Calgary basement renovation

Your Calgary basement renovation will contain many of the same elements are the upper floors, but one key difference that is unique to your basement, is that fact that you have a concrete floor. Planning anything that either goes into or on top of the floor is therefore crucial as any work needed on the concrete is going to be expensive. Lets take a look at this and other basement areas, so you have a better idea what to investigate before your start your basement renovation.

Calgary basement renovation: Items 1 - 3

1. Windows

You may be looking at adding or enlarging windows in you basement, either for more natural light or by code. When you are putting a bedroom in your basement code stipulates you have a window and window well of a minimum size to allow for egress. Depending on if you are below grade or not, will determine the exact extent of work and cost involved. However concrete cutting is expensive and install a new basement window and window well will likely cost $2000+ (not including the necessary building permit). When the window is above grade you will also need to be careful you do not exceed the maximum allowed glazing percentage on the side elevation, which reduces the closer your are to the lot line in the side yard.

2. Plumbing

You may already have plumbing roughins, but if you are moving locations relocating the drains will require breaking up the concrete, installing new drains and repairing the concrete. This is an expensive process and careful planning of your drains should be done to minimize the cost. If possible always try and keep new runs to as short a length as possible. Generally being close to your mechanical room is a good thing, but the overall the whole layout of your basement still has to work, so you need look at all the factors involved. If your basement should have in floor heat, your options are much more limited as you can't open up the concrete without damaging the hydronic pipes.

3. Insulation

For many people basements can be cold and increasing their insulation can be an important part of their renovation. There are many different types of insulation out there, with batt being the most common and cost effective, but you could go to a rigid polystyrene product or even spray foam (which can double or triple your cost). If your basement in not developed you could also consider framing a thicker frost wall and increasing the R-value that way. Another consideration for insulation is sound deadening properties. Many people may have a media room in their basement and so stopping sound coming up through the ceiling / floor could be a serious factor. If you wish to do this, look at install batt insulation between the joists and also the use of sound bar, between the joists and the ceiling.

Calgary basement renovation: Items 4 - 6

4. Flooring

Flooring may seem like a fairly easy decision to make, but overall cost can vary way more than you might initially think. This is because many basement floors crack and move over time leaving them uneven and need of work. For floor surface with are highly flexible such as carpet, this is a less of an issue, but for hard inflexible materials such as tile and hardwood, it is highly important. Apart from the fact you do not want an uneven floor (which is both unsightly and a tripping hazard) manufacturers of product like hardwood will not warranty the install unless it is within a certain tolerance for levelness. Grinding down high spots or adding levelling compound to low spots is expensive and in bad cases can add two or three thousand (or more) to the cost of the floor.

5. Ceilings

Ceilings in basements can be a little tricky to plan as you have to work around certain physical feature such as dropped beams, heat runs and cold air returns, gas lines and other obstacles. In may cases having a lower section or using bulkheads will be necessary, but it is important for it to look well resolved. Most people prefer to go with either a drywall ceilings, finished in knock down texture or as a flat painted ceiling. They will definitely give you a higher end look, but once the ceiling is done you can not access the roughins above them any longer. For this reason some people will consider a dropped ceiling using ceiling tiles and although many people will not consider based on looks, there are actually a lot better looking options out there these days.

6. Media and bar areas

Media areas and bars are quite common request for a Calgary basement renovation. Usually involving mill work and in the case of a bar appliances, counters and tile, these can be high cost areas of your basement project. When planning your media area, apart from the cabinetry you will be using, there can be quite a lot of electrical / AV work needed.A lot of people also like to incorporate a fireplace below their TV. Depending on the extent you are going to, you may be able to use an electrician for a regular install, but if you want high end AV then you may have to call in specialist company. For basement bars think about lighting, shelving for storage or decoration, as well as what appliances you need there, so you can plan your cabinetry around this. Again remember the implications that the location of your bar will have on plumbing.

Let us help you plan your Calgary basement renovation and keep the cost down, by figuring out what are some of the key items that will affect your budget. Our consulting services can easily save you money, because now you will be informed and will know how to avoid those often overlooked costs!

So are you ready for us to help you with your renovation project?

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