Waterproofing Your Basement Saves Money and Protects Your Investments

Finishing your basement adds additional and convenient living space to your home, and it can be achieved at a more reasonable price– rather than finishing above grade areas. When finishing the interior of your basement rather than building from scratch, it can and will save you money, but always be aware of hidden costs. If you’re considering finishing your basement, there are techniques to keep in mind to help keep the expenses to a minimum.

Many homeowners wonder about a basement’s overall purpose. The foundation beneath your home provides a strong support system to host the structure of your home, but if you are looking to create extra space in your home, using your basement as additional living space is only cost effective if it has been waterproofed.

If your basement is experiencing problems with moisture or water leaks, it is best to consult a professional waterproofing expert that can solve your issues with moisture before you begin the process of finishing your basement.

Cost Friendly Flooring

There are cost friendly ways to remodel your basement, depending upon the materials you choose. There is a large variety of indoor/outdoor carpeting that is inexpensive and can easily be installed on an existing concrete floor. Tiles are also a very popular choice for basements, but linoleum tile is the most economical choice. The most cost efficient flooring is painting. This gives you the choice of a solid color or painting the floor in pattern of your choice. Also, consider adding large throw rugs to the space for a comfortable, lived in feel.

However, we’re talking about long-term costs and how moisture can play a role in increasing costs. The same is true when talking about cost friendly flooring and anything organic will reap water damages including mold growth. So, it’s best to avoid carpeting, paint and wood because they can be damaged by water and mold will also result. Although these options may seem cost effective at the beginning of the purchase, you will have to replace the items if a pipe leaks or water makes its way into the basement in some other way.

Walls

The basement in your home is already the best insulated space of your home, because it’s surrounded by earth featuring an 8-inch, or thicker, masonry brick wall.

By simply framing the walls with dimensional lumber instead of installing drywall, you and your contractor can be sure to make all provisions during the construction of your new home for future wiring and plumbing purposes, or other remodeling jobs.

Plumbing and Wiring

Depending on the way you design the layout of your basement-there are ways that you can save money. In most homes, the electrical wiring and plumbing pipes run in between the basement ceiling joists.

For best results, inspect the mechanical configuration of your home and plan your basement layout accordingly. By simply positioning a guest or master bathroom directly above a bathroom on the main living floor, you can simply tie the two water supply lines together. This reduces the amount of pipes that would otherwise have to run the entire distance of the space from the main water line to your second bathroom-thus saving you money.

Ceiling

Consider installing a drop ceiling with a grid and acoustic tiles. This will save you money and provides you easy access to the mechanical elements of your basement. By installing the drop ceiling yourself, you can save money.

Solution

Contact a professional basement finisher to examine your basement and recommend the best and most cost efficient way to solve the problem.