginning work on your project, ask yourself the questions below to help guide you along your renovation process.
How Much Does a Basement Renovation Cost?
Usually, the average amount of money most people spend on each square foot to remodel a basement is between 25 and 50 dollars. Overall, this comes to a ballpark average of 30,000 dollars or so. However, various factors determine your final price tag, such as what you plan to do to your space.
How Do You Calculate Your Basement Renovation Budget?
You might also ask how much you need to save and what you can borrow in loans. These two things alone help you figure out a reasonable budget. When considering your budget, factor in other things as well. These could include the type of renovations you can have. For example, if you plan to put in a bedroom or kitchen on top of renovating your basement, you’ll also need to consider plumbing costs. Before you begin renovating, determine the types of materials first.
Another question you may have when considering a budget for your basement renovation might be whether a DIY basement remodeling is a good option for you. The one thing to consider when it comes to DIYing anything is that you’ll need to hire a professional contractor who can handle most of the big parts of the remodeling project. You’ll also need to look into local codes. We’ll get into this step next in our ultimate guide to renovating your basement.
Step Three: Research Local Building Permits
After you’ve determined the remodel you want to do and have a set budget for your basement renovation, you should acquire local building permits. The specific building permits you need will vary based on where you reside. Contact or go to the town hall to find out what’s legal and what the law doesn’t allow. If you have trouble acquiring the necessary information, contact a lawyer to find out the remodeling laws.
One other important reason why getting permits is necessary is that doing so shows potential homebuyers that you’ve remodeled the home with current codes and safety in mind. If you can’t provide a permit, you’ll severely impact the market price of your home.
Step Four: Clean Out Your Space
Once you make your layout choice and decide on your budget, you can work on your basement remodel. However, you probably don’t want to begin without obtaining a dumpster rental in Atlanta, GA, from Vine Disposal. At Vine Disposal, we make it our mission to provide you with the right dumpster to use for your basement remodeling project. Once you clear everything out of the basement, toss the recyclables and other debris that you don’t need into one of our rental dumpsters to help the process move fast.
Doing this helps professionals create a better idea of what your basement will look like and a potential estimate for your remodel. If you have leftover items you can’t toss out or donate, consider having a yard sale to help get rid of any leftover clutter.
Step Five: Insulate Your Walls
After taking care of all the pre-renovation work, you’re ready to move onto the actual renovation. Many new and old homes have unfinished basement walls made of cinder blocks. By adding insulation into these walls, you can help save on energy costs and even increase comfort levels in the basement. There are a few options to choose from for insulation filling.
Spray Foam
Spray foam can fill in hard-to-reach cracks and holes to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. Although spray foam is messy, the material is cost-effective compared to other insulation types.
Foam Board
Foam boards are two to four inches thick. However, the exact thickness depends on your climate and local codes. Fill the seams around the foam boards with wrap tape or spray foam.
Do the Structural and Utility Work
This work includes all of the mechanics and pipe-related work that go into your basement remodel. Install the plumbing, and then frame your walls and paint them. After finishing all that work, you can move your furniture in.
Step Six: Move Your Furniture In
After you complete everything, you can finally move in your furniture. The pieces you place in the space could include beds, TVs, shelves, and so much more. After moving everything in, you can finally sit and admire the incredible work you’ve done.
After reading our guide, contact Vine Disposal for the best dumpster rental options for your basement remodel. Without a dumpster, the work can become more difficult. You might even end up remaining in a basement that is creepy, dark, and cold. Change all of that with the basement remodel of your dreams.
