Converting half the basement into a rec/play room........

[FinanceDude]

Half the basement is about 500 sq ft. I have a friend that's pretty handy who offered to help.

Think I can get it done for $5000 or less? The local remodelers want $15-20,000.........

I want wiring on all 4 walls for outlets, a drop ceiling, drywall, and the I-beam posts, sump pump, and furnace boxed around.........

 

[travelover]

FD, are you providing all the labor?

 

[FinanceDude]

FD, are you providing all the labor?

Yes, along with my best friend who did his own rec room, and it is nice............

 

[boutros]

My best back of the envelope guess
drywall $350
framing $600
paint $200
electrical and lighting $500
carpet $1500 (add $500 for steps & assuming someone is installing carpet for you)
wall insulation $300 (optional)
drop ceiling $700

I assumed that the space is already heated/AC. If not you may be able to tap into an existing chase. If you are not having plumbing in the basement and avoid expensive lighting the cost should stay pretty low. I imagine you could stay under $5000.

 

[boutros]

To give you an idea of the other end of the spectrum. I recently had a client finish their basement for a grand total of 1.2 million. The project was nearly complete and the guy didn't like how little natural light came into the basement and the low ceilings. So it was all ripped out, they jacked the house 4 feet off of the foundation and filled in the space with a knee wall with windows. Then started over with finishing the space.

 

[Martha]

Do you have drain tile? Is the basement absolutely dry? Try laying a piece of plastic on the floor and see if moisture forms underneath after a while.

 

[FinanceDude]

My best back of the envelope guess
drywall $350
framing $600
paint $200
electrical and lighting $500
carpet $1500 (add $500 for steps & assuming someone is installing carpet for you)
wall insulation $300 (optional)
drop ceiling $700

I assumed that the space is already heated/AC. If not you may be able to tap into an existing chase. If you are not having plumbing in the basement and avoid expensive lighting the cost should stay pretty low. I imagine you could stay under $5000.

Space is not heated, but I think I can do a cold air return and tap into the ductwork with some vents to make it work.

No water problems, I had the walls Dry-Locked a couple years ago, and I live on the top of a hill. In 1997, we got 7 inches of rain in 8 hours, and no water, so I feel safe..........

 

[Brat]

Be sure to consider exits in case of fire.

 

[FinanceDude]

My best back of the envelope guess
drywall $350
framing $600
paint $200
electrical and lighting $500
carpet $1500 (add $500 for steps & assuming someone is installing carpet for you)
wall insulation $300 (optional)
drop ceiling $700

We are going to do one big room essentially. I think the carpet is a little high, I know a guy who will do the steps and the entire area for $1000, as long as I am willing to be a little flexible on color.

I am considering foam board instead of batted insulation, I can save some money there.

My buddy says we can do a drop ceiling for $500 max...........

 

[FinanceDude]

Be sure to consider exits in case of fire.

Egress windows aren't required unless there's a bedroom down there. Maybe I need to put one in, though.........

 

[tightasadrum]

FD, I will be finishing my basement next year if my plans work out. How about keeping us posted (with pictures) on your progress & costs, successes and problems. I would be very interested, since I plan on doing most of the work myself if back holds up.

 

[FinanceDude]

FD, I will be finishing my basement next year if my plans work out. How about keeping us posted (with pictures) on your progress & costs, successes and problems. I would be very interested, since I plan on doing most of the work myself if back holds up.

Will do...........first modus operandi is to get DW to "agree" that the stuff we haven't used in 10 years is unlikely to be used in the next 10 years........

Funny little story: DW asked a contractor who was bidding on the job how much of the "stuff" in there would have to be moved to have the work done................. She seemed to think we could move all the stuff around as the work was getting done....... Funny how she didn't believe ME when I said we had to move it all, but a total stranger she believed......

 

[Brat]

Code is a minimum standard. IMHO every room should have two exit paths in case of fire. They shouldn't be close together (likely to be blocked by the same event.

 

[travelover]

I'd suggest sketching it out wall by wall and develop a list of needed materials. You'll need to do this anyway, eventually. Then calculate how many 2x4's, drywall sheets, ceiling tiles and supports you'll need. Take the list to the big box store or lumberyard and get your costs. Should be well under $5K unless you overrun the beer budget.

 

[UncleHoney]

FD

I redid my basement family room this past spring. Some of my costs were;

Ceiling tile 64 sq ft carton was $48. Plus the grid.

We installed commercial carpet tile at about $2/sq ft DIY.

The room was done about 20 years ago, so it was just time for a new ceiling, carpeting and vinyl wall covering. Plus we took out a wet bar we didn't use and added some storage space.

Some pictures.

Index of /familyroom

 

[OAG]

Consider factoring in the cost/hassle of the permit/inspections required. Not sure about the entire country but some places will, if they find out you did it without a permit, require that the "improvements" be removed. The government is interested in your expertise at least to the point it increases the value, and hence the real estate tax assessment, of your home.

 

[tightasadrum]

What? A permit? I ain't gonna git no stankin' permit!

 

[youbet]

Don't forget to put in plenty of ceiling lights!

DW and I went around and around on this issue and fortunately I won. She doesn't like overhead floresents. I'm not real fond of them either, but they're cheap and put out lots of light and I installed plenty of them. Now, you can walk into the basement rec room, flip a switch and it's bright, very bright! If you're going to be down there to watch TV or whatever, you turn off the ceiling lights and flip on whatever floor and table lamps you want.

Give yourself the option of having it very bright down there when you want it bright. You can always turn 'em off, but if you don't wire and install them while doing the ceiling, you're in trouble.

 

[samclem]

The biggest issue with basements is moisture. Not necessarily the liquid kind (sounds like you've got that under control) but water vapor that comes in all the time from the soil and through the concrete. Moisture needs to be handled in the right way, and a lot of contractors use plastic-which may meet code, but it is often not the correct way. (Plastic sheeting, especially on the "room side" of the walll, is going to cause a lot of trouble). Likewise, fiberglass insulation on the basement walls is a risky business-it can invite tremendous mold problems. Foam insulation--correctly applied so as to prevent interior air from reaching the cold concrete walls (causing condensation--> mold) is a good bet. It will also allow a limited amount of water vapor to pass through the wall, so the wall dries to the inside. That's good. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam (usually white, often called "beadboard") dries better than Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) foam (the blue or pink stuff). EPS is also cheaper. Glue the stuff up, fasten wood battens through it and into your concrete/block, and attach your drywall to the wood battens. Mold lives on cellulose, and cellulose (paper) is what is on both sides of common drywall. So, if you want to be sure you're not creating a mold habitat, use the drywall that has fiberglass on both faces instead of paper ("densearmor" is one type, I think there are others.) It's not as cheap or widely available as the regular stuff, but if you've ever torn open a basement wall and looked at the back side of the drywall, you'll want to use this type of non-cellulose product.

Carpet on the floor: very comfortable, but often not a good idea in a basement. The concrete floor (under the carpet) will be below the dew point of the air, and there will be condensation that micro-organisms will love. The stuff that accumulates in the carpet padding is a feast for them. When finished basements smell bad, it's often because there's carpet in them. Maybe throw-rugs you can at least remove and thoroughly clean occasionally?

Here's the best site I know on this topic. It's from the folks at Building Science Corporation, and they've done a lot of research into this, have seen what works and what doesn't, and aren't trying to sell a particular product/system.

BSD-103: Understanding Basements —

Sounds like a great project. Good luck.

 

[happy2bretired]

Off topic... UncleHoney, is that a Victrola in one of your pictures? It looks like the one that I sold at my auction. I also had an Edison, but the Victrola belonged to my Uncle for many years and I bought it from him. Now, it looks like you have it.

 

[UncleHoney]

Off topic... UncleHoney, is that a Victrola in one of your pictures? It looks like the one that I sold at my auction. I also had an Edison, but the Victrola belonged to my Uncle for many years and I bought it from him. Now, it looks like you have it.

Sure is. I got this one from a cousin in 1975, her father bought it new in 1916 for $100. I have all the paperwork and the original bill of sale. It's still in almost perfect condition.

My cousins father was born in Italy and came here about 1895. He loved Italian opera and I have dozens of 78's with most of them as part of the collection.

 

[happy2bretired]

UncleHoney, does yours have a certain smell to it? It's not a bad smell but mine had some sort of smell with it after you opened the lid. It probably was an oil or something. I always associated that smell with my memories of my Uncle. Mine was almost in perfect condition also. I think it was mahogony as I believe your table was that you made. Everything will look very nice in your "new" basement.

 

[FinanceDude]

Don't forget to put in plenty of ceiling lights!

I'm thinking of "can lights" that I can control with dimmer switches. Also,I have some of these can lights in the other side of the basement, where we have built in wood storage shelves. I put CFB's in them, and they work well. I have heard you can get CFB's that are dimmable, sounds like a plan.

What about putting tile in there? I can put some nice area rugs in the traffic areas, and the tile should clean up well. I talked to one guy who will put radiant heat under the tile for cheap..............

 

[FinanceDude]

Consider factoring in the cost/hassle of the permit/inspections required. Not sure about the entire country but some places will, if they find out you did it without a permit, require that the "improvements" be removed. The government is interested in your expertise at least to the point it increases the value, and hence the real estate tax assessment, of your home.

Permits are $150, and I can get one very easily.

 

[UncleHoney]

UncleHoney, does yours have a certain smell to it? It's not a bad smell but mine had some sort of smell with it after you opened the lid. It probably was an oil or something. I always associated that smell with my memories of my Uncle. Mine was almost in perfect condition also. I think it was mahogony as I believe your table was that you made. Everything will look very nice in your "new" basement.

Mine does have a odor too and I think it must be coming from the oil and grease of the spring drive mechanism. Old wood and finishes tend to give off odors too so that may be part of it. Yes mine is mahogany and the table finish came out fairly close to it.