Basements serve a variety of purposes in homes today. Some families use them as storage areas to hold all their possessions that won’t fit anywhere else. Others tire of being cramped up in smaller spaces and decide they want a finished basement they can use for additional living space.
Whether you’ve just moved into your home or it has been your residence for years, your basement provides square footage that can make your life easier.
The most important criteria? It must meet your changing needs as time goes by.
For example, when you live in your home as a single person, you can make it the way you like it. You have the freedom to paint, decorate and remodel as you see fit—and if you want to finish your basement to store memorabilia or create a crafts room, that’s totally up to you.
When you and your spouse share your home as a couple, you make decisions jointly: which room you’ll use for guests, which bathroom you’ll remodel with that luxurious shower you spied at the home improvement store, where you’ll store your best china to use when family comes to visit.
If, in the process, you find you don’t have enough room to accomplish all that, together you may decide on a finished basement.
Once children arrive, many families need even more space. From constructing a nursery, to building a media room for the kids, to adding a wet bar where mom and dad can entertain friends, basement renovations can help meet everyone’s needs—at an affordable price.
But determining what you need, and when you need it, is only the first step toward the finished basement of your dreams. Before you go any further, you’ll want to determine how extensive your project should be and how much money you plan to spend.
This is where the advice of a professional can be invaluable. An experienced subcontractor with extensive experience in the field can help you determine how to use your finances to get the most value for your money.
He or she can also help make sure you don’t overinvest in the project and end up losing your money when you sell your home down the road.
But how do you know which professional to choose?
When choosing a finished basement subcontractor, make sure you ask for references. No one can confirm your choice, or advise you go elsewhere, like a previous customer. Professionals also understand the power of referrals and, therefore, usually offer some sort of warranty to make sure customers like you are satisfied with their work.
Finally, check each subcontractor’s credentials, licensing and insurance documents, and request a free estimate for the work you’d like performed. Communicate your needs clearly to ensure he or she understands exactly what you need, from dimensions to function to design. That way, you’ll end up with the finished basement you need—and can enjoy the final product for years to come.
Penny M. Hagerman is a communications expert and marketing professional living in Denver, Colorado. Penny lends her talents to businesses nationwide and enjoys helping them grow and prosper.