Often times, a basement is the most under-utilized area in a home, by finishing your basement you can make your home bigger as well as increase the retail value. This article discusses the basics of basement finishing, whether you want to finish your basement yourself or higher professionals.

The first concern for many people when finishing a basement is the cost of doing so, however, no matter what your budget, it is possible to create your dream basement. One way to cut the costs of finishing your basement is do it yourself basement finishing; this will eliminate the costs of hiring a professional. However, some of the tasks that come with finishing a basement can be tricky to do yourself and may require professional help. Professional basement finishing companies often have their own basement finishing systems that are used to complete an unfinished basement. These systems include materials that are designed specifically for finishing a basement. Some of the materials consist of special waterproof wall panels for a basement along with other waterproof materials that will keep your basement dry. However, the costs of hiring a professional could be high and not within your planned budget for remodeling.

If you are concerned with the pricing of hiring professionals to finish your basement you can use an online basement finishing cost calculator to determine if it will be within your budget. After deciding whether you will finish your basement yourself or hire a professional you should design your new room. After designing your basement floor plans you can get started on remodeling. Whether or not you hire a professional, the first thing that will need to be done is waterproofing the basement. To begin waterproofing a basement you must first start by repairing any cracks in the foundation floor and walls. Cracks in the foundation can be filled using hydraulic cement fillers or injecting construction-grade epoxy. After the cracks in the foundation are filled you will want to apply waterproofing paint to the walls to create a basement seal to keep water out. After the basement is fully waterproofed you can begin framing the basement.

To frame a basement begin by gluing foam insulation to the foundation walls and rim joists, be sure to use caulk to fill the seams and gaps to prevent air infiltration. After the first layer of insulation is installed you will want to being framing the walls by placing the stud walls one half inch away from the foam; 2x4 pieces of plywood can be used for the frame. After installing the top and bottom studs you will want to custom cut studs to fit the height of the wall and nail studs into place ever sixteen inches. This should be done throughout the entire basement. After the framing is completed you will want to begin finishing basement walls. This can be done by placing insulation into the sixteen inch gaps between each stud and then installing drywall to the frame. If you are finishing the basement on your own, you can search online for a complete step by step guide on how to finish a basement wall.

After the basement is framed and the walls finished you will want to move onto flooring your basement. Flooring for a basement can be done with whatever material you would like; it can be carpet, hardwood, tile or linoleum. You can also purchase waterproof floor systems that are interlocking laminate pieces that snap together making flooring a basement quick and easy. These systems often have the look of hardwood flooring without the potential to feed the growth of mold and mildew.

There are many different design ideas for floors for basements that you can choose from to make you basement have the look you want. After the floors are installed and walls framed and finished you can move onto decorating by painting the walls and installing the desired furniture. Now you will have a finished basement that can function as extra space for entertainment of any kind.