Many homeowners find that choosing to finish their basements opens up all sorts of opportunities for using the space. The thing to remember is that a fair amount of work has to go into the renovation before you move on to the cosmetic touches. Here are examples of four critical areas that must have attention before you can start picking out floor coverings or coming up with a color scheme for the walls.
Page Contents
How Will You Seal the Walls and Floor?
The last thing you need is dampness seeping through the walls and the floor into a finished basement. You will need to seal those surfaces in some manner. The nice thing is that you can explore all the alternatives for sealing by consulting a basement renovation guide and selecting the process that seems most appropriate. Assuming the contractor agrees, the sealing can get underway as soon as you take care of a few other details.
Do You Need Insulation?
It also helps to determine what sort of insulation you will need. Some Markham basements will only need insulation added along the ceiling before you have some sort of decorative tiles added. Others may need some sort of insulation between the brick or concrete walls and whatever paneling or other wall covering you plan on using. A contractor can help you select the right type of insulation and ensure that it’s installed properly.
What About Heating and Cooling the Space?
If you plan on using the basement as living space, it’s important to install some type of heating and cooling system. You may choose to tie into the main system or set up an independent one for the basement only. By consulting a basement renovation new article about basements guide, it will be easier to determine which approach would work best in your case.
Don’t Forget the Wiring and Plumbing
Whatever you have in mind for the basement, it will likely need additional wiring and plumbing. You do want to ensure the water pressure for the shower, lavatory, and toilet are sufficient. It also helps to make sure you have plenty of outlets as well as the right type of overhead lighting in place. Even people who are not completely sure how they will use their finished Markham basements understand that having the plumbing and wiring in position will make creating a multi-purpose space that much easier to adapt for a specific function.
Remember that the goal is to ensure the basement becomes something other than space that stands empty or ends up being a catchall for whatever cannot be stored in other areas of the house. Take the time to go over a basement renovation guide to get some ideas of what preliminary work should be done, then move on to the cosmetic touches. In the end, you will have a space that’s ideal for all sorts of purposes.
