If you have an unfinished (or a poorly finished) basement in your home and have wondered about what that space could be used for, here’s a quick list of things that might spur you on.
1. Home addition without the addition!
Recover all the space that is currently taken up by the dresser that you got at Goodwill when you were 20, the hundreds of cardboard boxes, and that old treadmill that you found for free on the Craig’s List! You need space not stuff! With the junk out of the way, you can reclaim all of that square footage that you paid for when you bought your house WITHOUT paying for an addition.
2.Address neglected systems in your house.
Psychedelic-spaghetti in your electrical panel? Mysterious leaky pipes? And what IS that smell anyway? When you decide to finish your basement, it is also the right time to address many of the ancient or failing systems in your home. A modern electrical panel adds capacity, safety, and tidiness to your newly improved house. Updating plumbing supply and waste systems can give you cleaner water, trouble-free sewers, prevent basement floods, and save you money on your water bill. Adding wall framing means insulating and drying in the space, and putting another layer of protection between your life and the soil just beyond those concrete walls. And if you have delayed a seismic retrofit, the basement renovation will likely make the decision for you-not a bad thing if you live in an earthquake-prone area like Seattle.
3. Potential new bathroom or expanded laundry room!
Only have one bathroom? Need a place to wash the dogs or outdoor gear? A basement bath can be much more than a powder room. In the basement a bathroom can become an extension of the laundry room with a big open shower, utility sink, folding table and storage. take the pressure off of your cracked 95 year-old laundry sink and the top of your dryer and make a space that works FOR you and not against you.
4. Add a bedroom!
New teenager? Mother-in-law in town? Put them in THEIR place: their very own basement bedroom. An extra bedroom makes having guests or a larger family even easier. No more tip-toeing through the living room while your guests sleep, with a bedroom your basement, your life just got simpler and your house just got more valuable.
5. Recreation room or home theater!
Is that 42″ flat-panel in the living room looking small these days? Can you now afford something with a bit more oomph? Basements are ideal places for home theaters or rec rooms. They can be made to be highly sound insulated, very dark, and can have as many built-in gizmos and toys as your wallet can handle. Some people even build in theater-style seating levels so that every one has always has the best seat in the house (your house!)
6. Create a home business or shop!
Basements are great creative spaces that can also make you money. If you have always wanted to set up a home business or can’t afford the monthly payments of a stand-alone office, converting your basement into your own corporate HQ can really streamline your balance sheet. If you build things for pleasure or business, a basement shop is a fantastic spot to create your own products and your own cash flow.
7. Who needs a gym membership?!
Sick of the gym guilt? Need to save some dough? Convert part of your new basement space into your very own training room or yoga studio and put your mind and body at ease. In your basement home-gym you can work out before dawn or after bedtime and not disturb the kids. You can work out rocking out to Eye of the Tiger while not having to leave home. With a dedicated space for your exercise, you may find the motivation to go the distance with your fitness goals.
8. Music space!
Do you have a budding musician in the family? (Translation: Are you tired of hearing your kid bang on that new drum set?) Have you always wanted a studio-quality rehearsal space in which you can fine-tune your creativity? The basement’s potential for isolating sound means that it’s a great opportunity to design and build your very own dedicated music studio. Whether you are rehearsing, recording, or rocking out, having a well insulated and sound-proofed room can be a blessing for aspiring and professional musicians alike. Not to mention your 8 year-old drummer…
9. Create your own home bar or man-cave!
A great night out can be had right at home if you have the space to make it happen. Entertain your buddies at home, and save the cab fare. Stock your lair with a keggerator, dartboard, pool or ping-pong table and make your house the new local night-spot!
10. Creative play-space for children!
Last, but not least, basements are fantastic places for kids to be kids. Let their spirits run wild with creative spaces and places that can be designed around their small size and enormous imaginations! They can have places to color, to dress-up, snuggle, and hide. Your kids’ play area can have interesting spots designed in so that they can make their activities happen on their own scale: forts, ropes, tiny doors, playhouses, cozy caves, swings, even a pirate ship. Whatever they can dream up, can be made to order in your new basement playroom. And you won’t have to do that scramble to pick up the toys in your living room whem mom says she’s “in the neighborhood.”
This year seems to be the Year of the Basement and Gaspar’s Construction is working on many great basement remodels. Contact us and we’ll help you carve out just the right space for what you need.
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