Basement Renovation Services
Finishing your basement has huge benefits: A renovation will create extra living space – without having to move. It will add value to your property and make it easier to sell.
Cost and Planning
Value added to home
The average increase in value from a basement conversion is 75 cents for every dollar spent. Yet, the immediate benefit is the extra living space.
You can use it as a gym, as an office, as extra living space for a growing family. Or it can be a room for a relative who needs care, a rentable space for a lodger, a games room, or a home cinema. And more besides.
A basement renovation adds value in another important way, too. It can reduce your energy bills. And when the basement becomes habitable, the ambient heat will rise to the floors above.
Cost to complete
Budget to spend or plan on spending about CA$45 per square foot of converted space. The average size of a basement is 500 square feet, which means that the average conversion will cost CA$17,500. This does not include finishing a bathroom as they are more intensive.
Layout
Bathrooms
Atlantic Renovations has extensive experience in bathroom renovations. So, it makes sense to engage us if you need a bathroom in your basement conversion.
Recreation room
Want to convert your basement into a recreation area? Consider laying wall-to-wall carpeting. This will create a warm ambience for your new playroom. Basements are also ideal spaces to create music. If you want a music room, we can soundproof the conversion for you.
Storage
A common concern is about storage. Will you have enough storage space after a conversion is complete? We could also build in a discrete storage space.
Floor plans
We can help you with design sketches to work out the final layout.
Bathroom
Recreation Room
Storage
Floor Plans
Materials
Lighting
Pot lights are commonly used to conserve space and make the ceilings seem higher which can be helpful in a basement. Don’t forget that using LED lighting will cut energy bills too.
Windows
If you want a bedroom in your conversion, it will need to have at least one egress window. Avoid wooden windows in converted basements because of the proximity to moisture. The best material is vinyl.
Flooring
The most common basement flooring types are tile, vinyl, and laminate floor. There are many colours and varieties of these types of flooring. Tile is the most robust flooring and shouldn’t be affected by the moisture changes throughout the year. Vinyl is the second best option as it is both durable and impervious to moisture.
Heating
There are a few different options when finishing your basement living space. The first option is to add outlets to your current heating system. If that isn’t an option electrical baseboard heating is easy to install and efficient to use. There are other options for each unique scenario and are best to consider during the planning stages.
Lighting
Windows
Flooring
Heating
Common Problems
You will need to budget for solutions to common problems. These can include installing effective heating and combating the lack of natural light. You may need to create an egress window for a bedroom. You may need to repair cracks in the foundation walls. However, the most pressing and common problems in basements relate to water.
Moisture
Often basements will require a dehumidifier to keep the moisture levels low, especially during humid times of the year.
Is a sump pump needed?
This is a vital issue to consider. A flood will ruin a beautiful basement conversion in a few hours. Atlantic Renovations can tell you whether you need a sump pump. Once installed, this will help protect your conversion against water damage.
Moisture
Sump Pump
Services
Permits
You will need a PEI building and development permit to convert your basement. The recent Building Codes Act has streamlined the permit application process. But it is still a complex one. Atlantic Renovations has the expertise to manage it for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do about the crack in my basement?
It is best to seal up the crack in your basement before finishing it. If it has not leaked previously it is fine to seal it up from the inside. And if it has leaked consistently it is probably best to address it from the exterior of the foundation.
The most common way is to dig up the exterior and place a waterproofing membrane on the exterior of the foundation. The last thing you want to happen is to finish the basement and have a leak in your wall.
Can I finish my basement?
If your home is less than 40 years old and has higher than 7 foot ceilings, it can probably be finished. There are exceptions but most modern homes with cement floors can be finished. Depending on water issues and how they were built, it may require more work to ensure that water won’t be an issue but, generally speaking, it can be finished.
How do I deal with water issues in my basement?
Most basements in our climate have some sort of water or moisture issue. Due to our soil conditions and large swings in both temperature and humidity, foundations often develop cracks that water can seep through if there is a lot of water build up on the exterior of the foundation. Most small cracks won’t leak as long as the exterior drainage has been done correctly.
Another common problem in our climate is moisture laden air condensing on cool concrete. This can be remediated by insulating the concrete correctly when finishing the basement. It is important to maintain proper air flow in your basement even when finished and depending on the basement, a dehumidifier may be required during the most humid times of the year.
Can I put a bedroom in a basement?
Yes. An egress window would be needed in order to put in a bedroom. There are a lot of basements that use sliding windows that aren’t rated for egress and would be required to be replaced with an egress window. If the opening wasn’t big enough, the concrete would have to be cut in order to make the space large enough.
Another potential limiting factor would be whether the foundation of the basement is out of the ground enough on the exterior to put in a window. If not, there may be a need to install a window well which would allow for egress and the added benefit of more light in your basement.
How do I deal with moisture in my basement?
Due to humidity and temperature differentials, moisture in basements is very common. Having a home ventilation system or a portable dehumidifier can help to limit this problem during the most humid months.
Can I put a bathroom in my basement?
Yes. Most homes with basements built in the last 20 years have the rough plumbing installed in the floor for a future bathroom. If they don’t, the floor may have to be jackhammered up to run plumbing under the floor. If the basement floor is below the septic or sewer line, a lift pump may be required to drain the bathroom plumbing.
How do I deal with the musty smell in the basement?
Often this is due to moisture issues and poor air circulation. This can be rectified with better ventilation and air circulation.
Can I brighten up the basement space?
Yes. We often install pot lights in the basement as it allows for more head clearance on lower basement ceilings. These lights can be put on a dimmer as well so that you can control exactly how much light you would like in your finished basement area. Another option is to install new windows if the top of the foundation is above the ground. If not, window wells can be installed to allow for additional windows.
LET'S DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS
Contact Us
Please provide us with all the information you have about your proposed project. This will enable us to give you an initial estimate of what the work will cost to complete.
Please bear in mind that we will provide you with a detailed and fully detailed quote later. We will send this to you once one of our technicians has conducted their site visit.