Preparing a basement for added living space requires special considerations as it will become an addition to your home, inhabited and used by you, your guests, and your children.
Finishing your basement can increase the living space in your home at a fraction of the cost of constructing a new addition. Structurally, the floor, walls and ceiling are already in place - so its just a matter of finishing them to make them look nice.
 | | Have the confidence to make your basement a valuable addition to your home! |
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However, the first concern before finishing your basement is keeping it dry. This means protecting your basement not only from flooding, but from water vapor as well. A wet, or even just damp basement, is unsuitable for finishing. Moisture will get into the building materials and cause mold, mildew, rot, bad smells, and damage to floor coverings, furniture, and personal items.
That is why at Pioneer Basement Waterproofing we want you to think beyond simple basement waterproofing. If you go through the effort and expense of stopping water seepage, your basement may still not be suitable for finishing. High humidity, a feature of basements simply because they reside underground, can be as damaging as a flood to a finished basement.
Even if you have never experience any flooding or wetness in your basement, you should consider these precautions before you invest in refinishing. Some cautions homeowners put in a complete waterproofing system even if they have not had seepage, just in case. This makes sense from the standpoint that it is far easier and effective to install a waterproofing system in a basement that is unfinished than one that has finished walls and floor coverings that restrict access afterwards. It also makes sense to protect your investment - a simple water leak from your water heater or washing machine can cause thousands and thousands of dollars in damage.
If you are going to have a waterproofing system installed, look for a closed system. If the idea is to keep humidity and wetness out of the basement, why would you install an open waterproofing system that continuously has exposed water? To maximize your peace-of-mind, Pioneer Basement Waterproofing recommends Grate Products, a completely closed waterproofing system.
But there is so much more to still consider. Your basement walls should have a vapor barrier or other type of shielding such as TuffShield or ThermalShield. Floors are particularly prone to moisture as concrete is absorbant. Consider flooring specifically made for basements such as FloorShield or WaenShield.
Don't overlook the litle things, like your water heater or washing machine. Factory-grade washing machine hoses have a limited live - you would not be the first person to have their entire basement flooded because of a leaking washing machine hose. One of our past customers came home from vacation to find water coming out of their basemet windows. Their entire finished basement was ruined from a busted washing machine hose. Consider after-market hoses with 25+ year warranties. Water heaters are also prone to weakage, so protect that as well.
There is much to consider in preparing your basement for finishing, but if you do it right from the start, you can protect and enjoy your basement as new addition to your home and have the peace of mind to know your investment is well protected.
Pioneer Basement Waterproofing can help you with these efforts. We have years of experience in making basements comfortable living space and we know how to do it right. After all, we are passionate about basements!
Pioneer Basement Waterproofing wants to insure that your finished basement will be completely protected from damaging water and moisture - giving you peace of mind - and a beautiful finished basement.
| Choosing a contractor to finish your basement |
When looking for a contractor to finish your basement, do not look for the lowest price. Instead, seek out a contractor you can trust, who has a history of reliability and finishing jobs on time. Get references and call them. Be sure the contractor is not overloaded with work and that once they start the project that they will stay on your job until it is done.
Meet with the contractor more than once, to make sure you feel comfortable with them. Also, make sure the contractor returns your phone calls and is easy to communicate with.
A complete checklist and Guide to Choosing a Contractor is available HERE, endorsed by the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC).
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