Guest Author - Donna Coogan

Are you interested in finishing your basement into additional living space? A popular home improvement option, the basement is one of the cheapest areas to convert into useable space for your home. It is already under roof and the foundation is already poured. Finishing a basement means tackling interior work that won’t be held up by inclement weather. This usually means it won’t take very long to complete. Another advantage with basement finishing is all the construction is contained away from the main living areas of the home, so you can live your life mostly uninterrupted while the work is being completed.

Basement designs have come a long way from the dreary rooms of the past with their removable ceiling panels, paneled walls and indoor/outdoor carpeting. Today a basement can be designed and decorated to look like any other room in your home.

Sure, they have their quirks and idiosyncrasies. You may have to work around water heaters and heating vents or metal columns in the middle of the room. But, instead of being eyesores, these areas can be framed to add interesting architectural elements to the room.

Before you start finishing the space, you need to check for problem areas and do maintenance and preventative maintenance. This includes properly sealing and waterproofing your basement and having a system in place that will prevent moisture problems. Having a professional inspect your basement and point out potential problems before you begin is a good idea.

There are many uses for a basement and how you use yours will depend on your individual needs. If you only have one small room then you may wish to dedicate it to one activity like a family rec room or hobby room. Should your basement be large enough to break into multiple rooms, then you have more options available to you in your planning.

When it comes to planning, it’s best to know exactly how you want to use your space, how often will it be used, and who will be utilizing it? Will you need soft or hard flooring? Will you need soundproofing? Will you need windows? Will you need access to water? Will your basement require a bathroom or a kitchenette? What kind of heating system will you require?

If your needs are very complicated, you may wish to have a professional help you design the space. Whether you hire out all or just some of the construction work or plan to do everything yourself - starting with a professional plan can save you a lot of time, headaches and unnecessary spending.

Basements today are commonly outfitted as in-law suites, home theaters, home gyms, home offices, music studios, art studios, craft rooms, game rooms, children’s playrooms or teen hangouts. One of the more popular uses of a basement is the “man cave” where the man of the house has a space set aside and decorated just for him. The choices are unlimited, and if you have a basement, you have a gold mine of possibilities to tap into for improving your home.