Before You Finish Your Basement
Posted by admin in Before You Finish Your Basement on October 17th, 2009
So you’re at the point where you need more space and you’re on a limited budget, you also need it done quickly. Well if you have a basement then you’re in a good position to get it done asap right? Not so fast because there are some considerations before you dive in.
Moisture - Do you have any moisture or water problems currently or have you had any in the past? These problems are your first and foremost conditions that must be taken care before you do any thing else. Even if the cost of curing your moisture or water problems takes you out of getting a finished basement you need to remedy these problems no questions asked. Moisture and water problems in your home is like having a fire you must take care of it immediately. Consider yourself lucky that you know about the problem because some problems are subtle and unnoticeable then manifest themselves later as a huge problem. Moisture in your house creates rot, mold, rust, stains, mildew and unpleasant odors. So before you finish your basement take care of your moisture problems or you might be building a basement that will need to be redone or ripped apart later on. You don’t want to do your basement twice do you?
Contractors - Usually calling a couple contractors over to measure the job and give you a price quote is a good first step. They can give you an idea of costs, how long it will take and might be able to spot any water problems you have.
Layout/Design - Before you call a contractor you might want to figure out how you want the basement configured. Where do you want the bath, kitchen, bedrooms etc. or you might want one big space. If you have a good idea before the contractor comes over it will be easier for the contractor to know what your intentions are. Some home owners even create a simple floor plan and give it to the contractor. You can achieve this with simple inexpensive software or use graph paper and draw it out by hand.
Budget - Be honest you need a certain amount of money to accomplish a certain amount of living space. You might want to let the contractor know what your budget is so you’re not misleading them. Or instead of disclosing your budget you can ask your contractor to do your basement in stages. For example you can ask your contractor to do the framing first and wait till you have enough funds to do the plumbing and electric. Then when you’re ready you can have the contractor come back to do the wall board and plastering/spackling. If you’re having a drop ceiling you can do that as another step also. You can split the job into a few steps to make it easier for you to pay or you can finance the project. Some contractors offer financing or you can choose your own options.
Entrance/Egress - An outside entrance and egress window will greatly increase the value and safety of your finished basement. You should consider having one or both of these elements applied to your finished basement. Some codes require they be installed but for safety egress during an emergency these options might serve invaluable. The costs will be higher but the increase in value will balance that out. An egress window is the task of making a small window large enogh for someone to fit through. In the event of a fire somebody can escape through the window for safety. Also the added benefit of increased ventilation and natural light an egress window will give you.
If you need a Long Island basement contractor to come over for a free consultation Click Here
Long Island Basement Builders
Posted by admin in Long Island Basement Builders on July 29th, 2009
When the time comes for you to build your basement you will need a contractor to help guide you in the right direction. You should hire a local Long Island basement builder that will be there when the time comes to start your basement project. There are many elements of your basement you need to plan for or around when planning your basement foot print. You want your finished basement to flow and be easy to use. Bedrooms, kitchen, bath and living room should be placed according to where the utilities are, the entrance and other amenities that might get in the way or enhance each space.
You will want to have a real basement built with real walls because real walls are most flexible when it comes to designing and layout. Real walls are built using framing and sheetrock which are painted or papered or wainscotted or whatever your heart desires. You can also have mold resistant sheetrock installed to help eliminate any mold problems that might turn up. This mold resistant sheetrock is made without paper. Paper is a food source which allows mold to thrive on.
You’ll need to consider your plumbing variables which are based on a few questions. Do you want to heat your basement? What kind of boiler do you have? Do you want a bathroom and/or a kitchen? Are you using a gas or electric stove? Answers to these questions will affect the price and duration of your basement project. Certain elements such as a bathroom can affect the layout of your basement. The bathroom is usually placed within the vicinity of your drain line but that might interfere with the entrance.
If you need help with your finished basement project we will be more than happy to help you out.
V.B. Contracting Inc.
V.B. Contracting Inc. is proud to be one of Long Island’s most reliable basement builders.
Long Island Basement Organizing
Posted by admin in Long Island Basement Organizing on July 24th, 2009
When finishing your basement you might have a different purpose other than creating a living space. You might just need to organize all of your stuff. There are different options to organizing your stuff that’s cluttering your basement. There are shelving and cabinet options you can purchase to help clear up your clutter problem. You can have your contractor build you some quick inexpensive shelving with framing lumber and plywood or you can purchase chrome highly finished shelving units. The same goes for cabinets you can use builders cabinets or buy kitchen cabinets.
Depending what you want to do or how you plan on separating your basement you could also have closets built all over the basement where your cabinets and shelving will be housed. You can have these closets as big or small as you like. Separated by subject like files in one closet, equipment in another, pantry in another etc.
Another option is to make your basement one big space and layout your shelving grocery store style. Where all of your cabinets and/or shelving is laid out creating aisles for easy access. This will make it easy for you to catalog everything and number the shelves. This will make it easy for you to find what you are looking for like a grocery store or a Library. You could possibly use a computer program to help catalog what you have and the locations of everything. If you’re not computer savvy you can just draw a plan out on paper and label everything in the plan. Imagine if you needed that big pasta pot but regretting the hunting trip you’ll go on just to find it. That’s a hassle but if you have an organized basement this “finding of the pasta pot” will not even be a question. You’ll have it and be on your way.
Another option is to split your basement into living and storage space. Using the same principals as storage and living spaces you can layout your basement as you see necessary. You can combine living spaces and storage spaces as two big halves or have each living space separated by it’s own storage space.
The possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination and budget. If you are in the market to have your basement organized you can find a Long Island Basement contractor here.
Long Island basement organizing
Mold In Basements
Posted by admin in Mold In Basements on June 23rd, 2009
Mold is a tiny microscopic organism that consumes organic material. Mold reproduces by releasing spores in the air which then attach on other surfaces which is how it regenerates. Mold is a type of fungi and in nature there are over 100,000 different species. In nature mold helps to decompose or break down organic matter such as leaves, wood and plant debris. Mold is useful in nature but when stuck in our homes such as in our basements it becomes a problem. Not only does mold release a bad odor but some people are very allergic to it.
Mold can enter your home as a tiny spore. Spores are small enough to be carried within the air for example if you have a window open and the breeze blows in from outside into your house spores can attach to the walls. Spores can stick to your shoes and be carried in that way also. This is normally not a problem if you have a dry home but if there is a lot of moisture present in your home the mold will thrive. The mold will feed on organic matter within your home such as the paper within your sheet rock walls, your carpeting and insulation.
Look at it this way moles are ever present they are a part of nature. If you have a mold problem within your basement the only way to cure the problem is to stop the root of the matter. The root of the matter is you probably have a moisture condition within your basement. There are different kinds of moisture conditions within different basements. There can be a leaky pipe from the house above or ground water could be leaking through the wall through a crack into your basement. Or the soil around your basement could be saturated with water and the water is moving through your basement walls and floors.
The only way to control mold within your basement is to control the moisture condition. The leaky pipe must be fixed or the underground water must be drained away. There’s a process called a French drain which is installed under your slab which will remove underground water from around your basement. Also the grading around your homes perimeter must be sloped away from the walls and out to the yard. This will help prevent saturation of your soil next to your basement walls.
Another solution would be to add a dehumidifier In your basement. If you have a sink in your basement you should hook your dehumidifier up to your sink drain. This will ensure that you can always have a dehumidifier on if necessary and never have to worry about dumping the water out.
In closing if you have mold present in your basement most likely you have a moisture or water condition. If you plan on redoing your whole basement and ripping everything out or if your basement is bare you should have no problem finding your moisture or water condition. If your basement is already finished you will have to do some investigative work to try to find the source of the moisture or water. So go find that water problem first, then worry about getting rid of moldy old walls and ceilings
Real Basements VS. Modular Basements
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 19th, 2009
Well I build real basements and I’m tired of hearing how superior these modular basements are compared to real basements. Let’s compare shall we?
Arguments for Modular Basements:
Less mess no sheetrock dust. Huh? Last basement I did was spotless when I left it. Spot clean up after every day and thorough clean up on Friday’s.
Resists mold and mildew. Mold and mildew exists because of moisture. Are they saying to forget about your moisture problem and just install your new basement? Find a real basement contractor to finish your basement and they will consult you not sell you. There are different solutions you can incorporate to control a moisture problem. Installing a new modular basement over it will not help you.
Easy to assemble. OK what does that have to do with you. It’s good for their “installer” to assemble it but where’s the benefit to you. Maybe it will save time in the construction because of the ease. Well if you get a contractor who will do your job from start to finish your basement will be done before you know it. Not all modular basement jobs happen quickly. Hang ups happen to everybody. Stick with an owner operated contractor and you will feel the quality and see the pride that goes into a real basement.
No damage to stairwell. Uh do you really think if a contractor damages your stairwell they won’t repair it free of charge? I had some damage to a stairwell once and when i was done repairing it it looked better than when I found it. Please don’t assume you’re better because you don’t damage stairwells. What does that have to do with the finished product? Nothing.
No painting required. Oh my! The dreaded P word. You never have to paint these panels. That’s great but are you the kind of person that likes change once in a while? How about someone who likes a big selection of color choices? Well if you use a panel system guess what you’re stuck with that color forever. What about color choices? You can choose from a million different colors and textures with a real basement but you’re stuck with the colors they have to give you. “I’ll take the beige with the tan speckles or how about the tan with the beige speckles?” Is it starting to make sense?
Easy to repair. Yes it’s easy to repair just remove the damaged panel and replace with a new one. How much does a panel cost? What if the damage happens between two panels? Now you gotta buy two panels. Plus that ugly divider strip. How easy do you think it is to get these “panels”? You can’t just go to the local hardware store to get them. You’ll need to find the company that installed it and try to match your existing to the new. Matching the same colors exactly will probably be close to impossible.
Built in insulation. What difference does it make if it’s built in or separate. As long as there’s insulation it’s the same technique just applied differently.
Lifetime Limited Warranty. If you hire a local contractor and you call them with an issue they should have no problem taking care of it. If you hire a big conglomerate like a modular basement installer you never know who you’re going to get. Use an owner operated contractor and form a relationship with them instead of throwing money at a company that knows marketing but sends strangers to your house to install the product they sell.
Parting points against buying a modular basement:
Every four feet you get this ugly divider strip. Looks like you’re living in a mobile home. Some systems don’t have these strips but they still have seams. How can that be closely acceptable. A real wall looks, acts and feels like a real wall. Why should you accept an inferior finish?
Real walls are stronger than panels. Panels can easily be cut with a knife which would have to be replaced. A real wall just needs to be patched. Modular panels are basically a veneer that covers your foundation wall. Veneers are just non structural cosmetic coverings. You can’t hang heavy pictures or cabinets from them.
If you would like a free price quote and consultation from an owner operated contractor on Long Island follow the link. Fill out the form and you will be contacted ASAP. Notice I said price quote not estimate.
Long Island Basement Remodeling
Living on Long Island and owning a home can be a very gratifying experience. Home owners enjoy the increased values of their homes and the good quality of life Long Island has to offer. There comes a time when some home owners end up needing more space they should consider remodeling their basement.
Remodeling or finishing your basement is a great way to add living space to your home. It’s cost effective and takes much less time than expanding your home’s foot print or dormering. It’s less expensive and less intrusive to finish a basement than it is to expand.
A finished basement can be made to look just like a regular construction. With the addition of an outside entrance and big egress windows natural light can enter the space allowing for an open feeling. Usually basement ceilings are built using a grid system but that doesn’t have to be the case. Sheetrock ceilings can be built to further enhance the real room feel.
Click here to see photos of a basement project. The basement has no egress or sheet rock ceiling but it does have an outside entrance. This basement in Bright Waters turned out wonderful and has a cozy feel to it.
"Long Island Contractor Will Build Your Basement With No Worries"
Creating extra living space affordably has never been easier. This Contractor shows dozens of different uses for basement spaces, then shows their clients exactly how they will accomplish each task. Spaces include adding an extra bathroom, a family room, bedroom, home office, kitchen or game room to their homes.
A basement can be as fine a living space as any other area of the house. Basements present their own challenges, such as moisture, lack of heat and light, among other issues, but many ideas are available to remedy these.
Click here to get a reliable Long Island basement contractor.
