The family room is a toy convention. The DVD collection clutters bookshelves. A nearby table hosts a science project, too big to toss anywhere else. And when did the big screen TV become the focal point in the room?
Many of the rooms within our homes serve multiple purposes. Keeping the house clean can be difficult if there isn’t enough space to house everything.
What if there was a way to create more usable square footage at home without adding onto the house? Have you ever looked to the basement?
“Oftentimes the basement is the only usable space left in a house if (the homeowners) haven’t already remodeled,” said Jack Heinrich, a designer and consultant with the Neil Kelly Company (NKC).
NARI Knoxville Remodelers have helped many clients transform the area beneath their home into usable space.
There is much to consider when thinking about a basement remodel. NARI experts suggest working with trained professionals to make basement space livable and get the project done safely and with the correct building permits.
“Anybody can come in and finish a basement but it’s not going to count as habitable space so there’s really no value there,” NARI professionals said
“If it’s not done to code and something goes wrong, it could be a liability issue later on,”
Many variables are up for discussion when thinking about a basement remodel. A NARI Professional will discuss the following points with homeowners looking to remodel their basement:
- Functionality: Campbell said that all of her clients wanted to convert their once unused basements into entertaining spaces or a playroom for the kids.
“It’s funny because for many, the more and more technology they get, the more we want to hide it and make it go away,” . “We want to have that sitting room upstairs where you don’t see the TV, but then you want the big screen so you hide it in the basement.”
A NARI Professional's goal is to make each basement feel as little like a basement as possible, but rather, as an extension of the house.
“You can make good choices with lighting fixtures – often recessed lighting and color and material choices – to make the space feel light and airy,”
Since basements are frequently used for storage, creating usable spaces shouldn’t detract from the storage areas.
- Ceiling height and flooring options: Campbell said a basement is “footprint space as long as you have adequate ceiling height.” And in some situations, if the ceiling is too low, the concrete basement floor can be lowered – which is more expensive – to create height and bring the area up to code.
Low hanging pipes must also be considered. Heating and ductwork on the ceiling can be redirected to maintain ceiling height. A variety of flooring materials – and in a variety of thicknesses – depending on ceiling height and how the room will be used.
Generally clients will choose something that’s a little more malleable – like Marmoleum or vinyl or cork that you glue down, or a carpet. Marmolium is a green product. It’s the new spin on linoleum.
Laminate floors and floating floors are also popular.
A floating floor refers to a method of installing individual planks or boards of flooring material that attach to one another by gluing or snapping together. But, the floor doesn’t attach to the sub-floor below. Like a completed jigsaw puzzle, the pieces connect to one another but not the table, or in this instance, the floor. This method allows the floor to move and expand in response to changes in a room’s humidity.
Cement floors expand and contract.
And water damage can oftentimes be problematic. With the right precautions and an internal draining system. Watr can be channeled appropriately and preventative measures can be taken so no water causes damage in the future.
n Emergency escape and stairs: Egress – the exit point besides the doorway – is an important consideration if the basement space will be used as living space and as a bedroom.
You have to have enough room for a person to get out and enough room for a fireman with a pack to get in. ocal building codes indicate what type of egress is necessary.
Stairs – whether existing or new – must meet current code requirements which outline the appropriate height and width.
- Heating and health: Added usable space means there will be more space that will be used, and more space that will be heated and cooled.
“You’re taking more square footage off of your existing furnace so does your furnace need to be upgraded?” “A lot of times, you had maybe two heat vents in that space and treated it more like a basement cellar.”
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning may need to be addressed for climate control. Humidity and temperatures should be regulated to maintain safe and healthy basement conditions.
discussing asbestos and – if needed – removing it by a professional before beginning a remodel project is vital.
“It’s common to see (plumbing) joints covered in asbestos.
The silicate mineral is toxic and inhaling asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses. Heinrich also suggests checking the area for radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally and is odorless, tasteless and colorless and can seep into a home through foundation cracks.
There can be unhealthy levels of that that (homeowners) don’t know about. If it’s (eliminated) at the time of the remodel it’s a relatively inexpensive fix,
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Learn More About Green Remodeling
Want to learn more about Green Remodeling? NARI has a Green Education Course starting June 8, 2009. Email info@nari.org - call 800-611-6274
Remodeling Clients Benefit from Tax Credits, Lower Costs
Remodeling costs 20% less than 2006, survey says
Savings vary by state, region, and the specific project, but no matter where and what remodeling is being done, it is less expensive now to remodel than it has been for several years, according to the consumer oriented Web site.
Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Catching Attention of Homeowners
Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Catching Attention of Homeowners
Most commonly planned projects include adding energy-efficient windows, roofing, a new hot water heater or insulation
DENVER, April 17, 2009 – The federal government this year extended and expanded home energy efficiency tax credits through 2010 as part of the broader economic recovery package, and millions of U.S. homeowners appear poised to pursue them, according to a survey released today by Johns Manville.
More than two-thirds of survey respondents, or 68 percent, said they were aware of the newly created federal energy efficiency tax credits. Of those homeowners, 46 percent said they intend to make a home improvement-related purchase that qualifies for an energy efficiency tax credit, including nine percent of homeowners who said they had already done so during the first three months of 2009. KEEP READING
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
