A well maintained basement is a great addition to any home. You may have already noticed that the basement is the place where you tend to store the unnecessary junk you collect at home, but it should not be that way. Get a major junk clearance in the basement down and research the things you can utilize the space for. If you need an example – the basement is a great place to turn into the ultimate man-cave. Or a home office, or a game-room. The opportunities are countless, but you first should make sure that your basement is free of junk, and it is properly finished. These are the things you should look out for when preparing your basement for use:
1) Make sure that there is no moisture. Look not only for the obvious signs like puddles of water and drippings from the ceiling, but also that the ground on the outside is graded from the foundations, cracks in the walls etc. – all those things that may accommodate the access of moisture to your basement.
2) After you have made the plans about what you are going to do with your basement, you should check out with the local town council about any building regulations specific for your area, as well as permits that you need to get. Once all the paperwork is covered, you can commence the actual project.
3) The raw material of which the basement walls would be made would be either cement, or masonry or brick. You will use some wall covering for sure, but in addition to the type that most appeals to you aesthetically, you would have to consider the proper fasteners for the kind of wall that you have.
4) In order to further ensure that you are not going to have problems with moisture, it is worth it to place some sort of a vapor barrier between the wall and the covering. It is always better to play it safe, so do not skip this point. It will save you a lot of trouble in the future.
5) For the same purpose described above, you should also consider adding offset space between the wall and the covering so that the wood or the metal would not be damaged from potential damp.
6) Insulation is another thing to take care of. In order to fully enjoy the time spent in your new basement, it should be properly heated/cooled, depending on the season. Insulation would also help you make the place energy efficient, so that there are no unpleasant surprises on your utilities bills at the end of each month.
7) The ceiling is another aspect to consider. The best option, according to specialists, is the drop ceiling, which both would look good and provide enough space for electrical and plumbing lines.
8) Have in mind that recess light is by far the optimal solution for the basement, because they save a lot of valuable above head space.