Posts Tagged Basement
How To Turn Your Basement Into An Office
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 14th, 2010
In the last 15 years or so, the office has suddenly become a common room in the modern house. Many people use their den as an office or one of their bedrooms but few people think to turn their basement into an office.
An advantage of this idea is that it separates the office from the family and the family rooms. So many people are working longer hours and with the advent of the computer they are working more in the home. Their family life and work life becomes more of a blur than it was in the past.
By turning the basement into an office, you can more easily separate your work time and family time. This is important and will aid in the health of your family unit. In order to make your basement your office, you should do a few things that will make the room more enjoyable:
Heat – If you are going to be in the basement you need to make sure it is warm. Most basements are dark and cold and this is not an environment you can work in. Make sure that you have ample heat so that you feel you are in a real room. The more comfortable you are the better work you will do.
Great Lighting – You need good lighting if you are going to turn your basement into an office. Good lighting is imperative so that your eyes are not strained when you are looking at report, paper, or you computer screen.
A neutral paint job – As I just mentioned, basements are offten dark because of the lack of windows. If you choose your paid carefully, you can create an environment that is conducive to work. You want something that reminds you a that you are there to get work done but does not depress you at the same time.
Comfortable furniture – any work environment needs comfortable furniture. Make sure you don’t skimp on cheap chairs and furniture that will make you uncomfortable when you are at work. Also, besides having your desk and chair, you might include a second more comfortable softer chair to relax in. That way, when you need a quick rest, you can move over to the softer chair to recharge your batteries.
These are just some of the things you need to do to turn that basement of yours into an office that you will enjoy working in. If you do it right, you will have the best of both worlds; your family life and your work life.
For more great basement design ideas like this one please visit my website Basement Ideas.
Basement Window Well Covers
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 13th, 2010
Especially if used for egress, basement window well covers must meet strict guidelines. In 2000 the IRC (International Building Code) required that a basement room, if used for sleeping, had to have at least one clear opening of 5.7 square feet for escape in an emergency. Any covering over the basement window also has to be easily opened with under 40 pounds of pressure. If a basement window cover is used, it too has to be easy to open and provide 5.7 square feet for escape room.
Many homes need protective basement window covers for a variety of reasons. Perhaps snow melt or heavy rain causes water to leak into the basement. Perhaps animals or small children must be prevented from falling into the window well. Perhaps insulation or protection from leaves and debris is needed. In any event, protective basement window covers must meet stringent safety codes.
Basement windows and egress wells come in many sizes and shapes. The covers offered in home improvement stores and hardware stores usually protect only standard sized windows, and many will collapse under a heavy snow. If you need a custom basement window cover, consider a durable, safe WINDOW BUBBLE custom fit for metal, wood and masonry window wells. These basement window covers insulate and protect your home and are guaranteed to fit and to withstand weather, sun and a wide range of temperatures in outdoor use..
The WINDOW BUBBLE is formed from 3/16” thick PLEXIGLAS® Acrylic and will be “BUILT TO YOUR WELL MEASUREMENTS” and guaranteed to fit your well. Plexiglas® Acrylic is a completely weather resistant plastic that is not affected by sunlight, temperatures or weather extremes. Even if you have pipes or wires, dryer vents, etc. extending from your well a WINDOW BUBBLE can be designed to fit and cover your well.
All custom basement window covers come with complete instructions and hardware for easy installation. Write or call now for our brochure and complete do-it-yourself measuring instructions.
HONEY BROOK,? P.O. BOX 158 ?DILWORTH MFG. CO. PA 19344-0158
PHONE: FAX: 717-355-0511?717-354-8956
www.windowbubble.com
For more information about it please visit at www.windowbubble.com
Steps to Adding a Bedroom to Your Basement
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 12th, 2010
If you have a growing family, you may want to add a new bedroom to your house. Adding a bedroom can also add more value to your house. If you have space in your basement, then you should first consider adding the bedroom there. Adding a bedroom to the basement is much less expensive and time consuming than adding a bedroom on to the house. Still, as in any other remodeling project, adding a bedroom to the basement takes some time and planning. Properly planned, a basement bedroom can be a comfortable, and inviting place.
What Are The Important Steps To Adding A Bedroom To My Basement?
1. When planning a bedroom, you will want to take into consideration some safety factors. Among these factors include an alternate exit from the bedroom, in case the stairway is blocked by fire. With this in mind, it is very wise to have a window that opens (an egress window) or other means of escape from the basement room.
2. You will also want to consider dampness of the basement itself. This dampness can cause all sorts of problems if you are not careful so it is wise to make sure your basement is dried out before proceeding to the next step. You can read more about drying out a basement on our website fixmyownbasement.com.
3. Make sure to clear out the area of the basement where you are planning to add your your room. Remove all items such as sporting equipment, boxes and furniture to give you space to work with.
4. If any new floor covering will be applied, be sure to sweep the existing floor and mop the floor surface with a commercial or consumer floor cleaner.
5. Plan your walls. Some people add paneling for the walls while others add drywall. With a little extra effort, drywall provides a thicker wall that offers extra protection as well as holding picture frames and other wall art that paneling might not hold up.
6. If you plan on hanging drywall, frame in the bedroom with 2×4s. Be sure to cut holes for outlets and telephone connections in the drywall. Make sure to insulate the walls and the ceiling according to construction standards.
7. Since lighting is an important issue in basements due to the lack of natural light, you’ll need to choose a lighting fixture or scheme for the space.
8. Apply paint to the newly formed walls by putting on a primer coat first followed by two coats of paint. Make sure you let each coat of paint dry thoroughly (preferably overnight), before adding the next coat of paint.
9. Since basements in general have a cold cement floor, adding flooring or perhaps carpeting would be preferable and much more comfortable. Even though natural wood floorings are popular, modular carpeting and throw rugs are just as popular for that comfortable and homey feel.
10. Move bedroom furniture inside your new room and arrange to your liking
11. Enjoy your new room for years to come.
Visit Your Home Improvement Place for more resources on home remodeling projects.
Waterproofing Techniques for Basement Floors
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 11th, 2010
Why is basement floor waterproofing so often overlooked, when if it was done when the basement was built, there would be fewer problems with seepage and flooding? Many people think basements are just concrete storage spaces for things you don’t use very often. Now, people realize the potential of this space for something much more such as extra living space, family rooms and bedrooms.
Water situation was not encountered in the beginning by homeowners, but it later appeared because sub-floor and sub-surface drains clogged with mud.
The soil will become too wet and saturated if water from the roof isn’t directed far away enough from the foundation. As the home settles, walls crack, protective coatings applied to the exterior biodegrades and drainage systems fill up with silt. Leakage in the basement can be caused by all of these problems. Natural pressure from the soil against the foundation will cause flowing ground water to enter through any cracks or crevices in your foundation. The level of pressure is positively correlated with the height of the water level. In turn this water, under increased pressure, seeks entry through cracks and crevices in the walls and floors, and concrete is no match for water pressure. The end results are a water filled crawlspace or basement.
A pressure relief system can eliminate water that leaks into your basement. Whenever there happens to be a power outage due to a rainstorm, it is very likely that the primary pumps will not work, and that may cause somewhat of an inconvenience. Over time this pressure increases until the moisture is literally pushed through the floor or wall (usually called bleeding). Corners and joints that connect the floor and the wall are the most likely candidates for seepage.
If you think that water is comming out of an isolated area, you can lower the water table and the underground hydrostatic pressure by using an easy-to-install sump pump below your floor table. However, concrete is porous and allows water vapor to pass through. Because of moisture it feels even more cold, and rots carpet and other floor coverings. Even the mold starts to grow and basement smeels musty.
One fix for this problem is to use some of the quality sealants now available to the average home owner. It is often possible to paint them with either the roller or spray method. Here are some examples of what a regular project might entail:
- First the floor of the area being worked on must be prepared to make it smooth and remove any excess material
- making sure the basement floor is as dry as possible, hiring large fans or heaters if necessary.
- making sure wall/floor junctions are sealed.
- Filling in all crevices and bends which are especially visible.
- Priming the floor when the product calls for the use of a primer.
Spread two or three coats which is just right top-coating of the final product.
A high quality product will result in basement floor waterproofing that can last for years and years. Permaflex is one type of sealant that will give a complete and permanent waterproofing for a basement floor. This indoor waterproofing system claims to permanently seal you lower level floor at considerably less cost than other systems.
Make it easier to start waterproofing basement floors, quickly & easily. Lee Walder helps you learn the essential steps and get a problem-free environment with minimal outlay on the waterproofing basement floors website.
Small Basement Remodeling
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 10th, 2010
In the City that Never Sleeps – New York, a common issue faced by homeowners and renters is the limited space that their living units have to offer. Naturally, they would want to add more to their living area. But one common mistake they commit is looking at the wrong places and having the wrong ideas. When wanting more space, it doesnât have to take tearing down walls and moving either sideward or upwards. What you should consider first is exhausting every possible way to maximize unused space within your home. This makes a small basement remodeling one great idea in extending your living area.
With a small basement remodeling project, space is not the only issue. Being an area in the home which is often left to keep old things and gather cobwebs, sprucing up the seemingly concrete vault will also pose a challenge.
To create a comfortable and inviting space out of your small basement, your best bet would be having a qualified local contractor to help you out in the remodeling. Unless you are one yourself, a good NYC contractor is your surest way in achieving high quality results in your small basement remodeling project. Most processes in every stage involved needs ample skills to undertake. Some of the key considerations include hiding the drain lines, enhancing lighting and ventilation, ductwork and wiring, and controlling moisture.
In small basement remodeling, you should first take care of the essentials. Is your basement prone to flooding, and water and moisture problems? Are there cracks in the foundation? Are the gutters free from clogs? These and a lot more questions and issues should be attended to if you want to enjoy your remodeling project results in the longest time with the least maintenance required.
No matter how you plan on using your remodeled small basement, there are several elements that could help you achieve a more spacious and welcoming look out of its original dungeon-like features.
Colors
In choosing paint or wallpaper colors for your small basement remodeling finish, lighter is better. Light colors seem to open up space making your limited space seem roomier. You can also make use of painting techniques and wallpaper textures that also help in maximizing space.
Lighting
Lighting is another element that plays an important part in your small basement remodeling project. To create an illusion of more space, you should maximize your use of this element. To make most use of natural light, you can add windows or widen existing windows. For areas not accessible to natural light, choose fixtures that offer intense lighting.
To maximize the effects of bright lighting, you can have mirrors installed on the walls or ceilings.
Commonly, ductworks are visible in the basement ceiling. If this is the case, you could have to opt to have a lower ceiling or have some them boxed creating an uneven ceiling. In both cases, you could use lighting to cover up the flaw. By strategically positioning radiant fixtures, your need for higher-looking ceiling will be met.
Features
The rest of the furniture, appliances and other features needed to be integrated into the small basement remodeling finish should also fit into the available space. When shopping, look for compact, space-saving designs that would still serve functional.
Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened Basement Contractor New York. For a free estimate, use our Basement Calculator
Basement Mold – How to Seek and Destroy It
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 9th, 2010
Why do most people have basement mold? The answer is rather simple, actually. Most of the houses that experience the occurrence of basement mold are likely to have leaks in their basements or unseen water entry ways. This wet or humid environment is ideal for the growth of mold. In fact, many basements have mold, but the homeowners never even know it!
What we have learned about mold is the fact that it thrives in moist, damp environments and that the darkness further creates a great place for mold to grow in. So what better place than in a damp and dark basement to settle in, right?
Once you spot even just a small amount of mold in your basement you should begin looking for a leak in your pipes or somewhere that water might be seeping through into your basement. Check all the edges and corners as well as around the water heater and all the joints on your pipes. The sooner you find these leaks, get them fixed and kill the mold that is already there, the lower the chances of it spreading to other places in your home.
Having just a small amount of basement mold visible to the eye shouldn’t make you feel complacent about the situation. The thing is, there might be hidden mold behind the walls, under the carpeting and even in the ceiling. Mold can spread through spores so once you have it in one spot, it can be spread to other areas. If there is a place that is attractive for mold growth, it’s a sure bet that the mold spores will find it.
So when you do a check, make sure that you cover everything. Getting rid of just the visible mold in your basement will only be a temporary fix if you don’t also fix the water problem. You might consider getting a dehumidifier once you get rid of the existing mold and fix the leaks as basements, by nature, can be rather humid even without leaking water.
Mold can be rather persistent and, since it likes dark places, it can “hide” in areas where you might not find it so it is important that you take the steps to create an unfriendly environment for it. Keeping things neat and organized as well as stored in sealed containers can help a lot. If you have anything with fabric such as tents, or the cushions from patio furniture, you should check these periodically for mildew as once a bit of dampness gets into these fabrics, storing them in the basement can be a disaster for them and once fabrics get mildew or mold, you are unlikely to ever be able to get it out.
It’s no fun having basement mold, but if you take action when you first notice it than you will run much less of a risk of your mold problem getting out of hand. Not only is mold unpleasant to smell and look at, but it can also have adverse health effects so getting rid of it fast should be a priority.
Do you have harmful basement mold in your home? Visit http://www.householdmoldguide.com and learn more about how household mold grows in your home as well as how you can get rid of it.
Good Tips On How To Fix Leaks In The Basement Walls
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 8th, 2010
People who own a house with a basement are lucky to be granted excess space with which they can use. Individuals can utilise basements as an additional bedroom, playroom, office, or a game room. Regrettably numerous individuals are not employing these useful rooms because they have leaks.
Leaks in your basement can be caused for many reasons. All of the water that is becoming imprisoned inside the walls of this room is creating more troubles for you and is producing a possible health risk. Before you redo your dirty old basement you first have to repair the leaks.
Basement waterproofing can be difficult and some homeowners feel they need to utilise a professional basement waterproofing company to get the problem fixed. But if you are up to the job you have the capacity of getting the job done all on your own.
Remember that waterproofing your basement can be a profound job and requires time and energy from you. In the end though you will repair the leaks, rid of the risk of mold and fungus growing, and will right away be able to utilise that extra space to extend on your home.
You will need to ensure that the ground that is close to the foundation is inclined in the opposite direction of the foundation. If it is not than you can bring dirt next to the foundation producing a slope against the foundation that is 2″ per foot. The top of the dirt needs to be six inches below the plate.
The rain gutters placed on the top of your roof top may drop-off all of the water that they pull in on top of the ground that lies close to your foundations. This is not good because it can produce tough problems. Clean out your gutters and place them in such a way that they will drop off the water at least 5 feet or more away from the foundation.
In order to waterproof your basement you have to receive the necessary basement waterproofing materials. Drylok and Xypex are some of the best materials to utilize to waterproof your basement walls. Drylok is a waterproofer that will flourish on the walls as it dries. This helps it to cling to the wall and blend in. Xypex will connect with the wall and is very much like cement. It uses moisture to create a water proof crystalline structure. This also serves to mend cracks and holes in the wall.
In order to repair leaks you need to be able to find the right Basement Waterproofing Companies that sell the proper Waterproofing Basement Supplies.
How to Finish a Basement by Hiring the Right Professionals
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 7th, 2010
While finishing your basement to make it part of your homeâs living space might seem like a fairly simple task, it can lead to quite a disaster is handled incorrectly. Moreover, with the risks involved, it is best that you take the following things into consideration before you start.
Americans are known to spend around $120 billion every year on various home improvement projects, and finishing basements do account for a reasonable chunk of these projects. With the home improvement industry being so big, it becomes very important that you take utmost care in picking the professional that truly understands how to finish a basement.
Problems that involve contractors have generally ranked within the top 3 categories of customer complaints over the recent past. You should know that there are around half a million remodeling contractors within the US and about half of them shut shop every year, with approximately 90% of them closing down every 5 years. Estimates show that around half of the people who use professional help arenât satisfied with the work, and only about 20% of the people are completely satisfied with the results.
In looking for professional that understands how to finish a basement, you should be wary of the businesses that intend to rip-off their customers. These are the businesses that you might have heard of previously, or read about in websites, magazines, books, and other consumer protection manuals/guides. As per the Journal of Consumer Affairs, some of the most commonly noticed fraudulent practices involve:
* The use of deceptive pricing
* Misrepresenting the work that needs to be undertaken
* Misrepresenting the materials that are required to complete the task at hand
* Using low quality material while charging high
If you take some time in doing your home-work while following some basic guidelines, most pitfalls can be avoided. However, you must remember that the biggest risks are often the hardest to spot. These involve contractors that would come under the âbad good guysâ category. These consist of contractors that are mostly well intentioned, but simply do not have too much knowledge about what they are into. This could include bad business acumen, and/or inadequate relevant process knowledge. Either way, the end result would be your basement finishing project facing the brunt. Bad results would generally include:
* You spending a lot of money and the basement still feels like a basement upon completion
* Your contractor disappearing halfway through the job
* You having to bear expenses that your contractor did not foresee at the very onset
* You having to constantly urge your contractor to speed things up in order to finish as per schedule
* You having to pay $45,000 for work that should have cost $35,000
* You ending up being responsible for the mechanicsâ liens because the sub-contractors did not get paid
If you can manage to avoid the aforementioned scenarios, and if you contractor knows what he/she is doing, then you basement finishing project should ideally go through without too many problems. Also, while attempting to undertake the entire project on your own might seem tempting, you should know that it would involve a lot of knowledge as well as effort.
Your online source for information on how to finish a basement.
Guide to Basement Bathroom Plumbing
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 6th, 2010
Basement bathroom plumbing work needs considerable skill, experience and care. It is advisable to hire the services of a plumbing contractor for carrying out basement bathroom plumbing work. The existing floor needs to be busted and in the process drainpipes may also get broken if adequate safety measures are not taken up.
Basement bathroom plumbing procedure
Some concrete may need to be removed for installing basement bathroom plumbing system. The fixtures required for setting up basement bathroom plumbing – bathtub, one-piece shower unit etc. may not be easily obtainable. Special effort needs to be made to secure them.
Often, the concrete of the basement needs to be broken. Marks are made on the surface along some demarcations and the concrete is chipped away usually employing a jack hammer. The debris thus obtained has to be cleared and new plumbing pipes are well glued to the original setup. After completion the new setup has to be covered up with concrete.
Another approach to basement bathroom plumbing is installation of a plastic sump beneath the basement floor. A sewage ejector pump or lift pump is used to pump out the waste as the sump becomes full. The pumps have devices to grind solids. In case the pump fails the toilet will not be draining properly.
There may be some houses where the building drain lies below the basement level. So, no pump is needed. A plumber can help in this regard by providing various estimates of drain line locations and plumbing setup plans.
Again, there may be homes where the main drain lies at floor level. To help out in such cases you may build a false floor for the bathroom. Of course your ceiling needs to be high enough in such case. The false floor erection would ensure that the fixtures are higher than the sewer line. This will do away with the necessity of installing a sewage ejector pumping unit.
Basement bathroom plumbing – a special plumbing
Basement bathroom plumbing is a special kind of plumbing setup. Therefore, special care needs to be taken while proceeding with the installation, maintenance and repair or replacement of the basement bathroom plumbing system. If you are contemplating basement bathroom plumbing for your home then you may conveniently hire some competent plumber for helping out.
Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on basement bathroom plumbing, 12 volt appliances and kitchen cabinetry.
Guide to Basement Bar
Posted by admin in Long Island Basements on June 5th, 2010
A basement bar is a good idea to enjoy an evening with friends and family or even have a party. There are a few important things one needs to take care of before building a basement bar. These steps will help make the bar a real good place to enjoy the drinks as well as party in the basement.
Basement space
The first thing towards building a basement bar is to ensure that there is a basement in the house and that it is suitable enough to accommodate a bar. Although a bar may not require too much space, the basement must have enough seating space and more if the place is to be used for a night party as well.
Setting up a Basement Bar
A basement bar can either be a ready-made bar or one can hire a carpenter or an expert to build a bar. Bar building is not recommended for those interested in setting up a bar as quickly as possible. Getting a carpenter to do the work will also enable the homeowner to come up with any extra requirements or design specifics that are otherwise not found in a normal bar. Seating arrangements can also be accordingly modified.
Refrigeration Requirements
It is a good idea to provide for refrigeration in the basement especially for drinks like beer. It makes better sense to serve chilled drinks straight from the bar than to buy bottles from shops when someone comes visiting. The bar will be used to its optimum if there is provision for refrigeration in the basement itself.
Seating Arrangements
In case one plans to have a night of poker or Monday night Football, the seating arrangement in the basement bar must match the requirements. A place where friends can relax while enjoying their drinks and the television will be the ideal setting. Comfy couches or bar stools along with a poker table or television will make up for an ideal basement bar. A television to watch all those basketball and soccer matches along with friends who would also join for a drink provides for a great way to unwind.
Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on memory foam mattress,
aluminium fence and basement bar.
“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.
