Avoid These 5 Disastrous, But Surprisingly Common Basement Remodeling Mistakes

/0 Comments/in /by

Photo Courtesy of State Farm

 

Are you thinking about remodeling your Lafayette, Indiana basement from a dark, spooky, musty storage catch-all into a bright, fabulous living space where you can welcome family and friends? As you load your Pinterest board and scrapbook with ideas, step back for a moment and please make sure you know what not to do with your basement remodeling project first! This will help you prevent expensive, time-consuming and downright maddening problems you don’t want in your amazing new basement! The key to avoiding many basement design mistakes is getting experienced, professional help. The design-build team at Riverside Construction can help you steer clear of these six common basement mistakes, as well as many others:

Creating Too Many Tiny Rooms

The mere fact that basements are underground can bring out the claustrophobia in many people, so you want to design a space that doesn’t feel like it’s underground. That means creating a lot of light and open space. While it’s fine to add a couple of rooms, you’ll want to consider space-opening options like in-line cabinets and shelves built into the walls. Whether you’re designing a family fun room, an entertainment room, a man cave or an in-law suite, make sure to choose basement design ideas that are open, airy and bright.

Forgetting the Waterproofing

Again, being underground makes basements extremely susceptible to water damage. Anytime a pipe bursts, a drain gets clogged or there’s a heavy rainfall, you can have puddles (even lakes) forming down there, costing thousands of dollars of damage. Even small amounts of excess moisture can cause mold and mildew—two other things you absolutely want to avoid (see point 4 below for more on this topic). Your design build team can help you by making sure your design includes the following basement waterproofing elements:

  • A sump pump
  • Good drainage
  • Waterproof building materials

Not Adding Soundproofing into the Design

There are two main reasons soundproofing is critical to your basement remodeling project:

  1. If you’re turning your basement into an entertainment room, it could get noisy down there.
  2. Many of your home’s mechanical systems live in the basement, humming, buzzing and clicking along at all hours. This can be unpleasant if you’re turning your basement into an in-law suite or guest apartment. All that background noise can bug you during movies too.

There are several ways to add soundproofing to your basement, including building extra space between wall layers or using soundproof padding. Our design-build team can make the best soundproofing recommendations based on your needs and basement design.

Installing the Wrong Lighting

Choosing the right lighting for your basement remodel is absolutely critical, not just for mood and space reasons, but for safety. As the naturally-darkest area of your home, you’ll need plenty of light to make it brighter and prevent safety issues.

Unobtrusive, space-saving recessed lighting is an obvious choice for basements due to the ordinarily-low ceilings, but you’ll need to check the insulation in your basement’s ceilings first. Depending on what type of insulation you have, you may need to install IC-rated pot lights to avoid fire hazards. Depending on how high your basement ceilings are, you may also be able to install some pendant or other hanging light fixtures as well. Also consider lighting built into the shelves, along the walls and other ways of bringing more light into this normally-dark space.

Neglecting Building Permits and Proper Egress (Emergency Exits)

Proper egress means having safe, essential exit methods in case of an emergency. Not only is this a safety issue that you must not forget for the safety of your family and friends, but neglecting this and other building codes can cost you a lot of money too. Insurance companies will make you pay. Building inspectors will make you pay. Potential homebuyers may cross you off of their list if you’re trying to sell. Your Riverside Construction design-build team in Lafayette will help you make sure that essential window and door exits are added to the design from the beginning, and that the stairways are strong and safe.

Also, if you fail to get the right permits for your building project, this can cause you a lot of expense and hassle too. Riverside Construction helps homeowners obtain the correct permits and ensures that all of the design plans adhere to the latest safety and building codes.

Do Your Basement Remodel Right the First Time

Remodeling your basement beautifully and safely can add a lot of value to your home, but only if you get an expert to help you avoid these and other basement remodeling mistakes. Your design-build team can also help you stay within budget and use the correct, waterproof building materials that will stand up against moisture mishaps that could happen in any basement.

If you’re still considering basement designs, flip through our basement design portfolio for some more inspiration, and contact us for a personalized consultation today: 765.838.1644.

Your Lafayette Home Addition Guide: How to Add Lifetime Value to Your Home

/0 Comments/in , /by

Sometimes even the coziest of homes can feel a little too cozy. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to love their house and neighborhood but just need more space. A home addition is a great way to get infinitely more enjoyment out of your home.

Some homeowners choose to add on to the ground level, creating a bigger kitchen, a larger family room, a master suite or a sunroom out of a previously unused section of the yard. Others choose to build up—adding living space on top of a garage, putting up an entire second story or converting attic space into living space. Still, others build down, remodeling a basement into a bedroom, family room or office.

The smartest home additions are the ones that you’ll use and enjoy day-in and day-out. In Lafayette, these are the most popular home additions producing maximum enjoyment:

Adding a Sunroom or Enclosed Patio

Do you have a spectacular view or live on a golf course? Do you miss lazy afternoons on the patio in the winter?  If so, then a sunroom addition or enclosed patio is a must-have. An architectural bridge between your indoor and outdoor living space, it will bring that beloved view straight into your home.

You can use traditional stud-and-truss framing and shingle roofs, and build it to your specifications, but of course, the hallmark of any sunroom or indoor patio is the essential glass wall. This visual portal may be a literal exit (perhaps French or sliding doors) or full-length windows, but don’t skimp on its size. Typically, as much as 80% of this outer wall can be glass.   

Adding a Great Room

Photo Courtesy of bitmeerut.club

While a formal parlor has gone out of fashion, there’s still appeal in having a space dedicated to bringing friends and family together. Call it a great room or family room, it’s the place where the kids can do homework and then enjoy gaming. It’s where you relax after dinner or have friends join you to watch a football game. And with the addition of a pull-out couch or rollaway, it can easily double as an informal guest room. No matter what you’ll be using it for, with the time spent in your family room, you’re sure to add both sentimental value and financial worth to your home.

While there are many options for locating a family room, placing it adjacent to the kitchen is a popular choice among homeowners of Tippecanoe County and the surrounding area. When the family room is near the kitchen, it’s a perfect fit for entertaining—joining the two most used rooms in a single location. At the same time, it preserves the peace and privacy of the bedrooms and more intimate space. (Also, if you have kids in the house, the family room/kitchen combo is a great way to keep an eye on them, while you make dinner.)   

Finishing a Basement

Remodeling or finishing a basement can be another way to gain more enjoyment out of your home. Also, because basements tend to be separate from the main living space, the remodel process likely won’t be as disruptive to your daily life.

Basement remodeling projects do have some special considerations, though—particularly related to the age and condition of your home’s foundation and drainage systems, and also to the plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems. Additionally, many basements do not have windows and, particularly if you’re adding a bedroom, you’ll need to find a way to bring in some natural light.

Basement remodels vary quite a bit from home to home, here are details about three basement renovation projects and the costs for each.

Adding on to your home is a decision that can yield tremendous benefits for you and your family. A remodel may allow you to stay in your home and neighborhood, have a loved one move in, or create the space you need to get maximum enjoyment out of your home.

Since most addition and remodeling projects increase the lifetime value of your home, a well-planned and executed remodel can certainly be worth the investment. Contact Riverside Construction today to request a complimentary design consultation, and let us guide you through the process.

For further design inspiration, visit Riverside Construction’s portfolio. You can also sign up to find out about our upcoming complimentary home remodeling seminars: There, you’ll learn how to budget for your remodel, how long your project should take, current design trends, products to consider, how to select a contractor—and you’ll even get a free lunch!