If you’re a homeowner with an unfinished basement, you might be selling your home short. After all, a basement can be a hangout, a man cave, a party room, really just about anything you want it to be. If you’ve never considered it before, you may want to think seriously about doing a basement remodel.
You may not know, but finishing your basement costs about 80% less than buying a bigger house. As if that wasn’t enough, finishing your basement gives homeowners nearly an 80% return on investment (ROI).
Even if you’ve never done a basement remodel before, don’t fret. There are many easy ways to transform your basement into a useable space, instead of just a storage area. In fact, with these three easy steps, you can give your basement a totally new look and function:
- Figure out how the basement is used: If you’re going to do a basement remodel, you first need to figure out how exactly the basement is going to be used so you can finish it. Finishing a basement, as noted above, is a better alternative than moving. You may not know it, but a local basement remodeling company can finish a basement in as little as a month.
Once a basement is finished, you need to figure out what it’s going to be used for. It is going to be a play area for your kids? Is it going to be a place where you erect a home theater? If you have a crafty hobby such as woodworking, is it going to be a work area? Keep in mind that the function of your basement may change as time passes and events happen, I.e. kids growing up. With that in mind, you can turn your finished basement into just about anything including:- A bar area, complete with a wet bar
- A home gym
- An office
- An extra bedroom or two
- A family room with a fireplace
- A media room
- Use the whole basement: Even if you do a full basement remodeling project, there are likely going to be some areas that are still underutilized. For example, think about the space under your basement stairs. If you’re not using it, it could be a great spot for extra items such as sports equipment or outdoor toys or even a wine storage area if you’re looking for a school spot to store wine.
Aside from that, you should consider using shelving or cabinets to keep things organized. If your basement has been a cluttered storage area up to this point, you likely want it to stay clean after a basement remodel. - Redefine your design: If you’re a person that needs to visualize something before it becomes a reality, your basement is the perfect canvas to try out this plan. Your basement doesn’t have to have tons of bells and whistles, nor does it have to be a place with dripping water and flickering lightbulbs.
By thinking about your basement not as a basement, but as a unique part of your house, you can really redefine how your basement is used. They don’t have to bland, boring storage areas. They can be places where you can let your creative juices flow. You add texture to your basement by adding panels or tile; you can be creative with light and create focal points; you can redo the flooring by putting in tile or even carpet. In short, you can give your basement some personality and you can have it reflect your personality.
When it comes to pulling off a basement remodel, the sky truly is the limit. If you’re looking for a place to let your creativity run wild, your basement can be that magical place. You can transform your basement into your dream home theater or the perfect rec room where you and your family can come and let loose. You can turn it into extra living space for when you have company or you can set up the perfect home office or gym. It can be whatever you want and it can be special.