Our First Venture Into Home Renovations
In 2008, I decided that it was time to remodel the basement into a finished space. I contacted 3 companies to show up and give their proposal and see what types of material they would use. My concerns at the time was to make sure the materials used were of high quality, but also able to withstand getting wet.
I lived in a home where the basement would flood under heavy rain conditions, so I wanted to make sure the walls and floor were easy to disassemble and dry, if needed. I was also adding in a 3/4 bath in the basement, and was able to use one company's quote to lower, the company I went with, price. I was at first very excited and anxious for construction to start, as the house was a small 1,000 sq.ft. ranch and wanted the extra space.
This was much cheaper way to get the space without having to add onto the house. When construction starter, I was given a tentative schedule of when the different crews would show up. As the build continued, the most annoying factor was waiting for the plumbing and electrical inspector to show up and sign off on the building permit.
The city I lived in was quite large and I knew the inspectors were always booked. So, this added a few weeks to the complete build, which was definitely a pain to deal with. One other major thing, which we were not happy about, was the plasterers used to plaster the consoling being put in. Due to a low ceiling height, per code, we had to have a plaster ceiling instead of a drop ceiling. But, the plasterers mad a mess of the walls, the floors, and the other unfinished portion of the basement.
Besides that, the plumbers and the electrician that were contracted out for the work were very nice and did a wonderful job. When the final construction was completed, I was very happy with the results. The room was nice and bright from all the recessed lighting that were put in. The 3/4 bath was also extremely useful as the house only had one full bath. We started to use the space right away as a movie/game room. I wanted to make sure we used the space that we just spent so much money to build!
One of the hardest decisions was choosing silestone or granite countertops http://quartzkitchencountertops.org/silestone-vs-granite-countertops/ for the kitchenette down there. We chose quartz in the end and are very happy with the decision. It wasn't a cheap alternative but the worry free surface is perfect for a basement.
I lived in a home where the basement would flood under heavy rain conditions, so I wanted to make sure the walls and floor were easy to disassemble and dry, if needed. I was also adding in a 3/4 bath in the basement, and was able to use one company's quote to lower, the company I went with, price. I was at first very excited and anxious for construction to start, as the house was a small 1,000 sq.ft. ranch and wanted the extra space.
This was much cheaper way to get the space without having to add onto the house. When construction starter, I was given a tentative schedule of when the different crews would show up. As the build continued, the most annoying factor was waiting for the plumbing and electrical inspector to show up and sign off on the building permit.
The city I lived in was quite large and I knew the inspectors were always booked. So, this added a few weeks to the complete build, which was definitely a pain to deal with. One other major thing, which we were not happy about, was the plasterers used to plaster the consoling being put in. Due to a low ceiling height, per code, we had to have a plaster ceiling instead of a drop ceiling. But, the plasterers mad a mess of the walls, the floors, and the other unfinished portion of the basement.
Besides that, the plumbers and the electrician that were contracted out for the work were very nice and did a wonderful job. When the final construction was completed, I was very happy with the results. The room was nice and bright from all the recessed lighting that were put in. The 3/4 bath was also extremely useful as the house only had one full bath. We started to use the space right away as a movie/game room. I wanted to make sure we used the space that we just spent so much money to build!
One of the hardest decisions was choosing silestone or granite countertops http://quartzkitchencountertops.org/silestone-vs-granite-countertops/ for the kitchenette down there. We chose quartz in the end and are very happy with the decision. It wasn't a cheap alternative but the worry free surface is perfect for a basement.