What lies beneath! A grand space, but forgotten? Please do not ignore this part of your house. A little of your attention and money can transform this place into a comfortable, cosy and maybe even your favourite bedroom or living room. If your basement is dry with enough of head space, then take up the basement conversion project and add on to the space and value of your house.
The conversion plan starts with water proofing the basement walls. It is done by lining the walls with waterproof membrane. These membranes serve like a wall allowing you to decorate them whichever way you want to. As they are placed leaving a little gap from the original walls, the existing drainage channels are left untouched.
Plan the structure of the room or multiple rooms under the guidance of an architect. If there is a bathroom or a washroom or a laundry room in your basement conversion plans, then hire a professional plumber to lay all the pipe work. It is advisable to place the plumbing pipes below the basement. It helps in cost cutting.
Electrical connections are the basic requirement of any living area. Be strict in meeting all the current system standards to ensure a safe basement for you and your family.
The basement area is comparatively cooler than the rest of the house and thus it does not require an air conditioner. But still if you want, you can access the existing duct and add a vent to force the cold air in. If there is enough space available, get a new window air conditioner installed. However, the basement area must have a dehumidifier to maintain the comfort of the room in hot and sticky days.
Be sure enough that the existing heating system can cope up with this area as well. If not, you will have to spend a little in installing some electrical baseboards.
When all including painting and flooring is done, give your personal finishing touch by housing the room with some comfortable cushioned couch and a combination of bright and dim lights hanging over a replica of some famous painting bestowing to the looks of your brand new living room!
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