Summer is the most popular season for home repairs. The weather is warm enough to comfortably air your home out, the days are long enough to get some work done, and your kids are out of school to lend you a hand.
Finishing your basement is one of the best decisions to make when choosing a home improvement project because it greatly increases your square footage and brings up the value of your home. It’s also a project that can be done fairly inexpensively, as long as you stick to a few money saving tips.
Do it Yourself
Because the foundation and basic structure are already present in your basement, this project is easier for you to do some of the work yourself than other projects would be. Every stage of the renovation that you can complete on your own will save you money, and it can really add up. You’ll need to have professionals come in to check out the electrical and plumbing as you go along, but you can probably handle the rest yourself if you and/or your friends have some experience. If you’re not comfortable taking on a DIY project, offer to do cleanup and prep work for your contractor in order to save some money on your final bill.
Work With What You’ve Got
Sticking to the existing layout of your home when finishing the basement will save you on costly conversions. For example, placing a bathroom in the basement directly under the bathroom upstairs allows you to simply extend the plumbing, instead of having to install new vent and waste lines. The same goes for wiring electrical fixtures, which can also be extended from their upstairs counterparts. Leaving your existing concrete slab exposed is a great flooring option, since putting a simple finish on concrete, such as epoxy coating, looks great and is very cost effective.
Save on Custom Finishes
Saving money on your home improvement project doesn’t mean you have to cut corners or sacrifice quality. You can still chose nice finishes, and do quality work to get the outcome you were hoping for. You can save money on relocating pipes and still have a fully finished look by installing a drop ceiling. Use light colors on the walls to draw in more light to what would otherwise be a darker space. For a high end finish on exposed concrete flooring, apply acid stain and a high gloss sealant. The floors will look great for decades and add an upscale look to the space.
