Basement RemodelingGood basement remodeling or finishing adds greatly to the value of a home. In my experience most buyers are looking for homes with finished basements. Damp Basement Remodeling IdeasHigh moisture in the basement can be caused by a foundation crack, improper outside grading or leaking window wells.Some foundation cracks can be fixed by injecting a sealant from the inside of the basement wall thus eliminating expensive trenching outside the foundation in order to fix the leak from the outside. The lawn and flower beds outside the house should slope away from the house so that rain water will drain away from the house. Make sure that the eaves trough down spouts have extensions so that the rain water from the roof is deposited at least three feet away from the house foundation wall. Leaking window wells could be caulked to stop the leaks. Call an expert to determine the causes. A basement and masonry waterproofing paint such as one by Behr could be a solution once any source of water leaks is taken care of. Remove Mold:Mold spores are everywhere and only need moisture to start growing. Mold spores can trigger allergies, asthma or bronchitis. Once mold is growing you need to remove it and any material it is attached to, like drywall board. Black mould is the most common due to water damage. Mold can be orange, yellow, blue, green or white.Preventing moisture will prevent the growth of mold. Fix leaks immediately and dry out the affected part of the home within the first 24 hours of a flood. You can find help online or in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. Sound Proofing the BasementBefore finishing the ceiling sound proofing insulation can be placed between the ceiling joists to deaden the sound that is transmitted to the upper floor. The sound proofing insulation looks just like normal pink insulation bats but is not pink. It fits between the ceiling joists.In addition to the sound proofing insulation the joists can be strapped with a u shaped strip that will take drywall screws. The strip provides a break in the solid material that can transmit sound. The drywall is screwed to this material. You may lose an inch of ceiling headroom but if there is going to be a teen age band practicing in your basement it is well worth the expense! Heating/Cooling DuctworkWill the present ductwork be sufficient to heat and cool the new rooms you create in the basement remodeling?Probably not! To answer this question you need to bring in a professional HVAC person. Installing Electrical, Internet, Audio, and Video Cable, SecurityThere are too many rules to follow with electrical wiring unless you are an engineer. Professional help will be required. In the case of voice, data, video and audio cabling running the cable is easy, however attaching the wires to the plugs and receptacles requires special tools to achieve a good result.Rather than buy a bunch of specialized tools that you will only use once, hire an electrician. Here are three rules to follow: 1. Keep parallel wires at least 8 inches apart. 2. If wires do have to cross closely make certain they cross a 90 degrees to minimize interference. You do not want to listen to buzzing on your expensive audio equipment. 3. DO NOT let the electrical and other cabling touch! Electrical tips You should hire an electrician to help plan and wire the basement after the walls are built. Internet, Voice and Data ideas Unless you have wireless internet installed in your home run a few internet wires to the basement. Cat5 cable is still the workhorse for data. Cat5e is used more often now. Video and Audio Cable tips Most remodeled basements have a TV and other audio equipment. Now is the time to plan where they might be and run some wires to these spots. For video coaxial cable is still the best choice for cable and satellite TV. RG6 cable and some other variations are thicker than the older RG59 cable. Have a system for labeling all the wires at both ends to keep track of the components. Choosing a Security System Depending on your neighborhood and the contents of your home you may want to consult with a security company to extend your present security system or install a new system. Wall Construction IdeasPreparation for building a basement wallSeal the joint between the foundation wall and the mud sill (2x6 or 2x8 on top of the concrete or block wall) with expanding foam sealant to stop infiltration. For insulation only glue foam panels to the wall. Building the Wall For ease of installing the electrical, other cabling and insulation for a well finished basement, a stud wall is best. Install a vapor barrier (polyethylene sheeting) over the bare wall. Before building the wall the HVAC contractor can install any required heating duct work. 
Once the wall is built all the wiring and any needed plumbing or central vacuum piping can be installed. The next step is to install the insulation. Use foam panels, pink insulation or spray foam between the studs. Flooring IdeasPaint the Concrete FloorA simple economic solution is to paint the basement floor. This will certainly do for a few years if money is scarce at the moment. Select your color from available concrete paints. Tile tips Glazed ceramic tiles are durable, water proof and stain resistant. They can be cleaned with a mop and broom. They can be installed over a sealed concrete floor or a subfloor. Cracked tiles can be replaced. Save a few extras for this possibility. Of course, tiles are cold and hard and very slippery when wet. If you are thinking of installing them yourself check the weight of a box of tiles. They can weigh as much as 45 pounds. That’s a lot of effort carrying them down the stairs to the basement. Hire a strong high school student to do it! Actually, hire two; they work better in pairs. Subfloor tips The subfloor can be built using 2 foot square tongue and groove units that lock together and sit on top of the concrete floor. The top half is wood. The bottom part is a water proof corrugated underlayment. The corrugations, which run both ways, provide an air gap above the concrete floor. You may need a leveling kit if the basement concrete floor is not even. This type of subfloor is strong enough to support pool tables, refrigerators and such. Any type of flooring can be installed over this subfloor. Visit the local Home Depot, Lowes or Rona to check this subflooring out. Marmoleumflooring is made from renewable natural ingredients and is a good choice for basement flooring. See the page on flooring Paint the WallsSee the page on Preparation, Priming and Paint.Go from basement remodeling to Home Page
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