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I get asked ALL the time – “How can I get the most out of finishing my unfinished basement?”

It is not inexpensive to finish a basement – and I get it – we want the biggest return on our investment possible!

So, I am going to share with you a few tips and tricks to maximizing your investment.

First and foremost, before you begin ANY work in your basement, you need to make sure your existing space is in good shape. There should be no leaks or condensation, all your joists and windows should be in good condition and your heating and water systems all up to date. If you aren’t sure, have an inspector or contractor give your basement a once over before beginning.

If everything looks good, you also need to understand if your basement is going to pass your local building code requirements. Some older basements have low ceiling heights or stair designs that will NOT pass current building code, so will need to be addressed before anything else begins. This can be a game changer from a budget standpoint – so worth figuring out before investing anything into your space.

As well, if you have dreams of adding bedrooms to your basement, there are strict window size and exit requirements, contact your municipality for applicable building codes and rules regarding “egress” windows. You may need to add windows or make existing window openings larger, so factoring this into your budget early on will save you some stressful surprises down the road.

 If you are considering turning your future basement into a rental suite – that is a whole different ball of wax that we will address in a future video. There are multiple specific requirements that would include things like independent heating systems, fire rated drywall separating the suites, separate entrances and more that you will need to account for in your planning phase.

Your basement project will very likely require a permit from your local permitting office, so your next step is creating a plan or a drawing that will show how you plan to layout and use your new space.

So, you have likely been fantasizing about what you could do with all this new square footage you are going to have. Maybe a theatre room for family movie time, a man cave for Dad to escape to to watch the game, maybe a large wet bar for entertaining friends. What ever the dream is, you need to ask yourself what you are NOT getting out of your upstairs space that would add real value to your daily life?

So, in other words, do your Mom and Dad come to visit every month and you have to shift everything around in your home office to fold out cots that really aren’t that comfortable and don’t create a very nice welcome, so you feel stressed every time they come for a visit?

Do your teens have their friends over on the weekends but take over your living room so you are forced to hide out in your bedroom, after all you would rather have them hanging out at your home instead of God knows where?

Do you currently have a family office that everyone shares, but no one really takes responsibility for so it’s a constant mess and you never want to use it because it is such a sore spot?

So, while the dreamy entertaining bar might be important for some, prioritizing what is really going to be valuable and impactful is a super important exercise to undertake before getting too deep into your planning.

Most basement projects I have worked on over the years have at minimum these elements to make a super functional space:

• A guest bedroom that allows for a queen bed at a minimum. This could double as an office space with the use of a murphy bed. Consider adding a nook for guests to lay down and unpack or repack their suitcase as you might in a hotel room.

• A full bathroom that includes a shower, for guests.

• A storage room that allows for future growth.

• A recreational space that allows for a TV or play area.

• Some type of food or drink storage, so a small or large dry or wet bar.

Keep in mind, that every project is unique and you will have your own set of priorities, but these elements are most commonly the ones that answer to most people’s needs.

Now, a few things you will want to consider and allow for in your budget are items like lighting, heating, finishes and furniture. Each of these elements will play a key part in how functional and inviting your basement will be. Let’s look at each one in a bit more detail.

You have all experienced that feeling a dark underlit basement can elicit right? Basements have gotten a real bum wrap in the past mostly due to really poor lighting and a lack of natural light. So properly lighting your basement is key if you want anyone to want to go down there. Allow for a good number of recessed pot lights, some additional task lighting like table and floor lamps and add some accent lighting such as undercabinet lights, stair lights or decorative ceiling lights. Watch our video dedicated to lighting for more tips on how to get your lighting selections just right.

With your new basement now well lit, the other key area likely to scare home owners back upstairs is a lack of heat. If your basement is too cold, no one will use it and you will have thrown thousands of dollars down the drain. I highly recommend adding some additional sources of heat such as in floor heating, a fireplace (gas or electric), baseboard heating, or adding zoning dampers to your existing HVAC system to heat the basement on a separate thermostat. Make sure you have an expert help you select these pieces to ensure you get the correct amount of heat output for your basement size and use. This doesn’t have to break the bank – there are a ton of options out there so do your research – you will be glad you did!

Next, selecting the best finishes for your lifestyle and personal taste is crucial. You need to balance budget with function and style. While carpet is typically the most cost effective flooring option, if you are going to have panic attacks every time your kids head down with food or drinks in hand, it might be worth it to choose a product like a luxury vinyl plank that can really take a beating.

Try not to squeeze the budget on your finishes. This is where you want to spend a bit more to create a super functional and stylish space. These elements are not easy to change in the future and should be able to stand the test of time.

The most undervalued part of a basement project is always the furniture and decorative elements – but without these items, your basement will never feel complete. I recommend budgeting in around 20% of your overall budget to this section.

Now inevitably what happens, is most home owners have lost a bit of steam by the time they get to the furnishing part of the project – so I encourage you to plan this part out at the beginning, before construction even begins. So by the time the construction is complete – all you have to do is move the items in and strategically place all of your beautiful items.

We have a quote from Frank Lloyd Wright on our website that says “You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledge hammer on the construction site.” And nothing could be more true when it comes to properly planning for any design project. Everything is in the planning.

Thanks for joining me today and please keep your questions coming via Instagram (@flawlessinteriors) or replying to our weekly newsletters. We will catch you in the next video!