Reclaim Your Basement

Is your house starting to feel small? Need additional space in your home? If you are one of many lucky homeowners who own a basement, you have the option to transform an unused or cluttered basement into a large, functional living space. You may even increase your home’s value. Depending on the location of your home, a finished basement (properly remodeled) can add square footage to your home’s “for-sale” listing.

When undertaking a basement remodel, consider these three steps to ensure you are adequately prepared:

1) Evaluate Your Space

Start by assessing the condition of your basement. Do you have any basement obstacles such as low ceilings, excessive moisture, or ventilation issues? Would you need plumbing and electrical added for a kitchen or a bathroom?

Basements often store furnaces, hot water heaters, or HVAC systems and run plumbing lines along the ceiling and down the walls. At Riverside Construction, we are used to helping you navigate these issues, designing a space that fits your functional and lifestyle needs, as well as your budget.

Size

How you use your basement will be determined by its size. A smaller basement (under 700 sq. ft.) may be perfect for adding an efficient and inviting laundry room, complete with large-capacity appliances, a drying rack, utility sink, plenty of countertop space and cabinetry to hide laundry supplies, etc. Or, secure much needed quiet space, cut off from the rest of the home, by designing a new home office or workshop. At minimum, you will need to plan to run electrical wiring for computer equipment, lighting and other office amenities.

An average size basement is roughly 700 to 1,000 sq. ft. If you have a growing family and an average size basement, a playroom may be the best solution for freeing up more living space in the main part of your home.

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Obviously, the more space you have to work with, the more options you have. If you have a basement over 1,000 sq. ft., you have the option to create unique space out of an open-plan basement or create “zones”, breaking up a large room into multiple sections (each zone has a specific use, but everything is tied together through a common design style).

Use

A finished basement can add valuable living space to your home—the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few examples of how homeowners are reclaiming their basements:

  • Additional Family/Living Space
  • Rentable Living Space
  • Game/Sports Room
  • Media Room/Home Theater
  • Kid’s Play Room
  • Wine Cellar
  • Man (or Woman) Cave
  • Exercise/Work Out Room
  • Den/Home Office
  • Arts & Crafts Room

How will you use your space? A popular trend nowadays is converting a basement to a self-contained living space, complete with it’s own kitchenette, bathroom, bedroom and living area. This is commonly known as an in-law suite and is a fantastic way to add value to your home while catering to your families’ evolving needs.

2) Design your Basement

Once you have decided how you want to use your new basement, you’ll want to design your new space. With very few windows in basements, be sure to include a variety of lighting options to brighten up your space—to include recessed lighting, track lighting or mirror-backed sconces. You’ll also want to incorporate all of the necessary plumbing and electrical work while walls and floors are unfinished.

Basement flooring options vary greatly. Typical options include concrete, carpet, luxury vinyl tile, or laminate. After taking the appropriate measures to level your basement floor, you’ll want to choose flooring that will fit your design style and will survive any basement challenges with moisture or water issues.

Does your basement include unsightly load bearing pillars that can’t be removed? Incorporate them into your basement design by painting them with a contrasting color or covering them with wainscoting or another material. Our interior designers can work with you to select the perfect colors, materials and fixtures, designing a basement that fits your lifestyle and your budget.

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3) Make Room for Storage

A basement remodel, no matter the size, is the perfect opportunity to add much needed storage to your home, the kind we never seem to have enough of. Don’t be afraid to utilize every nook and cranny, including under the basement stairwell. Custom built-Ins are always popular as well as open shelving. Consider using open shelving around support beams to minimize clutter.

If you are inspired to reclaim your basement, contact Riverside Construction today!  Take the first step by scheduling an in-home meeting with your very own personal design consultant.

In-Law Suites, a Sweet Addition to Your Home

Considering adding an in-law suite to your home? Given the changing landscape of the economy, in-law suites are becoming a popular choice for many homeowners. Particularly, with multigenerational housing increasing as well. Whether you are converting a room, adding a free-standing apartment, or building a bedroom and bath addition, one common attribute is the ground floor accessibility and added sales appeal (generally, in-law suites increase property value).

If you’re like the majority of Americans over the age of 45, you want to continue living in a familiar environment throughout your maturing years. As you think about your parents’ future and those of your in-laws (and even your own), some initial planning can ensure both you and your loved ones are comfortable, independent and safe.

Consider these helpful tips before you build:

1) Location, Location, Location

Decide where to build the in-law suite. You’ll want to assess your home to determine the best possible location. Do you have a garage or enclosed porch that can be converted into a living space? Do you have two bedrooms that can be combined into one, or a basement that can be converted into a separate living area? Or, perhaps you have adequate space to build a room addition?

If a room addition is necessary to accommodate your new in-law suite, you’ll want to make sure that the new space blends seamlessly with your home’s exterior. A design build contractor will work with you to ensure the addition flows with the original architecture of your home.

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2)  Accommodations

Once you have identified where to add your in-law space, you will need to decide what you want to include in the space and how it should flow. Typical in-law suites include a living room, full kitchen and a separate bedroom and private bathroom with adequate storage in both. Ideally, an in-law suite will also have a separate entrance. In this case, zoning restrictions may come in to play and determine what you can or cannot do. Your design/build contractor will help you navigate this process.

We’ve collected some in-law suite ideas for you on our Pinterest board. Enjoy!

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3)  Universal Design Principles

When designing an in-law suite, it’s important to incorporate universal design principles, to ensure whoever occupies the space is safe, independent and comfortable for years to come. The National Association of Home Builders defines universal design as “the design of products and environments to be usable to all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation of specialized design.” A universally designed space considers aging-in-place needs, whether you are young or old, short, tall, healthy or ill. These amenities include, but are not limited to:

  • No step entries and non-slip floors
  • Wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers
  • Wider hallways (36-42 inches wide)
  • Extra floor space
  • Easy open, lever door and drawer hardware
  • Larger bathrooms with hand-held shower heads and level-entry, curbless showers
  • Good lighting to include well-lit outdoor walkways and entrances
  • Lower light switches and thermostat controls, within easy reach of the bed.
  • Easy access to separate heat and air conditioning controls as well as smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors.

For questions about incorporating an in-law suite into your home, contact Riverside Construction today! Take the first step by scheduling an in-home meeting with your very own personal design consultant.