Here’s a question you may have today. “Should I stay or should I go?” As a family grows, there is often a desire to increase living space. There are a few options to consider. Some would choose to purchase a larger home. Certainly, moving up is one way of acquiring additional space for your family’s needs. The question is - what if your current home is in every essence of the word -- home. The location is perfect. The neighbors, neighborhood and schools couldn’t be better. Despite its little quirks, your home provides a true feeling of warmth and comfort. And besides that, you would like to continue to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Let’s not forget the amount of blood, sweat and tears you put into your existing home, whether it’s the experiences of painting and decorating or the labor planting the garden. And what about the trees you’ve nursed along for so many years that have finally grown into shade bearing beauties.
A far more budget-minded choice may be to remodel your existing home. The best bang for the buck is right under your feet – the unfinished basement. Finishing a basement is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase living space in a home. Fortunately for many of us, most homes in the area were constructed with unfinished basements. This under-utilized lower-level square footage will put your remodel project on the fast track to completion. One of the many benefits of working within the existing interior footprint of the home will become apparent when it’s time to pay for the home remodel. This additional finished square footage comes with a price tag averaging $35 to $60 dollars a square foot. Compare this to purchasing a new home ranging in cost from $100 - $300 dollars a square foot or a home addition which could run as much as twice the cost of a basement finish. Once you start to crunch the numbers, you will undoubtedly find a basement remodel is an extremely valuable way to expand your home without breaking the bank.
A finished basement could provide for a multitude of uses. One use, which has grown substantially over the years, is a home-based business. “Fifty-three percent of America’s small businesses are home based”, said Rep. Markey who was quoted in a recent article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Other uses include bedrooms, family rooms, bathrooms, exercise rooms, home theatres, craft or hobby rooms and recreation rooms. The list goes on and on.
The next step is to become informed about remodeling options. Thankfully, you won’t have to reinvent the wheel to survive this process. There’s plenty of reading material out there to bring you up to speed and provide a brief overview of the subject. However, that’s no substitution for having an experienced remodel contactor come to your home. We can assist you in designing the space by recognizing existing rough-in locations to better utilize the floor plan. Windows, for example, are a major consideration during the plan and design process. The design should capitalize on window locations to maximize lighting and bedroom placement. In fact, every bedroom requires a 5.7 square foot rescue window opening by code. In addition, the resale value should be a consideration when formulating a basement floor plan design. For example, a plan that calls for a multitude of wall partitions that would require a handheld GPS to find your way out would most definitely not satisfy the masses when it comes to resale. Pull from the design elements on the main floor and let them flow into the basement to connect the old living space with the new. Be sure to incorporate plenty of lighting options to better define multi-use spaces. Identify potential lighting issues involved with ceiling height variations due to beams and mechanical ducting. Include a variety of lighting options to set the mood for each prospective use.
One way to find a reputable remodel contractor is to ask family and friends for their personal referrals and recommendations. Other sources are the Better Business Bureau or a website such as http://www.northerncoloradoremodelers.com.
When you remodel, try to take before and after pictures. As time goes by, you may forget how cold and dark your basement was before it was professionally finished by a local remodel contractor. Instead, all you may remember is how much you enjoy the living space which was transformed into a light filled, multi-purpose expansion of your beautiful home.
Written by Joseph Schlauer, owner of Basement Innovations Inc., a local remodel contractor serving Northern Colorado since 1999 and a member of NAHBR (National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers), CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist), CGB (Certified Green Builder), Member of NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) and a Better Business Bureau Member with an A+ Accreditation. http://www.basementinnovations.com or call 970-282-3600.