As homeowners, we often neglect basement renovations because we worry that it is too big a job and that we won’t have the time or experience to complete the project. The truth is that basement renovations are often quite simple to do in an emergency situation, as long as you have all the necessary tools and equipment. I have experienced just this when I was forced to put part of my home due to a flood. Although I was in the process of building another addition onto my house, I had to tear down part of the basement due to the flooding.
Although it was only a few rooms that were damaged, I was able to quickly finish basement renovations using a few weeks’ notice. I made sure that all wet and soggy materials were removed from the basement, including the egress window that leads to the main floor. I also made sure that I had enough basement room left for another floor by removing any insulation that was not required, such as the attic space under my bathroom.
After completing my basement renovations, I had a small amount of cash left over. I contacted several remodeling contractors to do the bulk of the work. I placed the job on their schedule and was able to get most of the work done in a week’s time. I was not disappointed with the work that the contractors did, although I will always remember the hours that I spent working late nights to get the work done. After my work was finished, I contacted the homeowner to be sure that the basement was up to code. She told me that she would pay for the materials that I used but she didn’t want me to put any of the work on her if she wasn’t sure that it was done correctly.
My next project was to renovate the kitchen and bathroom. This was relatively simple and enjoyable as the two rooms have consistent dimensions and utilities. Although I used my basement remodeling contractor’s estimate for the project, I was able to save money by doing my own estimate of the cost of each part. This allowed me to better manage my budget and I wasn’t spending more than I needed to.
Infographic Source: https://www.trocanada.com/a-complete-guide-basement-renovations-infographics/