Six considerations when finishing your basement

One of the best upgrades you can in your home is to complete an unfinished basement. With fewer homes on the market and home value climbing, it’s truly a seller’s market and there’s never been a safer time to invest some money into your property. One of the things that prospective buyers are looking for is a completed basement that’s move-in ready and doesn’t require any additional work. Here are six considerations to make when completing that basement.

Return on investment

When remodeling, you always want to keep ROI in mind regardless of the project unless there’s zero chance you’ll be moving. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value Report, the average cost to complete a basement is about $61,000 and the average return on that investment is about 70%. That makes it one of the best home upgrades for ROI. It’s significantly better than the ROI you could expect by adding a bathroom or master suite.

Square footage

Depending on where you live and the local regulations, there’s a good chance that by completing your unfinished basement, you can add the square footage of the basement to your home’s total square footage which automatically to your property’s value considerably.

Be smart about design

You’ll get the most out of your basement remodel if you incorporate design choices that are attractive and appealing to the widest possible number of people. Home theaters, man caves and other highly customized or quirky remodels that are designed just for you are riskier investments.

Water is not your friend

Water is a basement’s worst enemy since water always runs downhill, and that means it ends up in your basement where it can cause a lot of damage. Before anything else, make sure your basement is waterproofed. Have a professional (don’t even think about doing this job yourself) and have all walls and floors sealed. Invest in a good dehumidifier as well.

Pay attention to the ceiling

Ceilings are usually out-of-sight and out-of-mind but since basement ceilings often tend to be cracked or otherwise damaged, they will stand out to you and to prospective buyers so spend a little money now to repair them and make them attractive. You’re already putting a lot into completing your basement so don’t do it halfway.

Think about heating

Since basements are at least partially below ground, they tend to be the coldest rooms in the home. Some basements aren’t connected to the rest of the home’s heating system at all. There are many options when it comes to keeping a basement warm. One option is a baseboard radiator system since they tend to be more energy efficient and work best in rooms that just don’t want to stay warm. If you decide to go with baseboard heaters, make them more attractive by installing snap-on baseboard heater covers.

Source: West Side Connect

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