Mark Donovan asked:




Basement Remodeling is a great way to increase the living area in your home. And unlike adding an addition onto your home, ground/site work and installing a new foundation are not required. Consequently a basement renovation project can be a much more affordable project to do and provide a much higher return on investment.

However before you decide to tackle a basement remodeling project it is important that you first develop a basement renovation plan.

Goals of Basement Project

Part of a good finished basement plan is listing the purposes of the finished basement. For example, will the basement be used for a recreation area, or for bedrooms? Is a bathroom or a kitchen area desired? Is a home theater or wine cellar part of the ultimate plan? Understanding how the basement will be utilized will help in determining what specific engineering and mechanical needs are required in the actual design and plans for the basement remodeling project.

Making Preliminary Repairs before Basement Construction

The second major item that should be addressed before tackling a basement renovation project is taking care of any problems that exist in the basement. For example if there are cracks in the foundation walls or floor, they need to be repaired before starting the basement construction project. Also, if there are leaking or sweating pipes they should be repaired before remodeling starts. In addition, if the basement construction plans include plumbing that will require demolition of some of the basement floor it is critical to do this before the rest of the basement construction starts.

Also you should consider the size and location of the furnace. You need to determine if the existing furnace will be adequate to properly heat the newly remodeled basement area? If it is not, a larger furnace may be required. You also need to consider the location of the furnace and the noise it generates. If the furnace is going to be located near a finished basement area then you may need to wall off and properly insulate the furnace room from the finished basement area. You may also need to modify the furnace design such that fresh air is pulled in from the outside of the home.

Insulation of the exterior walls should also be considered. During the framing/construction phase, rigid Styrofoam insulation can be installed to help make the remodeled basement area warmer. Consider insulation requirements before starting the basement remodeling project.

Basement Lighting

One of the most important aspects of a basement renovation project is the lighting. A finished basement that is naturally dark is very uninviting for family members and guests. To address this problem, your basement remodeling plans should consider adding natural light wherever possible. If the foundation has concrete knee walls, consider framing in windows above the knee walls. If the basement has a walk out area, consider installing glass sliders or French doors.

In addition to adding natural light to the basement, consider installing can lights in the ceiling, and sconces on the walls. They can really brighten up the basement area and make the space into a warm and inviting area.

Basement Floor Layout Tips

When developing the floor layout of your basement project, consider putting bedrooms and recreation areas near the natural light areas, e.g. near the walkout sliders.

If a home theater or wine cellar is part of your basement design goals, locate them in areas of the basement where natural lighting is not required.

If a bathroom or kitchen area is part of your basement design objectives, locate them directly below existing plumbing on the first floor of the home. This will help to minimize the amount of piping that is required in the precious head room area of a basement. It will also help to limit the amount of structural/framing work required.

Again, if there is a furnace area that needs to be contended with in terms of noise, locate the wine cellar, or storage spaces near the furnace. These areas/rooms can help to insulate the rest of the basement rooms from the noise of the furnace.

If there are Lally columns (support posts) that need to be contended with, try to develop a basement construction plan that locates walls such that the Lally columns can be buried in them. If burying them is impossible, then consider schemes for boxing them in or finishing them off so that they become less of an obstruction and eye-sore to the finished basement.

Basement Ceilings

When developing a Basement design, the ceiling choice is an important decision. Many homeowners choose to install dropped ceiling tiles, while others elect to install drywall ceilings. Both have their pros and cons. Dropped ceiling tiles allow easy access to pipes and electrical wiring, however they do impact the ceiling height more dramatically than a drywall ceiling.

Drywall ceilings, on the other hand can give a more finished looked and provide more head room, however access to pipes and wiring is limited. If a drywall ceiling is your preference or requirement due to limited ceiling height, plan for access doors underneath first floor bathtub J-traps, valves, and key electrical junction boxes.

Who will perform the Basement Remodeling Construction

Deciding on whether to hire a remodeling contractor, or do it yourself is always a big question. Yes, you can save yourself a bundle if you do it yourself. However, frequently many homeowners start a basement project and never complete it.

If you truly want a finished basement, you need to be honest with yourself on the time commitment and the skills required. If you can not dedicate your next 12-16 weekends to the project, or lack skills in framing and construction, then you should probably hire either a general contractor or act as your own general contractor.

A Basement Remodeling project is a great way to provide additional living space in your home at a fraction of the cost of building an addition onto your home. With proper planning, a finished basement can become the spot in your home where the family and friends want to spend all of their recreational time. Good luck with your basement remodeling project!

Ray L. Walberg asked:




As the mobile home construction standards improved through the years, more mobile home owners have decided to upgrade and renovate. The increasing quality and value of these newer mobile homes makes remodelling a good option, in some cases.

As with any home, mobile or otherwise, years of everyday activity can take a toll on floors, walls and appliances. In addition, a growing family might make it necessary to add room or reorganize the interior space of a mobile home.

As the homeowner reviews just what needs to be renovated and considers what can realistically be changed, there are some differences to consider between a “permanent” home and a “mobile” home. While it may not seem to be a plus, having no structural support beams or walls in the center of the home can actually make renovation go more smoothly. In a traditional home, interior walls can also be support walls. This has to be considered when removing or cutting through a wall to change a home’s floor plan.

It may be the case that a wall separating the living room from an end bedroom could be removed, without worrying about losing ceiling support. This could make the living room larger. On the other hand, if there is no end bedroom and the living room is large enough, a “false” wall could be installed to create a small bedroom at one end of the mobile home.

There is something else to consider when making major changes to a mobile home: Unless the home was placed on a basement or concrete foundation, homeowners should be careful not to create openings in the floor or along the walls that could allow cold air in during the winter. These unintended openings can also be an invitation to a prowling cat or small dog that might be seeking a hideaway.

Mobile home residents should also consider that removing a wall, even if it does not support ceiling weight, can expose a weaker section of the floor. This can also be a problem when nails or screws are removed from the floor. Care should be taken to inspect these exposed areas to be certain they support foot traffic. In addition, any exposed holes should be properly filled and finished before installing new flooring. If the removed wall was attached to an outside wall it will also be necessary to refinish the exposed places on that outside wall.

If the renovation plans include adding a porch or small room outside the mobile home, it is best to check with local officials so that the homeowner understands the building regulations and code requirements. Many communities have rules that won’t allow a structure to be too close to a property line, for instance. Extending the outside dimensions of any home can be limited by these local rules.

If the plans include putting a porch on the mobile, it may be best to treat the porch as a separate structure that is attached to the outside wall. Some contractors urge homeowners not to try to permanently incorporate the porch into the outside structure of the mobile home. You may also want to use an electric chain saw to clear away any small trees growing close to your mobile home.