Finishing a Walk out basement, any advice?

[mentalbreak]

In my neck of the woods, these are at the top of my list:
Radon mitigation
2 sump pumps each with battery backups.
Heated tile in bar and bathrooms.

 

[mdurette]

Some thoughts as I think about our set up.

A 1/2 bath. For usage when we are down there, but it is also great when we have a lot of people on our main floor and an extra bathroom is needed. They can use that instead of sending them up to the ones in the bedroom area of the house.

Our walk out slider is under our deck off the kitchen. The above deck offers shade, but makes that area seem dark and enclosed vs open to the outdoors.

We still have about 1/4 of the basement unfinished and although access is interior the two are separated by a a heavy exterior door. Only the finished part is climate controlled. I like having part still unfinished for storage, litter boxes, etc.

The large storage closet we have also has double bifold doors. I easily holds my totes full of holiday decorations lengthwise. I just stack them up.

I wish the previous owner would have installed more of a permanent dehumidifier or plumbed in a way for the ones we have to empty on their own.

Our garage is attached to the finished basement and we use as a main entry way. Now that cars are "keyless" I'm always searching for my keys to unlock the door. I would love some sort of keyless lock on the door from the garage to the basement.

Tile flooring with area rugs. Less worry with water damage and musty smells with carpet.


The one item I always suggest to people when they build. The exterior water faucet near the driveway....run hot and cold water to it. Great for car washing! And dogs

 

[WinniWoman]

Yes- we wanted our builder to install something permanent for the dehumidifier (and possible sump pump I so hope we don't need)- but he wouldn't do it.

Our builder also does not put the front exterior water faucet near the driveway, though we asked for it to be there. I think it might have something to do with the design of the house as most all the plumbing is towards the back of the house (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, etc.). He puts the exterior faucets on the side and the back. The garage is not insulated either- so that is probably the main reason. The pipe would freeze and crack. We have that issue right now in our current garage. Yes- we shut off the water and drain before winter and we even have heat tape around the pipe plugged in all winter. But- never fails- in the spring when we slowly turn the water on to that faucet- bam- pipe cracks and leaks.

Well- I guess that's what car washes are for! LOL!

Really- with basements it is how you intend to use them. If you are finishing them off then they are no longer basements but living areas. This could be for entertaining, extra bedrooms and a bathroom for relatives and friends, maybe even an apartment for income, a man cave, exercise equipment, etc.

It costs money to finish a basement and to maintain it as far as upkeep, cleaning and more utilities.

If you are like us- just the two of us - no friends or relatives nearby except our one son- and will not be entertaining- at least not big groups of people- then no need to finish it except for some basics like covering up the insulation with sheet rock or whatever, sealing the floor (and maybe the walls) the dehumidifier, sump pump if needed, maybe an area rug. It will be an unheated man cave with a work bench, storage and my exercise equipment. It remains to be seen if I can tolerate exercising in a cold basement. If there was a gym close by I would ditch the equipment and join, but I have not found one.

I hate to have to heat more space as propane is expensive and our home is in the Northeast. Down south this is not a concern.

Even making some friends in the new community - I do not see me cooking and catering big parties and if we did- again, not likely at this stage of our lives- we would use the clubhouse. The basement is not THAT big anyway. Heck- I have not made a big dinner for more than 6 people in like a zillion years. And we stopped barbecuing, too. Not starting now! Just as well because we are not putting in a patio out that back door from the basement. Not even sure our lot has room for one there as the ground drops way down behind the house and he has some excavating to do there.

If anyone from NY ever comes to visit us then they can get a hotel room and we can meet for dinner or use the clubhouse for a get together. I was shocked when my BIL said he will have to come up and visit us for a month and bring an air mattress! Uh- really! Ummm- no. Rent a seasonal condo for a month. Geez.....

We learned a lot living in our big house all these years in terms of our own lifestyle and we keep things simple now. Lived on a slab for 32 years and with a crawl space for 10. Never missed having a basement. But that is just the way we live and everyone has different needs.

 

[northwoodsgal]

My supervisor installed a radon mitigation system in his old house but apparently it kept the basement much drier than using dehumidifiers. It may be something to check in to.

 

[PigsDad]

My supervisor installed a radon mitigation system in his old house but apparently it kept the basement much drier than using dehumidifiers. It may be something to check in to.

That makes sense, since a mitigation system usually exhausts air from under the slab to the outside. Less chance for moist, musty air to be trapped under the slab and seep up through it. Here in dry Colorado, we generally don't have to worry about damp basements, which is nice.

Kurt

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I am looking at finishing the basement on our new place. For those of you that have done it any advice? Anything you wish you did that you didn’t? Anything you did that now you say it wasn’t really necessary?

If it's a good sized basement area then I would make sure you could have a fireplace in the largest room, and place a wood stove in it for heat efficiency.

Also, I would build artificial window frames in all the rooms and keep them covered with window treatments (i.e. blinds or curtains) to give the feeling that you are not in a "basement" space.

Don't forget to place in the proper piping and drainage so you can set up a bathroom, bar, and even an extra kitchen if you need to. Also, be sure to wire for and use smoke detectors in your new space.





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[stmartinfan]

Don't forget to place in the proper piping and drainage so you can set up a bathroom, bar, and even an extra kitchen if you need to. Also, be sure to wire for and use smoke detectors in your new space.
.

I'd guess that CO2 detectors are also a requirement in most building codes now. I know our municipality wanted one of those as well as the smoke detector. Since our gas furnace and gas water heater are in our basement, the detectors make lots of sense.

The other thing I'd add is to get a building permit so your space is inspected. I was surprised when a couple of the contractors we talked to indicated they wouldn't bother with the permit. Of course, it’s easier for them (and probably saves people some money on property taxes because the city's assessed value for the house doesn't reflect the extra finished space), but I wanted to be sure the work met code and would be covered by our homeowners' insurance. We obviously passed on those contractors.

 

[pedro47]

My advice is different from everyone else and it is. Please hire a licensed contractor who have experience in your local area, that have finish many walk out basements. Asked for real people references; with plenty of current photos pre and after construction with dates. Ask for local references names You can contact by telephones. Asked how long it will take from start to finish the project. Asked the contractor will he work full time on your project from start to finish.

Please make sure the contractor have the approve permits and that they are displayed properly .
Please make sure the city inspect the project, if this is required.

 

[Panina]

My advice is different from everyone else and it is. Please hire a licensed contractor who have experience in your local area, that have finish many walk out basements. Asked for real people references; with plenty of current photos pre and after construction with dates. Ask for local references names You can contact by telephones. Asked how long it will take from start to finish the project. Asked the contractor will he work full time on your project from start to finish.

Please make sure the contractor have the approve permits and that they are displayed properly .
Please make sure the city inspect the project, if this is required.

Check on all. Plan on using a licensed contractor the realtors use for their homes in my area, years of experience, all work will be permitted and inspected by township.

Many people do work without permits or inspections to save money on fees and taxes. Big mistake not only to ensure work is done correctly but even a bigger issue when you sell.