I Finished My Basement

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What is the Cost of a Basement?

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cost of a basementIn 2016 more than 95,000 people per month search Google for, "what is the cost of a basement."  Most of the time the websites they find say "it depends".  Thanks, thanks a lot.  So let's start with a super quick and direct answer.

The cost of a basement is between 10 and 35 dollars per square feet. Let's say an average basement is 1,000 square feet of finished space. So the cost of a basement is between $10,000 and $35,000.  10k if you're doing most of the work yourself and up to $35,000 if you're hiring a contractor to finish your basement.

Now. What is the cost of a basement for you? Well…. That depends. I have some information below that will help you figure that out.

cost of a basement tip

To save on the cost of a basement - "Follow the Big Dog"

Don't be discouraged if you think that amount is to high.  I have some cost saving tips that can bring it down significantly.

I've nicknamed my best tip "follow the big dog". It saved me almost 1,500 dollars and [Read more...]

How Do You Build a Wall?

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Just build a wall. What could be simpler?  There's is a lot more to building a wall than you might think. Today I want to try and clarify a wall building concept that took me a long time to figure out and was really quite frustrating.  It boiled down to which style of wall building should you do:

  1. Build your wall on the floor of your basement and then "lift it into place"
    Or
  2. Build your wall "in place", nail each board as you go (a.k.a. "stick-by-stick" )

Build a wall, then lift it into place

build a wall - lift

How do you build a wall? Not like this, if you're doing it yourself.

Let's talk about option "A" first, build a wall on the the floor and then lift it into place. Several of basement and construction books have photos of two people working together, building the wall on the floor of the room they are finishing and then lifting it into place.

From a visual standpoint this is the easier method to understand.  This was the first method that I used.  My "one small wall" was going to be about 8 feet long and I had plenty of room on the ground to build it.

It was a little tricky using this method solo because you need to hold the wood straight as you start to screw them together.  (Yes, I recommend starting with screws because it's easier to back out of a mistake.  And yes… you will make a lot of mistakes at first.

4 Reason NOT to build a wall on the floor and lift: [Read more...]

How Do You Finish a Basement

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How do you finish a basement?

Start by breaking all the rules.

Next, throw out all the traditional notions of home improvement projects. Focus on a test cycle that will speed you through the 8 major phases (see below).

To finish a basement you'll most likely start with framing your walls. Here a photo of my workshop, pre-drywall.

When I was learning how to finish a basement I started by framing this exact room. This one room took what seamed like forever, but after that it got much easier. My daughter Charlotte poking her head in the shot.

Finally, empower yourself by learning the one "skeleton skill" that can un-lock the door to anything you've ever wanted.

I'm going to address the whole "skeleton skill" part at the end of the post but I'm not just blowing smoke here.

How do you finish a basement - Start Small

You need to think big, start small and fail fast.  This is a mantra I stress regularly in my day time profession as a digital marketer but it applies to basement finishing as well.

Stop worrying about getting permits or finishing some 20 page design or budget. Just stop. I want you [Read more...]

Designing Your Basement

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6 Steps to complete the detailed design for your finished basement. Have you been imagining yourself down in the basement hanging out in your new theater room? Maybe shooting pool while your kids are playing Nintendo Wii?

Or maybe you've been browsing through tons of glossy home design magazines. Perhaps you can't stop thinking about how nice it would be to have a spot next to the basement door for hanging wet snow gear after being outside.

It's time to design your basement!

From Ideas to Designs

It doesn't matter whether you plan to finish the basement yourself or have a contractor handle some or all of the work.  You should put your ideas down on paper.  You will need [Read more...]

Permits and Inspections for Basements

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Don't let permits and inspections scare you or worry you.  I remember this was a big mental hurdle in my mind to getting started.  The words alone seem so daunting.  Do you have permits for your basement? Did you pass inspection?  Crap!  What happens if I don't?  Jail time?  Huge fines?

Chillax.  There are no fines and you won't do time.  Try changing the vocabulary from" permits" and "inspections" to "announcements" and "reviews".  The permit is really just an announcement that you are going to do some work on your house.    The inspection is really just a review of your work by a licensed and experienced person who is just checking to make sure everything is safe.

Permits for finishing your basement

Orange Permit to Finish a BasementIf you're finishing your basement yourself you can actually start without one.  I built a couple of my walls before I made it official and purchased my "announcement" (permit). I don't even have permits as one of my 8 steps to how to finish a basement.

Now, if you're planning to have a huge back hoe outside of your house to dig up some dirt and install a basement window, then you may have a neighbor or two who start to ask some questions and in that case you want to have your permit ready.   The very first inspection visit is the framing inspection so as long as you have the permit before then, you're good to go. [Read more...]

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