iaink

Fair enough, but I would have to put in so many phoney vents for access to the many junction boxes from all the previous owners other DIY bodge jobs (not to mention mine) its would look pretty silly. Might be better to have a sparky in to rewire it all without the boxes, but who knows what that would end up costing...

Its a slippery slope this reno business

When we bought the basement was not high on our radar, it was basically earmarked for storage more than accomodation. Now its heading towards "family room" status, as well as storage. Perhaps a bathroom down there in future too.

If I was looking now having at least 8' would be a more serious consideration, unless the house had other things in its favour...like the view and yard in our case...and the price

JonboyE

10 years ago we bought a new house with an unfinished basement. Unfinished meant concrete floor and walls, just sufficient framing to support the floor above, and roughed-in drainage for a bathroom.

We (self and neighbour) finished the framing, installed insulation and a vapour barrier, installed the plumbing for the bathroom and ran cables though the frame. We hired professionals to hook up the cables, put in the drywall, and put down the carpet and other flooring. We then installed the bathroom, decorated and finished it all off.

It cost us less than $10,000 (for 1,100 square feet) and we ended up with a media room, large bedroom, bathroom, and a huge kitchen and family room. That price did not include the kitchen because we didn't need an extra one. However, we made sure the ventilation, power and plumbing were in place so a subsequent owner could easily make this into a granny, or a rental, suite.

The house builder estimated between $20,000 and $25,000 to finish the basement, depending on what we wanted. The realtor said we would easily get that back in increased resale value.

Helen Parnell

As a realtor who has to value houses with developed/undeveloped basements this is what i was taught.

An average house with a basement undeveloped can cost between (in alberta) $10,000 to $40,000 to be developed. This depends on infloor heat, media room correctly installed, wet bar with granite plus dishwasher and fridge, or are you talking a plain bathroom, rec room and one bedroom at a push.

But to to value it is different. If you spend $40,000 on a basement but a buyer comes and says, the main floor is big enough for me, i don't need granite in my bar or a media room, then it is not worth as much.

The value of the basement is only worth what people who are buying it are willing to pay.

So in a new home in Alberta a lot of them have bonus rooms upstairs above the garage, are three bedrooms and are nice houses. The average family in 2 adults, 2 children. So the need for a developed basement may not be a 'must have'. As a society (I am told and i know you are going to all argue it) we want to spend are hard earned money going out, holidays, meals out etc etc, not sitting in the basement.

i advise people with undeveloped basements to develop them for themselves and to use it for themselves and put in what they want. When they come to sell, it will add value but it may not add the value of what you paid to have it completed.


I can also state i have been in some houses with some great basements developed, but I have also been in some which are so badly done they devalue the whole house.

Bill_S

Good points. I suggest pulling permits if the project involves new plumbing, wiring, or HVAC ducts, esp. if same will be concealed behind new construction. Absolutely required if load-bearing walls are being substantially modified. If the project is purely cosmetic (new flooring, partition wall) it's less important.

Auld Yin

Finished basements really come into their own when you have teenagers and all the baggage that entails. They can go down there with their friends, their atrocious music, computer games and non-intellect television and only surface for meals. I know some idealists will contend that separates them from their kids but realists know that it's better knowing where they are than having them hang around malls and getting into trouble. At the end of a busy day parents want/need some peace and quiet and not have whining/gurning teenagers monopolising all other space in the house.

ann m

(My two are 11 and 9 - I can't wait!)

Simon Legree

I agree. Years ago my son was the drummer in a "band". Band practice was in our basement of course and the racket was quite something. However, we did know where he was and who he was with.

misplacedheidi

I agree too. When I was a girl my parents had an old Victorian house with a stone cellar (a bit too cold) and a great attic space. We always hung out upstairs and my parents knew we weren't hanging out on the streets/malls. For teenagers, the extra space is good. And it's not bad for my kids either!

Snave

My dream...

Almost Canadian

Fair enough - we bought our one finished. I was just quoting what had been said to me when I asked others.

Didn't Mo's cost $50,000 (I admit that it is rather nice though)

Butch Cassidy

Not sure bud, but like you say it is pretty special.

the blairs

Thanks for the replies

I agree with wanting a space my children can use with their friends and I know they are safe and well especially if that means they are not causing mayhem right beside me!

As for what we would need - it would be enough to have 1 large room to make into a family/media area with space at the back (not seperated from the main area) for a pool table and a small kitchen workspace area with a sink and a fridge (need somewhere to keep the wine chilling !) We would also like a small restroom (just a toilet and sink) We dont want to make bedrooms etc... just an open plan area that can be used for a variety of purposes.

So I'm thinking it would probably cost about the same as renovating the attic here (uk) I suppose.

With brand new houses that state 'unfinished basement' what kind of state does that mean? Is it just concrete floors and walls?

People have said about getting permits etc... do you need these for the renovation to be legal? I know when we moved in to an old house of ours the previous owners had 'did' the attic but it was not done properly and so had to be put back to its original state - didnt cost us nothing as it was a council house so the council did it.

One last thing - who is Mo? and whats his basement like?? anyone got photos of their basements??

Thanks
The Blairs

Hobbess

Couple of answers for you, unfinished in a basement can mean a variety of things from what I have where there is literally nothing started down there concrete floor and walls and no plumbing rough in, to having framing on the walls, even some roughed in rooms. Just depends what the previous owners had been using it for. We saw a lot of houses with their washer/dryer in the basement so there was some sort of laundry room but the basement was still classed as unfinished.

I think someone else posted earlier about permits, you don't need to get them, but if you don't it means you have no come back on the standard of work as the work as not been inspected. Generally if you do the work yourself you'll be less likely to go for permits and if you hire in someone then they would advise you do it. I only have fleeting knowledge of this so happy for someone to elaborate.

With your plans it sounds like you'll be doing the more costly bits such as plumbing and bathroom finishing in the initial development (though no shower so that saves). Adding a bedroom later if that's what you want to do is as "simple" as adding new walls which I have been told is straightfoward. We looked at designs when planning our basement to only do 1 bedroom and then if we wanted a second all we needed to do was add one wall at a later date.

My renovation starts on Friday, happy to start posting photos as we go and let you know the ins and outs.

Butch Cassidy

Mo is Morwenna. From memory her basement is bedroom, kitchen area, sitting area and bathroom. Both the kitchen and bathroom are VERY nicely appopinted. Oh its also a walkout.

Almost Canadian

It will have a concrete floor and may come with insulation attached to the walls (it will look similar to a garage with no garage door and stairs down to it).

I guess it depends upon how you feel about legalities

Permits are required or else it will be illegal. As others have said, if permits are applied for the work will have to be done to building code and it will be inspected by inspectors to ensure that it is. When it is finished, the "value" of your house will be increased by your municipality and your property taxes will increase - hence the reason why people don't always apply for permits. If you don't obtain permits you run the risk of invalidating your insurance and, if the municipality finds out, they may make you take it all down.

He is a she and she posts on her. I will leave it for her to explain what she had done in her basement (I seem to remember she posted before and after piccies so a search may turn these up)