Your Best Guide to a Basement Remodel

The latest process step of home improvement in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is basement renovation. We understand why you might want to start here: this area of the home is often the most difficult to renovate and takes a lot of additional work. This fact is particularly true if you try to do your renovation on your own, an idea that most people shouldn't attempt due to the unique demands it asks.

However, that doesn't mean you should ignore the ins and outs of the renovation process. In fact, fully grasping how to renovate a basement is a good idea for a variety of reasons. First of all, you can get insurance to cover any mistakes that your builders may make and, consequently, you may have made otherwise. By hiring a professional, you can also rest easy knowing that the renovation process went as smoothly as possible for you.

Start With the Walls

The walls of your basement are one of the most significant elements that you need to focus on when you renovate your basement. For example, you need to frame them up correctly to ensure that they are reliable, and then carefully build and place them. While some may decide to make the walls while they are already in place, framing is a better option because it ensures your basement is safe.

Framing a wall can be a rather tricky process and requires you to install a bottom 2 x 4 board on the floor. This board should be as long as the wall and will serve as a critical anchoring element. A similar board should be installed above this board to add the top anchor of the frame. Now, you need to measure out the stud location to ensure proper wall strength. Break down stud location evenly into stretches that support your wall and areas with higher weight above them.

Now you can add your 4 x 4 studs where you planned. Make sure that the center of the board goes down the line you drew on the top and bottom anchors to keep them even. Nail or screw them into place, and your frame is done. Repeat this process throughout your basement to add new walls where you need them. Tear down only one wall at a time if necessary to ensure this home improvement process goes off without a hitch.

Add Your Plumbing Elements

Plumbing installation is probably something that you should have a professional do for you. Though some amateurs may have the ability to frame walls, adding new plumbing may be too difficult. And yet, this step is one of the most important for this home improvement process. Simply put, you'll be adding more efficient plumbing appliances and pipes that will help save you money and ensure that your basement is as free of excess water as possible.

Starting out, you'll need to identify the various pipes in your basement, measure them out, and find suitable replacements. The process of removing the pipes, hauling in replacement ones, and adequately joining them is one that will take up a lot of time. Again, we can't emphasize the importance of having a professional help you out. They'll be able to rough in your plumbing for you without you having to spend excessive time and money.

For example, you may need to break up concrete areas of your floor to add new pipes, if necessary. This step of the renovation process can be dangerous if you aren't prepared to do it on your own. For example, simply lifting a sledgehammer may hurt some people while swinging it will put a strain on your heart and your overall health. And flying bits of concrete may hit you and cause injury – hire somebody to do this for you to save yourself the trouble.

Add Electrical and HVAC Elements

Here's another step of the home improvement process that needs professionals – the installation of electrical and HVAC elements. The latter feature may be unnecessary if you already have a reliable heating and cooling presence and don't need to add anything else. However, you may be upgrading your vents and other areas of the system, so make sure that you know what you want and that you listen to what your repair expert says to do.

No homeowner should do their own electrical work unless they are trained as an electrician. Trying to add new electrical sockets, outlets, and wiring to your new basement can be dangerous if you aren't adequately trained. For example, you might not correctly ground a plug and cause it to short out or even trigger a fire. You may also cause electrical shocks or electrocution if water in the basement – a common issue – spreads far enough.

As a result, you should never risk doing this step on your own. Most home renovation experts should have the skills to handle this element. Think of these improvement experts as a bit of a jack of all trades – they understand a lot about many types of renovation projects and can effectively execute them. While they might not have the specialized skills for certain types of repairs, they can more than handle the electrical and HVAC needs of your basement.

Other Steps to Consider

Although the following processes above are most commonly utilized during a basement renovation, a myriad of other steps are necessary to ensure an attractive basement. These include:

• Finishing the walls to enhance your home's structure
• Adding new flooring to improve your basement appearance
• Installing new ceiling elements for extra protection
• Staining your wall materials to enhance their strength
• Converting the basement into a fun sitting room

This last step isn't strictly necessary but does help to give you one extra room of your home. A finished basement is often an excellent place for guests to sleep, serves well as a game room, and provides a variety of other benefits that make it an excellent choice for you.

Finding the Right Experts for Your Needs

As you can see, the basement renovation process is one that will take many days to finish, potentially even weeks. Trying to save yourself on construction labor is understandable but a wrong decision for most homeowners. Simply put, you're more likely to make serious mistakes that jeopardize the quality of your basement renovation and require professionals to fix the errors that you've already made.

So if you are going through the process of home improvement in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and need some help ensuring your basement is in good shape, please don't hesitate to contact us as soon as possible to learn more. Our experts will work with your needs to increase the quality of your basement, minimize any efficiency issues, and give you an insight into the renovation process as a whole.