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So Youve Decided to Finish Your Basement!Patrick Condon When a family decides to finish a basement space, there are so many factors to consider it can seem overwhelming. What does your family want to achieve within the new basement Are you looking for a play area, a family room, a work-out room, home theatre, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, wet bar, etc Do you have the square footage required to accomplish what you want How do you get started and how long will it take How much will it cost and is it worth the money What if there is a huge beam in the center of you basement Do you have to have a building permit Do you have to remove the items you currently have stored in your basement If these questions make your head swim, try this approach: look for the right team of design/build consultants to navigate you through these waters. People often know they want their basement finished, but dont know how to put it all together, whether they have the necessary space, or even how to get started. Specialty design/build consultants are able to assess your needs and, after accurate measurements are taken, will design various blueprints to fit your requests. From these drawings you can choose the ideas that best suit your requirements and come up with a final blueprint. With this final blueprint in hand, your designer/builders will be able to determine what the cost of the basement finish will be, and provide a start-to-finish timeline on when the project will draw to a close. When determining whether finishing your basement is going to be a worthwhile investment you should consider several variables. Are there comparable homes in your area with finished basements How long do you intend to live there Will the homes there increase in value, and if so, how fast With a little bit of research you will be able to answer these questions, and decide if finishing your basement is right for you. Sometimes a basement has restrictions that need to be considered during the design process. Such limitations can include steel columns or I-beams, HVAC trunks, underground plumbing, water meters, sump pumps, window wells, furnaces, water heaters, the height of your ceiling, and the existing floor conditions. Your design/build consultants should be focused on making these restrictions disappear into the architectural design of your basement while accomplishing your goal for the space. Safety is an important factor to consider when construction of any kind takes place. Ensure all necessary building permits, applications for variances, and building code inspections are complete. All building and fire safety codes should be strictly followed, without exception. In order for construction to begin all items in the basement must be moved to another location such as the garage or a temporary storage facility. This allows construction to be completed without damage to your valuables or disturbance to the construction team. After thoughtful consideration of these questions, youll be closer to determining your familys basement needs and how to fulfill them. Gathering all the information upfront will help you achieve those goals.
| RELATED ARTICLES Is There a Fungus Among Us Mold has taken hold! Not that the microbes have reached out and grabbed us, but rather they have captured our attention. A rash of recent high profile media stories have petrified many people with concerns for both their health and finances. While it is true in some situations that variations and concentrations of mold can kill us both physically and financially, in the vast majority of cases mold problems can be remedied simply and economically. Finding a Color Scheme - Decorating with What you Have If you feel helpless when it comes to picking and blending colors, your answer could be asfar away as your nearest pillow.Check out this quick way to create a color scheme for your home with our PICK - SEE -LMD method. Got Attic Mold Lets Talk Energy Conservation! 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Tips and Suggestions To Help You Plan and Build Your Own Log Home Log Cabin Homes : They have come a long way. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you plan and build your own. Plus be sure to consider the floor plans and not overlook anything. 5-Minute Fabric Decorating Tips for Unlit Fireplace Candelabra Who doesn’t appreciate flickering flames in a fireplace For those who don’t have the inclination or time for burning firewood in their fireplace, fireplace candelabra are the obvious answer. They provide that special glow without the hassle or, in warm weather, the heat. But how do you keep those fireplace candelabra worthy of the visual focal point of your home even for those times when you haven’t lit the candles Bathrooms That Make You Go Ahhh New luxury and convenience items provide for the perfect home retreat Disgusted With Dialup Compare DSL Providers, Cable and Satellite Internet To See If One Is Right For You Come With Me To The Casbah! A ripe persimmon is a thing of beauty – sweet, succulent and an amazing shade of orange-red. Orange and red continue to be popular colors in decorating this year but 2004’s shades are softer and more vibrant, like ripe persimmons and pomegranates. Guide to basic Lawn Mower Maintenance Trying to start your lawn mower after a long winter can be very frustrating.Performing a few routine maintenance tasks before you store your lawn mower for the winter can save you time in the spring, prolong the life of your lawn mower, and save you money over the long run.Even if you have already put your lawn mower into storage for the winter, a few simple maintenance tasks performed before starting your lawn mower in the spring can be very beneficial. Change The Style Of Your Interior With A Minimum Of Costs The style of your interior depends for a great part on the decoration on the walls.Using the right picture on the right place can make your room look bigger.I experienced this for myself when I came in this business. I do sell reproduction paintings, you know. Caveman Jacks Self-cleaning Oven We live in a self-cleaning oven.Not literally, of course.We would burn up if we did.Those things get really HOT! Growing Daffodils In mid-March when winter blues overtake you and it’s hard to find a clear patch in the grey overcast above, I look out my front door and find a spot of sunshine in my newly growing daffodils. |
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