Avoiding DIY Basement Remodeling Nightmares
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
So, you've finally decided to go ahead and tackle that basement finishing project. You have some money set aside, and you really want to transform that dingy cave into something you can live, play and maybe even sleep in. You have a pretty good idea of what you want your finished basement to look like. You might even have a draft of the new basement in a piece of paper, or, in your computer.
You are now considering your options for materials and labor.
Chances are, you are pretty handy, or at least an eager learner. You are the one that put together that shed in the backyard, or helped your in-laws with their kitchen remodel.
Whatever the case, you think that you can really save big by doing all the work yourself. After all there is nothing so difficult about attaching some studs and fiberglass to the walls, hanging some drywall sheets, painting the basement and then putting down some nice carpet. Right?
For pretty much every other part of the house, there's nothing inherently wrong with that line of thought. However, this is a basement, and basements are like no other place in the house, and treating them as you would any above grade area can be disastrous.
Let's count the ways in which such a project can go wrong, shall we?
1- Wood studs, drywall, and fiberglass insulation are a bad idea for basements.
All of the above materials, have four things in common.
- They soak up water
- They are made of or with organic materials
- When combined with basement moisture, they support mold growth.
- They will not withstand a basement flood or water accident.
The U.S. Department of Energy, urge homeowners to avoid the above combination in basements, with a series of brochures and tell-tale pictures. To make matters worse, fiberglass looses all it's R- Value when humid and drywall, in contact with moisture, begins to decompose, releasing foul-smelling and unhealthy fumes in the air.
2 - Carpet will only work, if protected by a good sub floor system.
There is moisture from the ground consistently seeping through the slab in a basement. The ground is wet most of the time, and concrete is porous. Using wooden subfloors and improper padding over that slab is like setting yourself up for failure, and for the same reasons cited above. All these materials soak up water, and have the potential to develop mold growth.
3 - When it comes to basement remodeling, there is "cheap" and there is cost-effective.
Basements are flood prone. Period. Even if you live on top of the hill and your basement is mostly dry, there are still a lot that can go wrong and cause it to flood. It can be a burst ashing machine hose, or your kid causing the bath tub to overflow. Saving a few hundred dollars now, in a basement remodel that will be completely ruined in the event of a plumbing or water heater tank leak, a backed up drain, or any of the many potential incidents that can cause your basement to flood, isn't really wise, is it?
Yet, every year, thousands of dollars are spent by once over confident Wisconsin homeowners, in flood damage restoration and cleanup, as well as mold remediation.
In other works, $20,000 spent in something that will be destroyed, are literally $20,000 wasted... and that doesn't even compute the costs of clean up and restoration.
4 - You can't get the best materials at your local hardware store.
To tackle a basement remodeling project, you would first need to find the right materials. That means 100% waterproof, non-absorbent and mold resistant solutions, specifically engineered to withstand all sorts of basement moisture, including basement floods. The kind of basement finishing system that, in Wisconsin, only LakeSide Total Basement can offer.
And these materials are simply not sold at hardware stores, for DIY projects.
There are some serious expertise needed to install them, and that can't be taught or learned in a 2 hour weekend workshop. Our installers go through an intensive training process, which is why TBF dealers aren't simply installers. They are "Certified Basement Environment Specialists".
Basements are like no other room in the house, they need to be dealt with by specialists.
We are not doubting your building skills, but unless you've been on the basement business for over 20 years, like the people who engineered Total Basement Finishing systems and processes, you will hardly be able to fully understand what it takes to build a safe, dry, and comfortable basement as these experts do.
Your house, just like your body, is a system. If it makes sense for you to seek a cardiologist to check your heart, it makes sense to hire a basement specialist to remodel your basement.
At LakeSide, we know everything about basements, because that is what we do. We offer full-service basement remodeling. We will help you design and build a basement room you can be proud of, and your family will enjoy for many years to come. With a wide variety of finishing solutions and flexible payment options, you are sure to find a basement design that suits your needs, taste and budget.
We service Greater Milwaukee and surrounding areas in Wisconsin, as well as the Rockford area in Illinois.
Sign up for a Free, In-Home Design Consultation and experience the difference.
